Active and passive sentences refer to different ways of constructing sentences to express the relationship between the subject and the action.
Active Sentence:
In an active sentence, the subject performs the action of the verb. The structure typically follows the format: Subject + Verb + Object.
Example:
- "The dog (subject) chased (verb) the cat (object)."
Passive Sentence:
In a passive sentence, the subject receives the action of the verb, and the focus is often on the action itself or the object of the action rather than who is performing it. The structure usually follows the format: Subject + Form of "to be" + Past Participle + (by + Agent).
Example:
- "The cat (subject) was chased (verb) by the dog (agent)."
Summary:
- Active Voice emphasizes the doer of the action.
- Passive Voice emphasizes the receiver of the action or the action itself.
These constructions can change the focus and sometimes the clarity of a sentence, and they are used in different contexts for stylistic or practical reasons.