What is passive voice?

Passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence is the recipient of the action rather than the doer of the action. In passive voice, the object of the action becomes the subject of the sentence, while the doer of the action may be mentioned in a prepositional phrase or omitted altogether. Passive voice is often used when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or when the focus is on the action itself rather than the doer.

Passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence receives the action of the verb, rather than performing the action. In other words, the subject is acted upon, rather than being the actor.

Structure of Passive Voice:

```
Subject + was/were + past participle of verb + (by + object)
```

Example:

Active voice:
- The teacher teaches the students.

Passive voice:
- The students are taught by the teacher.

In the active voice, "the teacher" is performing the action of teaching. In the passive voice, "the students" are receiving the action of being taught, and "the teacher" is now the indirect object introduced by "by."

Uses of Passive Voice:

Passive voice is often used in the following situations:

- To emphasize the recipient of the action: "The award was given to the deserving student."
- To conceal or de-emphasize the actor: "Mistakes were made during the project."
- To express general statements or facts: "Oxygen is required for human life."
- To create a more formal or objective tone: "The proposal was carefully considered before a decision was reached."

Note:

- Passive voice can sometimes be ambiguous, as the agent performing the action may not be clear from the sentence.
- Passive voice should not be overused, as it can make writing less clear and concise.