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Demystifying Personal and Impersonal Passive Voice: A Comprehensive Guide with Examples

In English, passive voice is a valuable tool used to shift the focus from the subject performing the action to the action itself. Understanding passive voice is essential for effective communication, and it comes in two forms: personal passive and impersonal passive. In this blog post, we will delve into the intricacies of both forms, providing detailed explanations and a wealth of examples to help you grasp the concept effortlessly.

What is Personal Passive Voice?

Personal passive voice occurs when the object of an active sentence becomes the subject of the corresponding passive sentence. The emphasis remains on the receiver of the action rather than the doer. We construct personal passive voice using the verb “to be” and the past participle form of the main verb.

Examples:

1. Active Voice: The chef cooks the meal. Personal Passive: The meal is cooked by the chef.
2. Active Voice: They built the bridge. Personal Passive: The bridge was built by them.
3. Active Voice: She wrote the book. Personal Passive: The book was written by her.
4. Active Voice: The mechanic fixed my car. Personal Passive: My car was fixed by the mechanic.
5. Active Voice: He will complete the assignment. Personal Passive: The assignment will be completed by him.

What is Impersonal Passive Voice?

Impersonal passive voice, on the other hand, is used when the focus is solely on the action itself, and the doer remains unimportant or unknown. In such cases, we use the pronoun “it” as the subject, followed by the verb “to be” and the past participle of the main verb.

Examples:

1. Active Voice: They say that he is guilty. Impersonal Passive: It is said that he is guilty.
2. Active Voice: People believe that ghosts exist. Impersonal Passive: It is believed that ghosts exist.
3. Active Voice: We know that John won the competition. Impersonal Passive: It is known that John won the competition.
4. Active Voice: They think that she stole the money. Impersonal Passive: It is thought that she stole the money.
5. Active Voice: The media reported that the company will launch a new product. Impersonal Passive: It was reported that a new product will be launched by the company.

Personal Passive Voice Examples:

1. They caught the thief. The thief was caught by them.
2. She has sold her old laptop. Her old laptop has been sold by her.
3. He threw the ball. The ball was thrown by him.
4. The teacher will assign the homework. The homework will be assigned by the teacher.
5. We saw the fireworks. The fireworks were seen by us.
6. They are painting the walls. The walls are being painted by them.
7. She had baked a delicious cake. A delicious cake had been baked by her.
8. He will post the letter tomorrow. The letter will be posted by him tomorrow.
9. The storm destroyed the old house. The old house was destroyed by the storm.
10. They ought to finish the project. The project ought to be finished by them.

Impersonal Passive Voice Examples:

1. People say that he can speak seven languages. It is said that he can speak seven languages.
2. People believe that black cats bring bad luck. It is believed that black cats bring bad luck.
3. Someone reported that the bank was robbed yesterday. It was reported that the bank was robbed yesterday.
4. They think that she might win the competition. It is thought that she might win the competition.
5. People say that laughter is the best medicine. It is said that laughter is the best medicine.
6. They believe that the exam results will be out soon. It is believed that the exam results will be out soon.
7. Some claim that aliens have visited Earth. It is claimed that aliens have visited Earth.
8. Many think that the treasure is buried on this island. It is thought that the treasure is buried on this island.
9. Rumor has it that she is quitting her job. It is rumored that she is quitting her job.
10. They say that he was seen at the party last night. It is said that he was seen at the party last night.

Mastering personal and impersonal passive voice is a crucial aspect of English grammar. Personal passive voice emphasizes the subject receiving the action, while impersonal passive voice highlights the action itself without considering the doer. By understanding and practicing these two forms, you can enhance your writing and communication skills, making your expressions more diverse and effective. Keep exploring various sentence structures and always remember to use passive voice judiciously to maintain clarity and coherence in your writing.