PASSIVE STRUCTURE Meaning and
Definition
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The term "passive structure" refers to a grammatical construction that emphasizes the recipient or object of an action rather than the doer or subject. In English, passive structures are characterized by the use of the auxiliary verb "to be" followed by the past participle of the main verb. This construction inverses the typical subject-verb-object word order, placing the object as the grammatical subject and the doer of the action in a prepositional phrase introduced by "by."
The passive voice is commonly used when the focus of the sentence is on the result or effect of an action rather than the doer. It is particularly appropriate in situations where the doer is unknown, irrelevant, or intentionally omitted. For example, "The book was written by an unknown author" places the focus on the book rather than the author.
The passive structure may also be used to shift the emphasis to a previously mentioned or more important element in a discourse. Furthermore, it is employed to create a more formal tone, especially in academic and scientific writing.
While the passive structure can be useful in certain situations, it is important to note that it may lead to ambiguity or lack of clarity if overused. Therefore, it is advisable to use the active voice whenever possible, as it typically provides more precision and conveys a stronger sense of action.
Common Misspellings for PASSIVE STRUCTURE
- oassive structure
- lassive structure
- 0assive structure
- pzssive structure
- psssive structure
- pwssive structure
- pqssive structure
- paasive structure
- pazsive structure
- paxsive structure
- padsive structure
- paesive structure
- pawsive structure
- pasaive structure
- paszive structure
- pasxive structure
- pasdive structure
- paseive structure
- paswive structure
- passuve structure
Etymology of PASSIVE STRUCTURE
The word "passive" in the term "passive structure" comes from the Latin word "passivus", which is derived from the verb "pati", meaning "to suffer" or "to undergo". The term "passive" refers to a grammatical voice or form that highlights the receiver rather than the doer of an action.
The term "structure" in the context of grammar refers to the way in which words, phrases, and clauses are organized or arranged to form a complete sentence or expression. So, the term "passive structure" refers to the grammatical construction or arrangement that is passive in nature, emphasizing the receiver of the action rather than the doer.
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