12.7.3

Avoiding Using the Passive Voice

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Making it Impersonal

The passive voice is mainly used in literature - it's not used in everyday French. You can avoid using the passive by making the sentence impersonal.

Illustrative background for Using 'on'Illustrative background for Using 'on' ?? "content

Using 'on'

  • 'On' is a very common way of making a sentence impersonal.
  • Cette lettre a été écrite en 1998 \rightarrow On a écrit cette lettre en 1998.
    • This letter has been written in 1998 \rightarrow This letter was written in 1998.
  • Le dessert est servi après le plat principal \rightarrow On sert le dessert après le plat principal.
    • Dessert is served after the main course \rightarrow One serves the dessert after the main course.
Illustrative background for Using 'se'Illustrative background for Using 'se' ?? "content

Using 'se'

  • This is called the passive reflexive. You place a 'se' in front of a verb that is not normally reflexive to show a passive nature.
  • La pomme est mangée froide \rightarrow La pomme se mange froide.
    • Apple is eaten cold.
  • Ce film est souvent vu \rightarrow Ce film se voit souvent.
    • This film is often watched.

Making it Active

Any passive sentence can become active. All you need to do is reorder the sentence.

Illustrative background for Passive $$\rightarrow$$ activeIllustrative background for Passive $$\rightarrow$$ active ?? "content

Passive \rightarrow active

  • La nourriture sera mangée par moi \rightarrow Je mangerai la nourriture.
    • The food will be eaten by me \rightarrow I will eat the food.
  • Les gâteaux étaient faits par ma mère \rightarrow Ma mère faisait les gâteaux.
    • The cakes were being made by my mum \rightarrow My mum was making the cakes.

Jump to other topics

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2The 'cyber-society'

3The Place of Voluntary Work

4Diverse Society

5The Marginalised

6How Criminals Are Treated

7A Culture Proud of its Heritage

8Cinema: the 7th Art Form

9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?

10Politics & Immigration

11Conjugation & Use of Tenses

11.1Present Tense

11.2Perfect Tense

11.3Imperfect Tense

11.4Future Tense

11.5Conditional Tense

11.6Future Perfect Tense

11.7Conditional Perfect Tense

11.8Pluperfect Tense

12Extra Grammar

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