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.
Using 'on'
- 'On' is a very common way of making a sentence impersonal.
- Cette lettre a été écrite en 1998 On a écrit cette lettre en 1998.
- This letter has been written in 1998 This letter was written in 1998.
- Le dessert est servi après le plat principal On sert le dessert après le plat principal.
- Dessert is served after the main course One serves the dessert after the main course.
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 La pomme se mange froide.
- Apple is eaten cold.
- Ce film est souvent vu 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.
Passive active
- La nourriture sera mangée par moi Je mangerai la nourriture.
- The food will be eaten by me I will eat the food.
- Les gâteaux étaient faits par ma mère Ma mère faisait les gâteaux.
- The cakes were being made by my mum My mum was making the cakes.
1The Changing Nature of Family
1.1Soucis et problèmes de famille
1.2Monoparentalité, homoparentalité etc
2The 'cyber-society'
2.1Qui sont les cybernautes ?
2.2Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne
3The Place of Voluntary Work
3.1Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?
3.2La valeur du bénévolat
4Diverse Society
4.1L'enrichissement dû à la mixité
4.2Tolérance et respect
5The Marginalised
5.1Qui ils sont
5.2Comment aider
6How Criminals Are Treated
6.1Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?
6.2La prison – échec ou succès ?
7A Culture Proud of its Heritage
7.1Le patrimoine - national, régional et local
7.2Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture
7.3Le patrimoine et le tourisme
8Cinema: the 7th Art Form
8.1Pourquoi le septième art?
8.2Le cinéma - une passion nationale ?
9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
9.1Le pouvoir des syndicats
9.2Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?
10Politics & Immigration
10.1Politiques d'intégration et immigration
10.2L'immigration et les partis politiques
10.3L'engagement politique des immigrés
11Conjugation & Use of Tenses
11.1Present Tense
11.1.1Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'11.1.2Irregular RE Verbs11.1.3RE Present Participle11.1.4Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern11.1.5Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'11.1.6Regular IR Verbs11.1.7Reflexive Verbs11.1.8ER Present Participles11.1.95 Common IR Verbs11.1.10Stem-Changing Verbs11.1.11Irregular Present Participles11.1.12Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'11.1.13Regular RE Verbs11.1.14Irregular ER Verbs - Aller11.1.15Modal Irregular IR Verbs11.1.165 Common RE Verbs11.1.17Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern11.1.18Avoir11.1.19Être11.1.20Regular ER Verbs11.1.21IR Present Participle11.1.225 Common ER Verbs
11.2Perfect Tense
11.3Imperfect Tense
11.4Future Tense
11.5Conditional Tense
11.6Future Perfect Tense
11.7Conditional Perfect Tense
12Extra Grammar
12.2Adjectives
12.3Numerals
12.4Adverbs
12.5Quantifiers & Intensifiers
12.6Pronouns
12.7Passive Voice
12.8Prepositions
12.9Conjunctions
12.10Negation
12.11Questions
Jump to other topics
1The Changing Nature of Family
1.1Soucis et problèmes de famille
1.2Monoparentalité, homoparentalité etc
2The 'cyber-society'
2.1Qui sont les cybernautes ?
2.2Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne
3The Place of Voluntary Work
3.1Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?
3.2La valeur du bénévolat
4Diverse Society
4.1L'enrichissement dû à la mixité
4.2Tolérance et respect
5The Marginalised
5.1Qui ils sont
5.2Comment aider
6How Criminals Are Treated
6.1Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?
6.2La prison – échec ou succès ?
7A Culture Proud of its Heritage
7.1Le patrimoine - national, régional et local
7.2Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture
7.3Le patrimoine et le tourisme
8Cinema: the 7th Art Form
8.1Pourquoi le septième art?
8.2Le cinéma - une passion nationale ?
9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
9.1Le pouvoir des syndicats
9.2Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?
10Politics & Immigration
10.1Politiques d'intégration et immigration
10.2L'immigration et les partis politiques
10.3L'engagement politique des immigrés
11Conjugation & Use of Tenses
11.1Present Tense
11.1.1Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'11.1.2Irregular RE Verbs11.1.3RE Present Participle11.1.4Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern11.1.5Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'11.1.6Regular IR Verbs11.1.7Reflexive Verbs11.1.8ER Present Participles11.1.95 Common IR Verbs11.1.10Stem-Changing Verbs11.1.11Irregular Present Participles11.1.12Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'11.1.13Regular RE Verbs11.1.14Irregular ER Verbs - Aller11.1.15Modal Irregular IR Verbs11.1.165 Common RE Verbs11.1.17Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern11.1.18Avoir11.1.19Être11.1.20Regular ER Verbs11.1.21IR Present Participle11.1.225 Common ER Verbs
11.2Perfect Tense
11.3Imperfect Tense
11.4Future Tense
11.5Conditional Tense
11.6Future Perfect Tense
11.7Conditional Perfect Tense
12Extra Grammar
12.2Adjectives
12.3Numerals
12.4Adverbs
12.5Quantifiers & Intensifiers
12.6Pronouns
12.7Passive Voice
12.8Prepositions
12.9Conjunctions
12.10Negation
12.11Questions
Practice questions on Avoiding Using the Passive Voice
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Which of the following sentences are NOT impersonal?Multiple choice
- 2
- 3Select the active sentences:True / false
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