14.6.5

Avoiding The Passive

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Making it Impersonal

The passive voice is mainly used in literature, it is 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 ecrite en 1998 \rightarrow On a écrit cette lettre en 1998.
    • This letter had 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 froid.
    • Apple is eaten cold.
  • Ce film est souvent vu \rightarrow Ce film se voit souvent.
    • This film is often watched.

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14Grammar

14.1Present Tense

14.2Perfect Tense

14.3Imperfect Tense

14.4Future Tense

14.5Conditional Tense

14.6Passive

14.7Imperative

15Other Grammar

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