Which sentence contains a verb in passive voice? A.Those old records may be worth a lot someday. B.Their apartment was small but very interesting. C.Aren't those my old ice skates? D.Was that photograph taken with the digital camera?

Question

anonymous · Answer

@jolo_yolo

jolo_yolo · Answer

i'm thinking it's C im not sure tho. what do u think

anonymous · Answer

that is what I thought at first but I am thinking that the ice skates are the direct object and you wont have a D.O. in passive. So I'm not sure.

anonymous · Answer

@SolomonZelman

solomonzelman · Answer

"is being done" is a passive voice.
"is doing" is an active voice.

solomonzelman · Answer

there you go,
Was that photograph $\normalsize\color{blue}{     \rm taken               }$ with the digital camera?

anonymous · Answer

I am sorry but I am confused because in my book the deffinition of  a passive voice is - indicates that the action of the verb is being performed upon the subject.  I thought the subject was the photograph and the digital camera is the Direct obeject. Do I have that backwards?

solomonzelman · Answer

yes, that is correct. Like for example (of a passive verb).

~  My camera was $\normalsize\color{blue}{     \rm stolen             }$.
~  Has anyone even $\normalsize\color{blue}{     \rm thought               }$ about it ?
~  A pencil was $\normalsize\color{blue}{     \rm broken              }$.

solomonzelman · Answer

and subject is the main verb of the sentence. SO in the case of the camera, "the camera was taken"
so the subject is $\normalsize\color{blue}{     \rm" taken  "           }$.

anonymous · Answer

ok I see that but how is that verb "taken" being used in the passive voice?

solomonzelman · Answer

the camera was $\normalsize\color{blue}{     \rm taken     }$. As your book gives you,
it is   $\normalsize\color{red}{     \rm the~~action~~of~~ the~~ verb~ is~~ being~~ performed~~ upon~~ the~~ subject"   }$  correct?

solomonzelman · Answer

it is being taken in the past, as oppose to saying that someone took it.

anonymous · Answer

yes ok there we go my brain cuaght up finally! Thank you!!

solomonzelman · Answer

Anytime:) You seem to be a smart student. Have you known so other languages (the ones that I know) it would have been easier to understand this. But now, you are first coming to the understanding of a passive verb and active verb, so you graped it farily fast.

solomonzelman · Answer

*grasped and *fairly  (on the last line)

anonymous · Answer

Thank you. I mostly use this site to check and see if what I already chose was correct. Double checking my thinking.

solomonzelman · Answer

Ohh, cool! I have to say, good thinking... and you are always welcome!