Focus on the Project
Focusing on the collective work rather than the team
(intermediate to advanced students)
Use passive:
- when the receiver (object or indirect object) is your focus
- when the agents are too many to list
- when the agent(s) is/ are unknown
- when the agent is not specific (everyone in general)
Agent vs. Object Focus
The passive voice is often used to shift the emphasis from the persons doing work (agents) to their group work.
| AGENT FOCUS | OBJECT FOCUS |
|---|---|
When the focus is on the people (subject) doing the work, they are moved to the front of the sentence. |
When we want to focus on the project (the object) rather than the people doing the project (the agents), we move the object of the clause to the front.This focus change is marked by a passive verb form. The subject or agent is optionally mentioned in a "by" phrase. (See next page By Phrases.) |
Scientists have mapped the human genome. |
The human genome has been mapped by scientists. |
Scientists have determined three billion base-pairs of DNA |
Three billion base-pairs of DNA were determined. (by scientists who are too many to list) |
Researchers expect this knowledge to lead to better treatments for diseases like cancer and diabetes. |
This knowledge is expected to lead to better treatments for diseases like cancer and diabetes. (by an unknown future research team) |
We must link this discover to responsible use. |
The discovery must be linked to responsible use. (by everyone) |
NOVA, PBS. "Cracking the Code of Life". http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/genome/program.html
Wikipedia, "The Human Genome Project". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Genome_Project
Passive
Word Order
| ACTIVE | PASSIVE | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
To change focus, the speaker changes word order, transforms the sentence, by leading with the object or indirect object. |
The "agent", the person or thing that causes the action, moves after the verb. The "receiver", the person or thing affected by the action, moves before the verb. |
||||
SUBJECT — AGENT Everyone |
ACTIVE VERB expects |
OBJECT — RECEIVER a cure. |
SUBJECT — RECEIVER A cure |
PASSIVE VERB is expected |
OBJECT — AGENT by everyone. |
|
|
|
|
||
cure (n.) – a medicine or therapy to end a health problem
Passive
Agreement & Tense
| TENSE | SINGULAR | PLURAL |
|---|---|---|
PRESENT |
A cancer cure is discovered. |
Cancer treatments are discovered. |
PRESENT PROG. |
A cancer cure is being discovered. |
Cancer treatments are being discovered. |
PAST |
A cancer cure was discovered. |
Cancer treatments were discovered. |
PAST PROG. |
A cancer cure was being discovered. |
Cancer treatments were being discovered. |
PAST PERFECT |
A cancer cure has been discovered. |
Cancer treatments have been discovered. |
*PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE |
A cancer cure has been discovered. |
Cancer treatments have been discovered. |
Also see Irregular Participle Practice
*A complicated word form – exception
| PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE | PRESENT PERFECT OR PRESENT PROGRESSIVE |
|---|---|
*The land forms have been being mapped. (This rather complicated word from is simplified to present perfect or present progressive.) |
|
The land forms are being mapped. |
Practice 1
Gene Mapping Project
Completed in 2003, the Human Genome Project (HGP) was a 13-year project coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. During the early years of the HGP, the Wellcome Trust (U.K.) became a major partner; additional contributions came from Japan, France, Germany, China, and others. Human Genome Project
Project goals were to:
- identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA,
- determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA,
- store this information in databases,
- improve tools for data analysis,
- transfer related technologies to the private sector, and
- address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project.
Fill in the Blank – Tense and Agreement
- Fill in the blank with the passive verb form of the given verb.
- Compare your response to the answer to the right.
Practice 2
How Will We Use this Precious Genetic Map?
- Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right. Text view of answers
Answers
Text View
| # | SUBJECT | VERB | OBJECT |
|---|---|---|---|
1. |
The issue of how we will use human genomics |
divides |
many people. |
|
Many people |
are divided |
by the issue of how we will use human genomics. |
2. |
Health insurance companies |
could refuse |
coverage of individuals with genetic illnesses. |
|
Coverage of individuals with genetic illnesses |
could be refused |
by health insurance companies. |
3. |
The U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Wellcome Trust |
supported |
The Human Genome Project. |
|
The Human Genome Project |
was supported |
by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Wellcome Trust . |
4. |
Everyone |
expects |
this to revolutionize the practice of medicine. |
|
This |
is expected |
[by everyone] to revolutionize the practice of medicine. |
5. |
We |
must protect |
individual privacy as science moves forward with this project. |
|
Individual privacy |
must be protected |
(?) as science moves forward with this project. |
6. |
Researchers |
took |
a poll to find out if people wanted to know their genome. |
|
A poll |
was taken |
[by researchers] to find out if people wanted to know their genome. |
7. |
Sixty-one per cent of the people would want a doctor |
to inform |
them of their genetic "defects". |
|
They [sixty-one per cent of the people] would want |
to be informed |
[by a doctor] of their genetic "defects". |
8. |
Scientists |
are proposing |
rules that will govern the use of personal genomes. |
|
Rules |
are being proposed |
[by scientists] that will govern the use of personal genomes. |
9. |
In the sequencing phase, researchers |
identified |
the approximately 3.5 billion chemical letters (A, C, G, T) . |
|
3.5 billion chemical letters (A, C, G, T) |
were identified |
[by researchers] in the sequencing phase. |
