Passive voice/Passivity functions in a sentence

[smms]

Hi,

I couldn't find anything useful on the internet about passivity function.
Considering the title, what is the best way to analyze (in term of function) a passive voice sentence?

Given an example:

"It needed to be heard but once there to be registered on even a little dog's brain." (Atkinson: 1997)


or

"The new kirk was of Queen Anne's day, but the old kirk was built before ever the Pilgrims set sail for America." (Atkinson: 1997)

​

 

[TheParser]

Considering the title, what is the best way to analyze (in term of function) a passive voice sentence?

NOT A TEACHER

Do you wish to know the function of sentences with the passive voice?

Well, one of the main functions is that the speaker/writer does not have to mention the doer of the action. In your example sentence about "the old kirk was built before ever the Pilgrims set sail for America," you can see that it is not necessary to know who built the old kirk.

Another reason that people use the passive is that since it leaves out the doer, it is often more neutral: Compare: "Someone in this office stole my cellphone yesterday" and "My cellphone was stolen yesterday." In the latter sentence, you are simply stating a fact without mentioning the alleged doer. It is more diplomatic than the first sentence.

 

[Fick1995]

The car was fixed The pencil had been lostThese two are in active or passive?

 

[TheParser]

NOT A TEACHER


1. "Raul fixed the car." "The car was fixed (by Raul)." = the passive.

2. " Mona had lost the pencil." "The pencil had been lost (by Mona)." = the passive.