A study on Passive voice in English Brief News parta: Introduction Rationale of the study Nowadays, with the globalization process, English has become the most powerful language all over the world English is the official language of 45 nations, one - third of the world population speak English, 75% of T.V programmes are broadcast in English, three-fourths of the post packages and telegrams are written in English English also is the main language of Informatic Technology English has reached the state standard language in international communication Especially, most of the magazines, newspapers and internet sites are published, exchanged in English In Vietnam, there are many newspapers as Vietnam News, Vietnam Economic Time which are written in English Vietnamese people have many chances to approach foreign news material and more domestics news materials have been written in English It is a reason why the demand of learning English has been developing noticeably Everyone not only learns it to communicate face - to face but also to comprehend a great source of information The second reason for conducting the present research originates from the fact that many sources of information are written in English Especially, in the modern life, with different reasons: work, jobs, or demand people want to seek information on the newspapers, internet sites, etc Moreover, newspapers have become one of the most popular and powerful means of communication and placed a displaceable part in man’s life but people have a very little time Phạm Thị Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University A study on Passive voice in English Brief News for reading newspapers That is why Brief News is one of the articles being read regularly In Brief News, all aspects of social life briefly have mentioned quickly and informatively Thus, it does not require much time for readers to get information and it is clear that, Brief News in English attracts more readers than other types of news articles Although Brief News is always brief as mentioned above, in reality, some events are displayed by passive voice So, how it can be understood? We have to realize the formation of the passive voice used In this thesis, we will study the passive voice and its usage in English Brief News Discourses Aims of the study -This study: -Aims at investigating the use of Passive voice in Brief News -Helping us improve a better understanding about the usefulness of English Brief News -Showing the significance of using passive voice in Englsh Brief News Scope of the study The study focuses on the written style rather than the spoken one of English press For the time and the limited size as well as, this study tries to analyse of some follow prominent points First, the research deals with passive voice use and its explanations and kinds of verbs that can be used in both active and passive sentences Second, the scope of this study is an investigation of passive voice in Brief News (kinds and purposes).The source of materials is newspaper articles taken from International Heral Tribute - a worlds daily newspaper - Phạm Thị Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University A study on Passive voice in English Brief News published by The New York Time, and Vietnam News - the very popular and typical Vietnam newspapers written in English Methods of the study To achieve the above mentioned aims, this reseach will be an integrated descriptive analytical one The following steps have been applied: - Collecting data from the written pieces of BNDs in English with the typical types of passive voice, tenses and fields - Finding the examples containing different types - Analysing some typical examples of each type Reaching some conclusions and roles on the subject and accordingly giving necessary comments Because of the limitation of a graduation thesis, the study just investigates a random collection of some Brief News in various fields such as socio-politics, culture, sport, and health, etc Design of the sudy Except for the acknowledgements, the table of contents as well as the references, this study consists of three main parts: Part A: Introduction This is an introductory part, in which, we present the rationale, aims, scope, methods, and design of the study Part B: Development This part demonstrates the content of the thesis, which consists of four chapters: Chapter deals with the theoretical background, an in - depth review of the relevant literature related to the issue under investigation Especially, a Phạm Thị Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University A study on Passive voice in English Brief News review of theory related to passive voice and Brief News in English is presented Chapter investigates the passive voice Expressions in English Brief News Chapter focuses on some typical tenses used with passive voice Chapter deals with some typical fields that use Passive voice in English Brief News Part C: Conclusion The final part will conclude what has been discussed in the contents of the study and give some suggestions for further study Part B: Development Chapter Theoretical Background Ph¹m ThÞ Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University A study on Passive voice in English Brief News 1.1 Introduction The study focuses on exploring the passive voice features and its using In addition, it also focuses on investigating Brief News and its popular types and some specific fields of Brief News that also use passive voice Within this framework, this chapter deals with the literature relevant to the study of passive voice in English Brief News 1.2 An investigation of Passive voice 1.2.1 A general description of Passive voice 1.2.1.1 What is passive voice ? Passive voice of an active tense is formed by putting the verb to be into the same tenses as the active verb and adding the past participle of active verb The subject of the active verb becomes the agent of the passive verb When the agent of the passive verb is mentioned, it is preceded by the word by and placed at the end of the clause Formation: A to be done (by B) Ex: Active: Students plant many flowers for the green and fresh school’s garden Passive: Many flowers are planted for the green and fresh school’s garden by students However, the agent is not mentioned In this case, the word by is not needed to use Ex: Active: Phạm Thị Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University A study on Passive voice in English Brief News People cut down many trees in the old forest yearly Passive: Many trees in the old forests are cut down yearly 1.2.1.2 Kinds of verb can be used in both active and passive sentences Only transitive verbs can be either active or passive Ex: Active: The “one way” signal indicates Subject Verb the direction in traffic Direct object Passive: The direction in traffic is indicated by the “one way” signal Subject Passive verb The Agent 1.2.1.3 Functions of the word “by” in passive sentences To make an active sentence in to a passive sentence, move the previous object to the subject position and the previous subject (now called Agent) to the end of the verb phrase with by In some cases, by is omitted However, it is kept when the agent who causes the action in the active sentence is rather important Ex: Active: Shakespeare wrote Hamlet play Passive: Hamlet play was written by Shakespeare The By phrase also explains how something is done Ex: -The direction in traffic Subject - Sport magazines Subject is indicated Passive verb are listed by Passive verb by the “one way” signal The Agent title and author How magazines are listed 1.2.3 When to use the passive voice? It is believed that in Academic English passive voice are used more than active voice, but writers may choose passive voice for the following reasons: Phạm Thị Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University A study on Passive voice in English Brief News * When we not know, not know exactly, have forgotten, or even we not care who did the action or the agent is unimportant or unknown Ex: -My car has been moved ! -Kenedy was assassinated in 1963 * When We are more interested in the action than the person who does it That means it is not necessary to mention the doer of the action as it is obvious who he is/ was/ will be Ex: -The rubbish has not been collected -The streets are swept everyday -Your hand will be X-rayed * When the subject of the active sentence would be the indefinite pronoun “one” Ex: One sees this sort of advertisement everywhere ->This sort of advertisement is seen everywhere * When the subject of the active verb would be “people” Ex: -He is suspected of receiving stolen goods (People suspected him of receiving stolen goods) * When the subject of the active sentence would be the indefinite pronoun “one” Ex: A new public library is being built ( by our local Council) * The passive voice may be used to avoid an awkward or ungrammatical sentence This usually done by avoiding a change of subject Ex: The sentence: Phạm Thị Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University A study on Passive voice in English Brief News - When he arrived home, a detective arrested him would be better expressed: -> When he arrived, he was arrested (by a detective) - When their mother was ill, neighbours looked after the children – Would be better expressed: -> When their mother ill, the children were looked after by neighbours * To be indirect, that is, to avoid blame Ex: Active: I have decided to terminate your employment Passive: It has been decided to terminate your employment * To avoid a “weak” subject in the active voice Ex: Weak: Everyone knows that Ethanol is an exellent fuel Strong: Ethanol is known to be an exellent fuel for sparkignition engines * To include a detailed description of a process Ex: Active: Distillation purifies water Passive: Water is purified by heating it to the boiling point, considering it, and collecting the product in a container * To avoid problems with masculine / femine pronouns Ex: Active: Each student must include his / her name and address on his / her application Passive: Students’s name and address must be included on each application Phạm Thị Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University A study on Passive voice in English Brief News 1.2.4 Other situations use passive voice * Passive voice of continuous tenses requires the present continuous forms of To be which are not otherwise much used Ex: Active: They are preparing the bridge Passive: The bridge is being prepared Active: They were carrying the injured player off the field Passive: The injured player was being carried off the field * Other continuous tenses are exceedingly rarely used in the passive, sentences such as: They have / had been repairing the road… They will / would be repairing… * Auxiliary + Infinitive combinations are made passive by using a passive infinitive Ex: Active: You must / should shut the doors Passive: These doors must / should be shut Active: Other infinitive combinations: * Verbs of liking / loving / wanting / wishing, etc +Object + Infinitive form Active: He wants someone to take some photographs Passive: He wants some photographs to be taken * With “verbs of command / request / advice / invitation +Direct object + Infinitive”, we form the passive by using the passive form of the main verb For examples: Phạm Thị Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University A study on Passive voice in English Brief News Active: He invited me to go Passive: I was invited to go * But with “advise / beg / order / recommend / urge…+ Direct object + Infinitive + Object”, We can form the Passive into two ways: - By making the main verb passive, as above, or: - By “advise / beg / order / recommend / urge…+ That…Should + Passive infinitive” For examples: Active: He urged the Council to reduce the rates Passive: + The Council was / were urged to reduce the rates Or: + He urged that the rates should be reduced Other Structures: * “Agree / Be anxious / Arrange / Be determined /Determine / Decide / Demand…+ Infinitive + Object” are usually expressed in the Passive by “ That + Object + Shoud be + Past participle”, as below: Active: He decided to sell the house Passive: He decided that the house should be sold Gerund combinations: * “Advise / Insist / propose / recommend / suggest + Gerund + Object” are usually expressed in the Passive by “That + Object + Should be Past participle”, as below: Active: He recommended using bullet - proof glass Passive: He recommended that bullet - proof glass should be used * “It / They + need + gerund” can be expressed by “It / They + Need + Passive infinitive” Both forms are passive in meanings Phạm Thị Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University 10 .. .A study on Passive voice in English Brief News for reading newspapers That is why Brief News is one of the articles being read regularly In Brief News, all aspects of social life briefly have... classic was being played ” 1.4 Significance of using Passive in English Brief News Phạm Thị Kim Dung - FLD Vinh University 14 A study on Passive voice in English Brief News Using passive voice in Brief. .. usage of passive voice in English Brief News, as well as its advantages To understand more about the details, we will have a deep research in the next chapter Chapter An investigation of Passive