Use of passive voice ?

The cake was baked by Sarah.

Definition of Passive Voice:

The passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence is acted upon, rather than acting. The subject is usually the recipient of the action.

Structure of Passive Voice:

- Subject: The noun or pronoun that receives the action
- Verb: A form of the verb "to be" (is, was, will be, etc.)
- Past Participle: The past tense form of the main verb

Example:

- Active Voice: The boy kicked the ball. (The boy is the subject, who is performing the action)
- Passive Voice: The ball was kicked by the boy. (The ball is the subject, who is receiving the action)

Uses of Passive Voice:

- Emphasis on the recipient of the action:
- The award was given to the outstanding student.
- Concealing the actor or speaker:
- Mistakes were made. (It is unclear who made the mistakes)
- Formal or technical writing:
- The analysis was conducted in accordance with the protocol.

Advantages of Passive Voice:

- Can make sentences more concise and impactful.
- Can emphasize the importance of the recipient of the action.
- Can be used in situations where the actor is unknown or irrelevant.

Disadvantages of Passive Voice:

- Can sound less direct and engaging.
- Can make sentences more wordy and less clear.
- Can weaken the impact of a sentence by separating the subject from the verb.

Best Practices for Using Passive Voice:

- Use passive voice sparingly and only when it is the most appropriate choice.
- Avoid using passive voice when the actor is important or known.
- Prefer active voice in informal and conversational writing.
- Be aware of the potential disadvantages of using passive voice and use it judiciously.

The passive voice is used when the subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb, rather than performing the action themselves. It is often used to emphasize the object of the action rather than the subject.