Using passive voice

Passive voice with ergative verbs

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Passive voice with ergative verbs

Ergative verbs are verbs which can be transitive or intransitive . When used intransitively, ergative verbs can take as their subject the same persons or things that would be their object when they are used transitively:

The child rolled the ball down the hill.     subject                     object	transitive
The ball rolled down the hill.     subject	intransitive

Ergative verbs allow the speaker or writer three different ways of representing an event:

The speaker/writer can use an active voice transitive clause:

Galileo dropped the weights from the top of the tower.

The speaker/writer can use a passive voice transitive clause (with a further option of not mentioning the agent ):

The weights were dropped from the top of the tower (by Galileo).

The speaker/writer can use an intransitive clause:

The weights dropped from the top of the tower.

The difference between using a passive voice transitive clause and using an intransitive clause is that the passive clause implies that the event has a causer, even though it may not be explicitly mentioned:

The fine for spitting has been increased tenfold. (Bank of English)

An intransitive clause has no such implication:

Search fees have increased from $7 to $10 for members of the public seeking access over the counter. (Bank of English)

Speakers or writers can thus choose between active and passive voice with ergative verbs according to the implication they wish to make. Students in Hong Kong are often not sensitive to such differences, having a tendency to overuse passive voice with such verbs.

For further information about ergative verbs, see Using transitive and intransitive verbs: Using ergative verbs.

For information about some of the problems that students have with passive voice with ergative verbs, see  Using passive voice: Students' problems (p 4).