Meaning & use
passives
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“passives” is a form of “passive”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountabletechnical
Sentences or verb forms in the passive voice, where the subject receives the action, as in The window was broken.
Grammar: Plural of passive: several passives, used in grammar discussion.
Patterns
- use passives
- rewrite passives
Teachers often ask students to rewrite passives as active sentences.
Scientific reports use many passives, such as the sample was heated.
Learners often misuse passives with intransitive verbs.
nounusually pluralfinanceinformal
Investment funds that follow a market index rather than relying on managers who pick shares.
Grammar: Usually plural in finance writing: passives outperformed actives.
Patterns
- invest in passives
Many savers have moved their money into passives.
Passives often charge lower fees than actively managed funds.
Pension schemes use a mix of passives and actives.
Common combinations
- use passives
- Good writers do not overuse passives.
- rewrite the passives
- Please rewrite the passives as active sentences.
- passives and actives
- The fund holds both passives and actives.
- avoid passives
- The guide tells you to avoid passives in headlines.
Synonyms and how they differ
- passive constructions
- This is the more formal grammar term and sounds precise rather than casual.
- index funds
- This names the kind of investment directly, while passives is a market shorthand.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: passives or passes?
passives vs passes
Passes is a verb or noun about going by or giving something, not about grammar or funds.
Practice
In writing class, we changed all the ___ into active sentences.
Choose one answer.
Passives are sentences in the passive voice, which can be changed into active ones. Actives are already active.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “passives”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.