Passive voice
A voice in which the subject receives the action rather than performing it. The agent (performer) is either absent or appears in a 'by' phrase.
Real World
In the 2003 Iraq War dossier, the phrase 'mistakes were made' used passive voice to obscure who was responsible, a technique widely critiqued by journalists.
Exam Focus
Comment on agent deletion in passive constructions — explain why the writer chose to hide the performer and the effect on the reader.
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