voicevalency
Voicevalency is a term used in linguistics to describe the tendency of a verb to require a particular voice, either active or passive. This is distinct from grammatical voice, which refers to the form of the verb itself. Some verbs inherently "prefer" or are more naturally expressed in one voice over another. For example, verbs of perception like "see" or "hear" often appear in the active voice, as in "I saw the bird." While a passive construction like "The bird was seen by me" is grammatically correct, it can sometimes sound less natural or direct. Conversely, verbs related to states or conditions might lend themselves to passive constructions. For instance, "The decision was made yesterday" is a common and natural phrasing.
The concept of voicevalency suggests that certain verbs have a stronger affinity for one voice due to