Active voice sentence construction. How to Write in an Active Voice and Be More Engaging 2022-10-30

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In written and spoken language, the active voice refers to a sentence construction in which the subject performs the action stated by the verb. In contrast, the passive voice is a sentence construction in which the subject is acted upon by the verb.

Using the active voice can make writing and speaking more direct, clear, and concise. It can also make the subject of the sentence more prominent and give the sentence more emphasis. For example, consider the following two sentences:

Active voice: "The teacher graded the exams." Passive voice: "The exams were graded by the teacher."

In the active voice sentence, the subject "the teacher" is performing the action of grading. In the passive voice sentence, the subject "the exams" is being acted upon by the verb "graded." The passive voice sentence is longer and less direct than the active voice sentence.

There are times when it is appropriate to use the passive voice, such as when the focus of the sentence is on the object rather than the subject. For example: "The cake was eaten by the dog." In this sentence, the focus is on the cake that was eaten, rather than the dog that did the eating.

However, in general, it is recommended to use the active voice as it can make writing and speaking more clear, concise, and engaging. To use the active voice, identify the subject of the sentence and make sure that it is performing the action stated by the verb.

In summary, the active voice is a sentence construction in which the subject performs the action stated by the verb. It can make writing and speaking more direct, clear, and concise, and is generally preferred over the passive voice. By identifying the subject and ensuring that it is performing the action stated by the verb, writers and speakers can effectively use the active voice in their language.

Active and Passive Voice

active voice sentence construction

Let's go through this step by step. Writers can use their discretion based on the information presented in the above section to cross out the new object, or to place it at the end of the sentence preceded by by. This makes the paragraph direct and easy for the reader to understand. When to Use an Active Voice? Passive: Herman's space was invaded. Often writers and poets use passive voice in figurative language. Active: The news that the dean canceled the faculty meeting because of the winter storm cheered us. In an active sentence, the agent of the action of the verb is clearly named.

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Active Voice: Definition and Examples

active voice sentence construction

Rule of thumb: keep whatever you want your reader to focus on as the subject of your sentences and use active and passive voice as needed to indicate performance or receipt of an action, being sure to include "by"phrases in passive constructions to specify agency. The subject therefore is doing the action in the sentence, and so this uses the active voice. Active voice is a sentence construction in which the subject performs the action described by the verb. Look at the example sentences from above being modified to the passive voice. The following are some tips for avoiding the passive voice: 4. Hedieh Najafi Hedi Najafi earned her Ph. Active and Passive Voice Got an active schedule? Therefore, "corrupts" is a verb in the active voice.

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How to Change a Sentence from Active to Passive Voice

active voice sentence construction

Which sentence is in passive voice? To show when a person or thing is not important or is not known A store was burglarized yesterday evening. For example: The door was kicked open. Then, add a "to be" to the verb, and change the verb to its past participle form. In general, use the active voice whenever possible. A passive voice sentence is a sentence in which the subject is acted upon by the verb, and it is usually in the form of Object + a Conjugation of "to be" + the Present or Past Participle of the Verb + Subject usually in a Prepositional Phrase. Therefore, "tripped" is a verb in the active voice. If "slaughtered" is a verb meaning beaten easily, then "was slaughtered" is in the passive voice.

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Active and Passive Voice Sentence Structure

active voice sentence construction

What are Active and Passive Voice Sentences? What is Passive Voice? Active sentences are always shorter than their passive alternatives. For practice spotting passive voice in your writing, see the GWC video tutorial Recognizing Passive Voice and accompanying Passive voice sometimes gets confused with a number of other, unrelated properties of writingā€”none of them inherently undesirable. This is an example of an active voice sentence because the teacher, who is the subject of the sentence, performed the action of issuing an assignment. In this passive sentence, the proper form of the verb be is has been that agrees with the garbage, the subject. What to Know When a sentence is in the active voice, the subject of the sentence is the one doing the action expressed by the verb.


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Active vs. Passive Voice: What's The Difference?

active voice sentence construction

Reason 2 Passive sentences can show a neutral or objective tone. Past participles are a form of verb usually ending in -ed and form the perfect and past tense of the verb. Sometimes, it's a little trickier to spot whether the subject carried out the action of the verb. The actions are being done to the subjects. It is of no consequence to mention who burnt the food. What is active voice in simple words? Comparing Active and Passive Voice If your goal is to create an engaging paper, first learn the difference between two kinds of voices.

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Sentence Structure Voice: Active Passive

active voice sentence construction

In the active voice, the subject is doing the action. When to Use Passive Voice Structure Although, grammarians and English teachers prefer the active voice as they find it clearer and less wordy, there are situations that warrant the use of the passive voice construction. To Evoke a Feeling of Authority Sometimes, a person wants to make their writing more serious and authoritative. My goldfish is the object. It seems like Jeanette Walls should be the subject. Some unknown person is performing the action by seeing the boy trip. At the time, this policy was received with greater and lesser degrees of acceptance, and it would continue to be reinterpreted and adapted to new geopolitical developments over the next several centuries.

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Active Voice

active voice sentence construction

How to Change a Sentence from Active to Passive Voice. These are also called linking verbs. US President Abraham Lincoln "The best way to predict your future" the subject is performing the verb "is. This active sentence focuses on the rangers. The verb to be must be accompanied by the past participle of the verb to mark the passive voice. If a sentence does not contain any forms of the verb to be and past participle, it is not in passive voice. Note that with a passive sentence, the performer of the action of verb i.

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Use the active voice

active voice sentence construction

Engagement As mentioned before, active voice creates a more direct message than a passive voice sentence. Here is an analysis of its most common advantages. This passive-sentence version focuses on the victims. In this example, "painted" is in the active voice because the subject of "painted" "John" is performing the action, i. The passive voice occurs when the action is done by what seems like it should be the object. As we can see, the subjects are directly performing their respective tasks.

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