Verbs – 2 voices Active and passive

2 Voices - Active Active voice verbs SHOW you what is occuring & are always action verbs The subject performs the action shown. It is often a more concise (shorter & clearer) form of writing You want to use active voice most often in writing. Example: subject verb Craig ate the bag of Doritos.

Active voice verbs SHOW you what is occuring & are always action verbs

The subject performs the action shown.

It is often a more concise (shorter & clearer) form of writing

You want to use active voice most often in writing.

Example: subject verb

Craig ate the bag of Doritos.

2 Voices - Passive Passive voice verbs TELL you what is occuring Passive voice verbs are linking verbs OR Contains prepositional phrase showing the subject LAST in sentence Passive voice sentences can often be made more clear if the subject is placed back at the beginning of the sentence. Examples: subject verb The winner of the race was Sheila . (linking verb) The ball was caught by the outfielder . (helping+action verb, prep phrase)

Passive voice verbs TELL you what is occuring

Passive voice verbs are linking verbs OR

Contains prepositional phrase showing the subject LAST in sentence

Passive voice sentences can often be made more clear if the subject is placed back at the beginning of the sentence.

Examples: subject verb

The winner of the race was Sheila . (linking verb)

The ball was caught by the outfielder . (helping+action verb, prep phrase)

2 Voices – when to use ACTIVE VOICE: In nearly all writing you should SHOW your events instead of tell them. Active voice often makes sentences more concise (direct and clear) Active voice is especially important in journalism, drama, and realistic fiction PASSIVE VOICE: Sometimes TELLING events is acceptable in writing. This is best when telling another person’s story or using dialogue. It is also more common to see passive voice in technical (report) writing, where you try to eliminate opinions or bias

ACTIVE VOICE:

In nearly all writing you should SHOW your events instead of tell them.

Active voice often makes sentences more concise (direct and clear)

Active voice is especially important in journalism, drama, and realistic fiction

PASSIVE VOICE:

Sometimes TELLING events is acceptable in writing. This is best when telling another person’s story or using dialogue.

It is also more common to see passive voice in technical (report) writing, where you try to eliminate opinions or bias

2 Voices - comparison ACTIVE subject verb : The guerillas committed many crimes. “ Authorities make rules to be broken,” he said. A team of genetic researchers discovered the results. PASSIVE subject verb : Crimes were committed . (Unknown subject) “ Rules were made to be broken,” he said. (Unknown subject) The results were discovered by a team of genetic researchers.

ACTIVE subject verb :

The guerillas committed many crimes.

“ Authorities make rules to be broken,” he said.

A team of genetic researchers discovered the results.

PASSIVE subject verb :

Crimes were committed .

(Unknown subject)

“ Rules were made to be broken,” he said. (Unknown subject)

The results were discovered by a team of genetic researchers.

Examples Using your GoogleDocs account, write 2 paragraphs about the same event, but write one paragraph in passive voice & the other in active voice. Please mark each subject and object separately with a key explaining them. Also, please mark each paragraph as active or passive. At the end, write a paragraph explaining which type of writing was easiest to read & why (at least 2 reasons). See the examples following for ideas; you ARE NOT to use these as your own examples.

Using your GoogleDocs account, write 2 paragraphs about the same event, but write one paragraph in passive voice & the other in active voice. Please mark each subject and object separately with a key explaining them. Also, please mark each paragraph as active or passive. At the end, write a paragraph explaining which type of writing was easiest to read & why (at least 2 reasons).

See the examples following for ideas; you ARE NOT to use these as your own examples.

Examples – passive paragraph PASSIVE subject verb : A new genetic link between speech and social behavior was found by researchers in Switzerland. The results were discovered by a team of genetic researchers attempting to map the vocal processes necessary for organized speech. The accidentally discovery of a link between higher speech processes and social behavior in primates was published in the journal Science. (Unknown subject)

PASSIVE subject verb :

A new genetic link between speech and social behavior was found by researchers in Switzerland. The results were discovered by a team of genetic researchers attempting to map the vocal processes necessary for organized speech. The accidentally discovery of a link between higher speech processes and social behavior in primates was published in the journal Science. (Unknown subject)

Examples – active paragraph ACTIVE subject verb : Researchers in Switzerland have discovered a new genetic link between speech and social behavior. The team of genetic researchers found the results while attempting to map the vocal processes necessary for organized speech. In an article published in the journal Science the genetic team shows a link between higher speech processes and social behavior.

ACTIVE subject verb :

Researchers in Switzerland have discovered a new genetic link between speech and social behavior. The team of genetic researchers found the results while attempting to map the vocal processes necessary for organized speech. In an article published in the journal Science the genetic team shows a link between higher speech processes and social behavior.

Examples – best form I believe the active paragraph is the best form of writing. The information seems to be written more clearly and in a more organized fashion. The information also follows a more logical format; it seems to have happened in a specific order of time and events.

I believe the active paragraph is the best form of writing. The information seems to be written more clearly and in a more organized fashion. The information also follows a more logical format; it seems to have happened in a specific order of time and events.