16. Can you tell the difference?
Mistakes were made.
Most of the class read The Bluest Eye.
17. Can you tell the difference?
The potholes are being repaired by the
workers. Hot, black, asphalt was
poured into the potholes by the crew.
Safe driving on the part of the
public is appreciated by the road
crew to insure their safety.
Passive sentences in paragraph. Active=The workers
repaired the potholes. The crew poured hot, black
asphalt into the potholes. To insure their safety, the
crew appreciates the public driving safely.
18. Can you tell the difference?
The professor graded the essays.
Many students scored well because
they used active voice. One student
almost failed because he had too
many passive sentences. The
professor recommended the student
to the Center for Teaching and
Learning.
Active sentences in paragraph
The presence of a “be” verb does not automatically mean the sentence is passive. You must look at whether or not the subject of the sentence is doing the action or receiving the action.
Passive voice makes the sentence weaker, less dramatic, and does not pack a punch.
Direct can make a sentence more dramatic and packs a bigger punch.
find the subject in a "by the..." phrase, or consider carefully who or what is performing the action expressed in the verb. Make that agent the subject of the sentence, and change the verb accordingly. Sometimes you will need to infer the agent from the surrounding sentences which provide context.
Shelia wrote the essay.
The professor left the big, green apples on the table.
Charlene ate the apple.
Many people consider clams a delicacy.
We made mistakes.
Active
Passive sentences in paragraph. Active=The workers repaired the potholes. The crew poured hot, black asphalt into the potholes. To insure their safety, the crew appreciates the public driving safely.
