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Active versus Passive Voice

Active versus Passive Voice. Are the following sentences in the active or the passive voice?. My professor is teaching three courses. These three courses are taught by the same professor. The Economist is read by many students and professionals. I enjoy reading The Economist .

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Active versus Passive Voice

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  1. Active versus Passive Voice

  2. Are the following sentences in the active or the passive voice? • My professor is teaching three courses. • These three courses are taught by the same professor. • The Economist is read by many students and professionals. • I enjoy reading The Economist. • The issue of electoral reform was discussed by the students.

  3. Q: What is the difference between the active and the passive voice?

  4. A: In an sentence using the active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action. In a sentence using the passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action.

  5. Examples: Active: Active sentences (subject) focus (action, done by the subject) on the person doing the action. Passive: The recipient of the action (subject) is focused (action, not done by the subject), on in a passive sentence.

  6. Examples: Active: The explorers climbed the tallest mountain in the range. Passive: The tallest mountain in the range was climbed by the explorers.

  7. Examples: Active: This great scholar compiled the largest collection of Shakespeare’s sources. Passive: The largest collection of Shakespeare’s sources was compiled by this scholar.

  8. Active Voice More emphatic More concise Used as the general rule Passive Voice Used when you want to stress the importance of the action or its recipient. Used when the actor is unknown or irrelevant. Used when one wants to avoid mentioning the actor: Ex. Mistakes were made. Active versus Passive

  9. Q: So what’s the problem?

  10. A: 1. You should not switch voices in the same sentence!2. Be careful with the grammatical construction.

  11. Examples of switching voices in the same sentence: • The contentious issue was contemplated as the debaters prepared to present their arguments. • Once the books were finished, the writers talked to the publisher. • The pipes in the kitchen were fixed, then the plumber started repairing the showers.

  12. Switching voices can confuse the reader. If your reader is confused, then your writing is not effective or efficient.

  13. Q: How do I fix it (switching voices)?

  14. A: Make all parts of your sentence consistent. Usually, you should change the passive voice to the active voice.

  15. Corrections: Incorrect: Once the books were finished, the writers talked to the publisher. Correct: Once the writers finished their books, they talked to the publisher.

  16. Corrections: Incorrect: The pipes in the kitchen were fixed, then the plumber started repairing the showers. Correct: The plumber fixed the pipes in the kitchen then started repairing the showers.

  17. Examples of Mistaken Grammatical Construction in the Passive Voice: • The horses will groomed. • The great fir tree had cut down. • The hungry bear would shot by the hunter. • Shoes is made in the factory. • Bicycles should not be leaving in the driveway. • This skyscraper will finish in 2009.

  18. Q: How do I fix it (mistaken grammatical construction in the passive voice)?

  19. 1. Make sure to know who is receiving the action and who is doing the action. 2. Verify that you have BE + pastparticiple in your sentence!3. Verify your tenses and your subject-verb agreement!

  20. Corrections: Incorrect: The horses will groomed. Correct: The horses will be groomed.

  21. Corrections: Incorrect: The great fir tree had cut down. Correct: The great fir tree had been cut down.

  22. Corrections: Incorrect: The hungry bear would shot by the hunter. Correct: The hungry bear would beshot by the hunter.

  23. Self Test: Correct the following sentences if there is an inconsistency in voice.

  24. The new product design will finish very soon. • They was cooking dinner when I arrived. • The preparations had all be finished when the guests arrived. • The refreshments are going to be provide by Karen.

  25. Mistakes had made by the politicians. - The dinner was eaten as the guests got to know each other better.- “Dubliners” wrote by James Joyce.

  26. Visit the Writing Centre: LIB 272 B Telephone: 416-979-5000 ext. 7192 Website: http://www.ryerson.ca/writing-centre Email address: writingcentre@ryerson.ca

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