English Grammar Offline App - This application contains grammar rules, examples in. Singular/Plural Subject Verb Agreement Tenses Active and Passive Voi. Feb 5, 2015 - change the voice of a sentence from passive voice to active voice, e.g. 'I am puzzled by the question.' If possible: Windows 7; free.
Voice: Active and Passive ACTIVE / PASSIVE VOICE In most English sentences with an action verb, the subject performs the action denoted by the. These examples show that the is doing the verb's action. Because the subject does or 'acts upon' the verb in such sentences, the sentences are said to be in the active voice. One can change the normal word order of many active sentences (those with a ) so that the subject is no longer active, but is, instead, being acted upon by the verb - or passive. Note in these examples how the subject-verb relationship has changed. Because the subject is being 'acted upon' (or is passive), such sentences are said to be in the passive voice.
NOTE: Colorful parrots live in the rainforests cannot be changed to passive voice because the sentence does not have a direct object. To change a sentence from active to passive voice, do the following: 1. Move the active sentence's direct object into the sentence's subject slot 2.
Place the active sentence's subject into a phrase beginning with the by 3. Add a form of the be to the main verb and change the main verb's form Because passive voice sentences necessarily add words and change the normal doer-action-receiver of action direction, they may make the reader work harder to understand the intended meaning. As the examples below illustrate, a sentence in active voice flows more smoothly and is easier to understand than the same sentence in passive voice. It is generally preferable to use the ACTIVE voice. To change a passive voice sentence into an active voice sentence, simply reverse the steps shown above.
Move the passive sentence's subject into the active sentence's direct object slot 2. Remove the auxiliary verb be from the main verb and change main verb's form if needed 3. Place the passive sentence's object of the preposition by into the subject slot. Because it is more direct, most writers prefer to use the active voice whenever possible. The passive voice may be a better choice, however, when. the doer of the action is unknown, unwanted, or unneeded in the sentence Examples. the writer wishes to emphasize the action of the sentence rather than the doer of the action Examples.
the writer wishes to use passive voice for sentence variety.
Green Level Lesson Twenty-five from passive to active voice This sentence is in the passive voice: The students are helped by the teacher. It sounds better when it changes to the active voice: The teacher helps the students. Why is the active voice preferred over the passive voice? English teachers regularly advise their students to change a written sentence from the passive voice to the active voice. The reason is that the active voice is more direct. The active voice clearly indicates who or what is performing an action.
The passive voice does not always show who or what did something, and sometimes the passive voice is kind of awkward. However, the passive voice, in some situations is unavoidable, or it's a better choice over the active voice.
Whatever the case may be, you must learn to convert the passive voice to the active voice, and vice versa. In this lesson, you'll learn how to convert the passive voice to the active voice. This is a good way of improving your writing and clearing up mistakes that you might be making in your writing and speaking. Here are some examples: passive voice: 1. The floor is swept by the custodian. Both of these sentences are in the present continuous tense.
This is indicated by the verb 'be' (are being / is). When changing the main verb, 'serve,' to the active voice, two things happen:.
The verb 'be' becomes singular (is) because the subject (waitress) is singular. Remember, the subject and the verb have to agree.
The main verb in the second sentence changes to 'serving' because it's in the present continuous tense. Now let's practice. Practice: passive voice: 1.
The criminals were arrested by the police officer. How did you change the sentence? Write your answers by hand.
Directions: Change each sentence from the passive voice to the active voice. (Answers are below.) 1. The baby was fed by the mother. The mother. The products are packaged by a machine. A machine. All the pop was drunk by the kids.
The kids. The patient is being examined by the doctor. The doctor. The homework has been completed by the students. The students. Next: (Answers: Practice: The police officer arrested the criminals.
The mother fed the baby; 2. A machine packages the products; 3. The kids drank all the pop; 4. The doctor is examining the patient; 5. The students have completed the homework.).