![]() It can also be effective if you want to slow down the action of your writing and focus on a scene. It can be useful when you're not sure who did the action or when you want to emphasize the object instead of the subject. Many teachers discourage their students from ever using the passive voice, but sometimes it's actually the better choice. Hint: Don't confuse the progressive tenses with the passive voice.Ĭommon Misconceptions About the Passive Voice Misconception #1: It's Never OK to Use Passive Voice If you are, an easy fix is to use active voice instead. When one of your sentences sounds awkward, check to see if you're using passive voice. Notice how the structure of these sentences is awkward and clunky. Now your attention is on the objects, not the children. Then several balls were thrown in the air and were dodged by the children. The jungle gym was climbed by the children. Take a look at the same sentences in passive voice: Notice how your attention is on the actions of the children. Then they threw several balls in the air and dodged them. The children climbed all over the jungle gym. When you write sentences in active voice, your writing is more engaging and moves more quickly. (was + driven ) Choose Active Voice Wherever You Can The verb to be can be in just about any tense. To form the passive voice, use a form of the helping verb to be plus the past participle of the main verb. In passive voice sentences, the subject is having the action done to it by something else. In this excerpt, the author has used the verbs “hear,” “want,” “saying,” “going,” and “tell” in active voice.Definition: If you are passive, something is done to you. I’ll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas…” Besides, I’m not going to tell you my whole goddam autobiography or anything. “If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like… They’re nice and all-I’m not saying that – but they’re also touchy as hell. ![]() The verbs of active voice include “looked,” “talked,” “think,” “threw,” “had,” “living,” “came down,” and “suffered.” Example #5: The Catcher in the Rye (by J.D. In this passage, the author has written all of the sentences in active voice, which are direct and clear in meaning. When he came down to the river, sometimes he would take to me, and sometimes it was better for me to be careful. He was living for the most part in those villages on the lake. Afterwards I had to keep out of the way but I didn’t mind. ‘It was in general.’ “He threw his arms up…He had his second illness then. ‘It isn’t what you think,’ he cried, almost passionately. “I looked at him, lost in astonishment…’Ah, he talked to you of love!’ I said, much amused. ![]() ![]() Example #4: Heart of Darkness (by Colin Higgins) The subject is “Paul Schimmel,” who is doing “ventures,” and has “paid” fare. The use of active voice has added directness to this passage. In the IND station at Sixth Avenue and Forty-second Street one recent afternoon, he paid his fare with a free pass.” “Seven days a week, Paul Schimmel ventures into the subway with his clarinet. ![]()
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