Active and passive voice

PROJECT IN

ENGLISH PLUSSUBMITTED TO:

Mr.CondinoSUBMITTED BY: Raymond S. Soriano

Year&Section: BSBA(MA) 2-A

• Verbs provide the momentum of writing.

• Proper verb choice makes the difference between crisp, clear writing and bloated, clumsy writing.

Use strong verbs.

What is the difference?

A sentence is in the active voice when the subject does the acting instead of being the recipient of the acting.

Active: Lowell depicts a grim view of marriage.

Passive: Marriage is depicted as grim by Lowell.

What is the difference?

A verb that conveys action—as opposed to a verb that merely links the subject to a thought.

Active: Jim tossed the report away.

Linking: Jim was tired of the report.

WOULD YOU RATHER?

Watch Lebron play basketball or some random person sitting in the stands?

Verbs and Voice

Voice is the form a verb takes to indicate whether the subject of the verb performs or receives the action.

There are two types of voice: active voice and passive voice.

Active Voice

Active voice is used to show that the subject of the sentence is performing or causing the action.

Example:Lebron threw the basketball before the buzzer. Lebron shot the basketball from the free throw line.Lebron scored three points.

Active verbs

• just naturally go with writing that is in the active voice.

• When you put the subject front and center, doing something, you will probably find yourself using stronger, more interesting verbs.

Active Voice

• Uses direct action verbs

• Has a clearly defined actor and action

ADVANTAGES OF ACTIVE VOICE:

• Shorter, more direct • More forceful• Greater clarity (The reader

knows immediately who is doing what.)

• Sharper imagery

Passive Voice

Passive voice is used when the subject is the recipient of the action.

Example:

The ball was thrown by Lebron.

The basket was shot by Lebron.

The score was made by Lebron.

USE PASSIVE VOICE

• When the actor is unknown or unimportant.

The knife was found beside the body.

• Or when you want to focus on the receiver of the action more than on the actor.

The teacher was fired for his political activism.

USE PASSIVE VOICE• When you want a gentler or more diplomatic

approach.

A teenage girl was killed Tuesday by a gunshot wound that police said was self-inflicted.

• When you want to strengthen the impression of objectivity—as, for example, in a research report.

SHOULD YOU EVER USE PASSIVE VOICE? YES.• Jon Franklin says that if you try to write

entirely in the active voice, you are likely to produce something unreadable.

• He’s right. The active voice is great, but you can have too much of a good thing.

PASSIVE VOICE

• Uses “to be” verb forms

• Emphasizes what was found, not who did the finding

• Can be pedantic and wordy in the hands of amateurs

USE PASSIVE VOICE

• When you want to achieve a particular effect—whether it be wry, sardonic, sarcastic or comedic.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

•STRONG WRITING USES ACTIVE VOICE!!!!

WHY DOES IT MATTER?Active voice is more direct and concise.Passive voice is usually wordier.

Active voice is like watching Lebron play.Passive voice is like watching gum stuck on the

bleachers in the stands.

MOST OF THE TIME, YOU WANT TO USE ACTIVE VOICE!!!!

WHEN WOULD YOU WANT TO USE PASSIVE VOICE?

When intentionally trying to hide the subject of the sentence.

For example, a politician might say, “The mistake was made by someone.” Hiding the subject helps him/her hide the blame.

When intentionally trying to minimize the guilt of the subject.

For example, a cheating boyfriend might say, “Cheating was committed by me.”

When passive voice better emphasizes the main point of the message, such as “Children were harmed by the drunk driver.”

GOOD WRITERS USE BOTH VOICES.

• Use active voice whenever possible. • You need to know when to use

one voice or the other, and when to use them together.

THE END I HOPE YOU LEARNED

SOMETHING