Definition of Active Voice
In grammar, an active voice is a type of a
clause or sentence in which a subject performs an action and expresses it
through its representative verb. To simply put it, when a subject performs an
action directly, it is in active voice. It then uses transitive verb to show
the action.
Style guides
usually encourage the use of active voice, because it is clear and direct. For
example, “Some customers prefer mulled
ale. They keep their
mugs on the hob until the ale gets as
hot as coffee. A sluggish cat named Minnie sleeps in
a scuttle beside the stove” (The
Old House at Home, by Joseph Mitchell). All of these sentences are
in active voice, as the verbs “refer,” “keep,” “get” and “sleep” are in active
mode.
Examples of Active Voice in Literature
Example #1: Harold and Maud (by Colin Higgins)
“You know, at one time, I used to break into
pet shops to liberate the canaries. But I decided that
was an idea way before its time. Zoos are full, prisons are overflowing. Oh my,
how the world still dearly loves a
cage.”
Active voice in these example sentences is underlined. The
subject “I” is performing an action through the verbs “break” and “decided.”
The subject “world” is performing an action through the verb “loves.” All the
sentences are in active voice.
Example #2: Hillary’s Once in a Lifetime (by Kathleen Parker)
“Finally, Hillary swept in and moved
down a
line of huggers toward a raised platform centered in the room…Her positioning meant that
she had to
keep turning in order to hug back. Around and around and around she turned,
360 degrees, over and over, her arms outstretched in perpetual greeting, like a
jewel-box ballerina whose battery has run low.”
Here the subject “Hillary” is taking action through the verbs
“swept in,” “moved down,” “had,” “turned,” and “has run.” The verbs are in
active mode, the reason that all sentences are in active voice.
Example #3: Mr. Personality (by Mark Singer)
“Seven days a week, Paul Schimmel ventures into
the subway with his clarinet. In the IND station at Sixth Avenue and Forty-second
Street one recent afternoon, he paid his
fare with a free pass.”
The use of active voice has added directness to this passage.
The subject is “Paul Schimmel,” who is doing “ventures,” and has “paid” fare.
Example #4: Heart of Darkness (by Colin Higgins)
“I looked at
him, lost in astonishment…’Ah, he talked to
you of love!’ I said, much amused. ‘It isn’t what you think,’
he cried, almost passionately. ‘It was in general.’ “He threw his
arms up…He had his
second illness then. Afterwards I had to
keep out of the way; but I didn’t mind. He was living for
the most part in those villages on the lake. When he came
down to
the river, sometimes he would take to me, and sometimes it was better for me to
be careful. This man suffered too
much.”
In this passage, the author has written all of the sentences in
active voice, which are direct and clear in meaning. The verbs of active voice
include “looked,” “talked,” “think,” “threw,” “had,” “living,” “came down,” and
“suffered.”
Passive voice definition: The
passive voice is a style of writing where what would be the object of a
sentence becomes the subject of the sentence.
What is Passive
Voice?
What does passive voice mean? The passive writing
voice occurs when something that is ordinarily “done by” the subject of a sentence is “done by” the object of a sentence.
In the passive writing voice, whatever
is doing the action of the sentence is not the grammatical subject of the
sentence.
Passive Voice Examples:
- The work was completed by Jaime.
Even though “Jaime” completed the work,
“Jaime” is not the grammatical subject of this sentence. The subject of this
sentence is “work.”
In passive sentences, the thing that
seems to be doing the action will be ordered chronologically after the verb.
- The ball was hit by Johnny.
Again, in this sentence, rather than
say, “Johnny hit the ball.” the ball becomes the subject of the sentence.
Examples of Passive Voice:
1. Start with active voice.
·
Austin bought clothes.
·
“Austin” is subject; “clothes” is object
2. The object becomes the subject.
·
The clothes
3. Add “to be” and past participle
·
The clothes were bought.
4. (Optional) Add original subject (and a preposition,
when necessary)
·
The clothes were bought by Austin.
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