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Using Active Voice vs.

Passive Verse in Writing


Rule: When writing, your sentences should be active. That means you should have the
subject taking an action.

Passive/No: The material was shipped to Japan. Active/Yes: The company shipped the
material to Japan. Directions: On your own paper, rewrite the ollowin! sentences in active voice. The su"#ect should "e per ormin! the action. $ there is no doer, add one. %. The dishes were washed "y Jane. &. A ter the !ame we "ou!ht ham"ur!ers or everyone. '. (urin! the intermission, our "and played several num"ers. ). Alice "ro*e her pen. +. ,y computer was read "y ,iss Jones. -. Jean "ro*e her arm durin! a volley"all !ame. .. Ruth washed and ironed her "louse. /. The money was ound under the loor. 0. 1leanor loves the Rollin! 2tones. %3. The o icer did nothin! a"out the accident. %%. John won the irst4place tennis trophy. %&. Nancy "a*ed and rosted the ca*e. %'. Jill lost the election. %). Jean played tennis all mornin!. %+. ,y "oo*s were returned "e ore class. %-. ,y window was "ro*en "y the storm. %.. ,iniature elephants were collected "y my sister. %/. 5olette danced a tap dance in the variety show. %0. Nothin! was accomplished "y cryin!. &3. That video was seen three times.

Changing Passive Voice to Active Voice

Directions: The ver"s in the ollowin! sentences are in the passive voice. On your own paper, rewrite each sentence in the active voice. $ the sentence doesn6t have a doer, supply one. Example: The letter was sent earlier. Jeannie sent the letter earlier. %. The trees were stripped last month. &. The computers were shipped early in 2eptem"er. '. The letter was written "y my "rother. ). The old car was driven "y my "rother. +. The school "ell was repaired in 2eptem"er. -. This man has "een sta""ed. .. ,y shoes were ta*en to the shoema*er. /. The trees were uprooted "y the storm. 0. The "oo*case was stained a dar* walnut. %3. The lowers were planted in ,arch.

Now Write it Wrong: Changing Active Voice to Passive Voice


Directions: The ver"s in the ollowin! sentences are in the active voice. On your own paper, rewrite the sentences, chan!in! the ver"s to passive voice. Example: ,y nei!h"or alerted the police. The police were alerted by my neighbors. %. The #anitor i7ed the classroom door. &. ,r. 2mith too* a photo!raph o me. '. All the students passed the al!e"ra test. ). Our "as*et"all team lost twenty percent o its !ames. +. The contractor renovated our *itchen. -. Jane 8eard composed the school son!. .. 2he "ro*e two *eys on her typewriter. /. ,y ather too* pictures at the picnic. 0. The 9oo*eeper loves the animals. %3. The #ud!e too* Tom6s license.

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