Most sentences have a verb and a subject. © Presto Plans WHAT IS A VERB? Most sentences have a verb and a subject. Verbs are action words. 1. A verb can express a physical action Example: She texted her friend. Example: She thought about her friend. 2. A verb can express a mental action Example: She is a good friend. 3. A verb can express a state of being

© Presto Plans WHAT IS A SUBJECT? The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that is ‘doing’ or ‘being’ something. To find the subject, locate the verb and ask the question “who or what? To the verb and that is your subject. Example: She texted her friend. (Who is texting? She is!)

Where are the verb and the subject in the following sentence? © Presto Plans DO YOU GET IT? Where are the verb and the subject in the following sentence? Josh tweeted about what happened at school that day. The verb is “tweeted” as it is a physical action. When you ask “Who tweeted?” the answer is John, so John is the subject!

TWO TYPES OF VOICE ACTIVE & PASSIVE There are two types of voices: © Presto Plans TWO TYPES OF 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 voices: ACTIVE & PASSIVE

John ate three hamburgers. John (subject) is doing the eating (verb). © Presto Plans ACTIVE VOICE Active voice is used to show that the subject of the sentence is performing, doing or causing the action (verb). John ate three hamburgers. John (subject) is doing the eating (verb). © Presto Plans

Passive voice is used when the subject receives the action (verb). © Presto Plans PASSIVE VOICE Passive voice is used when the subject receives the action (verb). Three hamburgers were eaten by John The hamburgers (subject) are eaten (verb)

PASSIVE VOICE STRUCTURE © Presto Plans For example ACTIVE: Sarah baked a cake. PASSIVE: The cake was baked by Sarah. (was is a form of the verb “to be”). PASSIVE VOICE STRUCTURE When you use the passive voice, you are required to use a form of the verb “to be” (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been) with a past participle of another verb. Passive structure often also includes the word “by” to show who performed the action. © Presto Plans

WHICH IS BEST? It is more precise. It is more concise. © Presto Plans WHICH IS BEST? Writers are often encouraged to use active voice for the following two reasons: It is more precise. It is more concise. © Presto Plans

© Presto Plans PASSIVE VOICE USE There are some cases, where passive voice is more appropriate to the content. For example: If you are intentionally trying to hide your subject: “The crime was committed by an unknown assailant.” If you are intentionally trying to focus on the receiver of the action: “Many victims were hurt by the drunk driver.” © Presto Plans

Complete the assignment to demonstrate your own understanding © Presto Plans PRACTICE Complete the assignment to demonstrate your own understanding of passive and active voice! © Presto Plans