ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN BEING Active verbs, BE verbs, helping verbs, and passive voice

Form of Be  Is  Am  Are  Was  Were  Be  Being  Been  Has  Have  Had  Do  Does  Did  Shall  Will  Should  Would  Might  May  Must  Can  Could

Just being is sufficient action to qualify as a verb…  Her husband is on the sofa.  He still had a disco- era polyester leisure suit.

However, BE verbs are rarely the best choice. Try something else…  Her husband vegetates on the sofa.  He still owned (sported? wore? possessed?) a disco-era polyester leisure suit.

Passive voice  Emphasizes the action itself instead of who or what performed the action.

Active voice  The voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb.

Passive Voice PASSIVE: The check was signed by the accountant. ACTIVE: The accountant signed the check.

Passive Voice PASSIVE: Carl and Earl were rejected by every girl in town. ACTIVE: Every girl in town rejected Carl and Earl.

USAGE RULE:  If you know (or care) who is doing it…then say so!

When to use Passive Voice  To emphasize the action rather than the doer of the action  The rich debutante was arrested and scrubbed with antiseptic soap.

When to use Passive Voice  When who did it is unknown or unimportant  The crimes have been solved.  The office was ransacked and the copy machines were sacrificed to the gods.

Sample #1 - Original  …There are other minor regrets I have, like quitting instruments, not going camping with my friends one weekend, and not buying that shirt or those shoes. Even though I’ve learned there are moments in one’s life that are regrettable, there are always ways to change those regrets into learning experiences that you can use as a guidance to pave the right path for your future.

Sample #1 - Revision  …Other minor regrets also nag me, (stick in my subconscious), like quitting instruments, not going camping with my friends that one weekend, and not buying that shirt or those shoes. Yet, through these experiences I learned that life’s moments of regret can change into learning experiences that provide guidance and pave the right path for the future.

Sample #2 - Original  Time marches on with or without us. When I was eight I dreamed of reaching thirteen, finally having the title of teenager. When I was thirteen, I anticipated the golden age of sixteen, the freedom of your driver’s license and the knowledge of responsibility like I had never had before…

Sample #2 - Revision  Time marches on with or without us. At eight I dreamed of reaching thirteen, finally boasting the title of teenager. At thirteen, I anticipated the golden age of sixteen, the freedom of a driver’s license, and a new level of knowledge of responsibility…

Sample #3 - Original  When I was a young child, my mother would always play either jazz music or classical music on the radio. She would play Kenny G., Toni Braxton, Patsy Cline, and other artists. I remember being in the car always falling asleep to the music…

Sample #3 - Revision  When I was a young child, my mother always played either jazz music or classical music on the radio--Kenny G., Toni Braxton, Patsy Cline, and other artists. I remember falling asleep to that music in the car…

ON-LINE ASSIGNMENT  Log on to  Click on the BLUE BOX that says “Electronic Grammar Exercises”  Click on “Clarity” and a list of exercises will appear in a drop down menu.  SELECT EXERCISE 2-3 Active verbs (edit and compare)  SIGN IN WITH YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME  Enter my address:  Complete the exercise—be sure to click on “possible revisions” after each response.  At the end, PRINT RECORD of your responses and turn it in.

Writing Assignment  Revise your first essay for active language and minimal use of BE verbs.  Strive for significant change and improvement in the strength of the language and writing. Major re-write, not just in-text substitution of verbs. Bring out the power in the story using vivid and active language. Do not settle for anything less than a great story.  THIS REVISION IS DUE no later than TUESDAY.  STAPLE THE NEW REVISION TO THE TOP OF THE FIRST DRAFT and turn them both in together.  Will be graded on level of improvement from first draft to this revision.