Grammar Concepts Week 1 Active and Passive Voice Ms. Howard 9 th Literature/Composition Standard: ELACC9-10L1 January 6, 2015

W HAT IS A CTIVE V OICE ? In sentences written in active voice, the subject performs the action expressed in the verb; the subject acts. In each example below, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed in the verb.

W HAT IS P ASSIVE V OICE ? In sentences written in passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed in the verb; the subject is acted upon. The agent performing the action may appear in a "by the..." phrase or may be omitted. (agent performing action has been omitted.)

UGH. Grammar. WHO CARES?! ANSWER: Knowing the difference between active and passive voice is one of the few grammatical concepts that actually contributes to stronger writing. Particularly in AVOIDING the passive voice, your writing gains ownership and clarity. The active voice provides a “doer” for each action, which helps you communicate precisely who is doing what. Still not convinced…? ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

Passive = Unnecessarily Wordy Your reader trying to make sense of a backwards sentence. A recent study suggests that less educated people--those who dropped out of school when they were 16--have a harder time understanding sentences written in the passive voice than those written in active voice (Fogarty). Active: Beyoncé belted the song. Passive: The song was belted by Beyoncé.

C LASS P RACTICE Label the following sentences ACTIVE or PASSIVE. Louise made the chocolate cake. The chocolate cake was made by Louise. (Subject)(Action) ACTIVE (Subject)(Action) PASSIVE

C LASS P RACTICE Label the following sentences ACTIVE or PASSIVE. He broke the pencil on the floor. The pencil on the floor was broken by him. (Subject) (Action) ACTIVE (Subject) (Action) PASSIVE

Passive Voice Patterns Easy ways to identify the passive voice in your writing: The verb "to be" and the past participle (usually the "en/ed/t" form) of another verb. Example: “was visited” More forms of “to be”: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been The sentence contains a “by + subject” phrase.

When Is Passive Voice Appropriate?  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.” o When passive voice better emphasizes the main point of a message. For example, a newspaper may report, “Children were harmed by the drunk driver.”

C LASS P RACTICE Label the following sentences ACTIVE or PASSIVE. 1. The package was advertised by the travel agent. The travel agent advertised the package. (Subject)(Action) ACTIVE (Subject)(Action) PASSIVE

ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE VOICE Expectations in Ms. Howard’s Classroom Write with this ratio in mind: 90%: Active Voice 10%: Passive Voice