1. Do Now:
In the paired sentences on your handout (Exercise 8-2), circle the letter of the sentence that makes better use of its verbs. Be ready to explain your choice.
What do the verbs in the correct answers have in common?

2. Aim: How do you make your verbs more active?
Passive voice
Run-on sentences
Misplaced modifiers
Parallelism
Wordiness

3. Aim: How do you make your verbs more active?
Use the active voice unless you have a good reason for choosing the passive.
Replace be verbs that result in dull or wordy sentences.
As a rule, choose a subject that names the person or thing doing the action.

4. Aim: How do you make your verbs more active?
The pumps were destroyed by a surge of power.
Passive
A surge of power was responsible for the destruction of the pumps.
Be Verbs
A surge of power destroyed the pumps.
Active

5. Aim: How do you make your verbs more active?
The fly ball was caught by Hernando.
Hernando caught the fly ball.
The transformer was struck by a bolt of lightning.

6. Aim: How do you make your verbs more active?
Burying nuclear waste in Antarctica would be in violation of an international treaty.
When Rosa Parks was resistant to giving up her seat on the bus, she became a civil rights hero.

7. Aim: How do you make your verbs more active?
Exposure to Dr. Martinez’s excellent teaching had the effect of inspiring me to major in education. (Weak)
Dr. Martinez’s excellent teaching inspired me to major in education. (Emphatic)
The use of cocaine by pregnant women can be a major contributor to severe brain damage in infants.

8. Aim: How do you make your verbs more active?
The Prussians defeated the Saxons in 1745.
Ahmed, the producer, manages the entire operation.
The video game programmers awkwardly paddles the sea kayaks.
No change
Protesters were shouting on the courthouse steps.