1. Style

2. Navigation ActorsAction Passives End

3. Actors Make people the subjects of sentences. We can make people the subjects of sentences in several ways, including: Use a person’s name Use a pronoun Use a collective noun Use imperative voice Next

4. Actor Example At the previous meeting, a new organizational plan was selected and a new budget was adopted. Rewrite: The executive committee selected a new organizational plan and adopted a new budget at the previous meeting. Next

5. Your Turn Rewrite these sentences to make the actor the subject. Attempts were made by the engineering staff to complete the project. Rewrite: The engineering staff completed the project. Next

6. Your Turn Rewrite these sentences to make the actor the subject. The new building will allow twenty new businesses to relocate downtown. Rewrite: Twenty new businesses can relocate downtown to the new building. Menu

7. Action Make sure your verb shows action Avoid nominalizations Making a verb into a noun by adding an –ion and –ate ending. Demonstration Administration Education Next

8. Action Example The fire marshal is conducting an investigation of the fire that occurred this morning. The fire marshal is investigating the fire that occurred this morning. Next

9. Your Turn Next Rewrite these sentences to place action in the verb. We must provide support for the three candidates from our district who are running for president, vice president, and senator. Rewrite: We must support the candidates from our district.

10. Your Turn Rewrite these sentences to place action in the verb. Our expectation was to begin the interview at 10:00 a.m. Rewrite: We expected to begin the interview at 10:00 a.m. Menu

11. Passive Voice To-be verb + past participle = passive voice To-be verbs Am Are Is Was Were Be Being Been Next

12. Passive Voice We can use passive voice if We don’t care who performed the action We need to describe something However, we want to use active voice for most occasions. Next

13. Your Turn Change these sentences from the passive to the active voice. The merit raises were approved by the board of directors. Rewrite: The board of directors approved the merit raises. Next

14. Your Turn Change these sentences from the passive to the active voice. Please notify this office as soon as a shipment date is known. Rewrite: Notify us when you ship our order. Next

15. End Hope you have enjoyed learning the basics of style. Menu