Active Voice: The Doer Takes Center Stage
What is voice in grammar?
Voice in grammar describes whether the subject of a sentence performs the action (active voice) or receives the action (passive voice).
What is the active voice?
In the active voice, the subject is the one doing the action. This is the most common and natural way to form sentences in English.
Form:
- Subject + Verb + Object
Examples:
- The dog chased the cat.
- The students are studying for the exam.
- I will eat dinner soon.
- She sang a beautiful song.
Why use the active voice?
- It’s clear and direct. The reader or listener knows exactly who or what is doing the action.
- It’s more concise and engaging. Active sentences are often shorter and easier to understand.
- It’s usually stronger and more forceful than the passive voice.
When to use the active voice
Use the active voice most of the time, especially when:
- You want to be clear and direct about who is doing the action.
- You want to make your writing more concise and lively.
- You want to emphasize the doer of the action.
Let’s Practice!
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Identify the Active Voice: In the following sentences, underline the subject and verb to identify the active voice.
- The chef cooked a delicious meal.
- The sun shines brightly.
- The children are playing in the park.
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Change to Active Voice: Rewrite these passive sentences in the active voice:
- The ball was kicked by the boy. (The boy kicked the ball.)
- The book was written by a famous author. (A famous author wrote the book.)
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Make Your Own Sentences: Write three sentences using the active voice.
Remember:
The active voice is the most common and direct way to express yourself in English. Use it to make your sentences clear, concise, and engaging.
