Active and Passive Voices

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Active and Passive Voices
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Passive Voice

• The passive voice emphasizes the action being
  performed rather than the person doing the action
  
• The passive voice has two main uses
• To present ideas objectively
• (Showing that the results are more important than
  the person doing the work)
• The surveys were tabulated.
• To avoid using names or assigning blame
• An unfortunate error has occurred.

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Construction of passive voice sentences

• They begin with a thing rather than a person
• They use a two-word verb
• is or was followed by a past-tense verb
• They sometimes end with a phrase starting with
  by that identifies the doer of the action
• All expenses were approved by the CEO.

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Active Voice

• The active voice is preferred for most type of
  business writing because it is shorter, more
  personal, and more forceful
• In active voice sentences, the subject of the
  verb performs the action
• I heated the solution
• You made a mistake

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Exercise

• Instructions
• Decide whether each of the following sentences
  uses the active or passive voice
• Then decide whether it should be changed from one
  to the other. Be prepared to justify your answer
• When necessary, write down the revised version
• The first one is done for you

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Sample Answer

• The new procedure is thought to be superior by
  the president.
• Active Voice ? Passive Voice
• It should be written in the active voice
• The president thinks the new procedure is
  superior

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Exercise

1. I left the window open last night and killed all
   the plants.
2. Verification of passwords must be done on a daily
   basis by security personnel.
3. The observer saw the needle on the gauge jump
   into the red zone at the same time the circuit
   overloaded.
4. I cannot approve your loan until you have
   provided us with collateral.
5. We made a major error by spelling our clients
   name wrong in the report.
6. The editing of the financial reports was done
   over the weekend by the accountant.

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Exercise (continued)

1. You failed to submit the application before the
   due date
2. We should not have ordered a separate phone line
   for each person in the office.
3. It was suggested by the project manager that
   construction schedules be revised to take
   advantage of the unusually warm weather.
4. We must delay filling your order because of
   problems with our supplier.
5. You must send an additional payment of 12 so
   that we can process your order.
6. The software was installed incorrectly on your
   computer.