ENGLISH 7 Quarter 1- Lesson 9

Using Active Voice in Varied Context

 What is the meaning of
ACTIVE VOICE in English?
Examples of Verbs in the Active Voice
•Remember that if a verb is in the active voice, its subject
performs the action of the verb. Let's go through this step by
step.

In these examples, the active verbs are written in red.

1. Janet posted a letter.

Step 1: Find the subject. (Janet)

Step 2: Find the verb. (to post)
Step 3: Ask "Did Janet perform the verb?" (Yes!
Therefore, posted is a verb in the active voice.)
2. Curiosity killed the cat.

Step 1: Find the subject. (curiosity)

Step 2: Find the verb. (to kill)
Step 3: Ask "Did curiosity perform the verb?" (Yes!
Therefore, killed is a verb in the active voice.)
3. All power corrupts.

Step 1: Find the subject. (all power)

Step 2: Find the verb. (to corrupt)
Step 3: Ask "Did all power perform the verb?" (Yes!
Therefore, corrupts is a verb in the active voice.)
4. Some weasel removed the cork from my lunch.
-(W. C. Fields, 1880-1946)

Step 1: Find the subject. (some weasel)

Step 2: Find the verb. (to remove)
Step 3: Ask "Did some weasel perform the verb?" (Yes!
Therefore, removed is a verb in the active voice.)

Sometimes, it's a little trickier to spot whether the subject carried out the action of the verb.
•Look at the two examples below. They tell similar stories, but the first one features
a verb in the active voice, while the second features a verb in the passive voice.

5. The boy tripped while running.

Step 1: Find the subject. (the boy
Step 2: Find the verb. (to trip)
Step 3: Ask "Did the boy perform the verb?" (Yes! Therefore, tripped is a verb in the
active voice.)

•The boy was seen tripping while he ran.

Step 1: Find the subject. (the boy

Step 2: Find the verb. (to see)
Step 3: Ask "Did the boy perform the verb?" (No!
Therefore, was seen is a verb in the passive voice.)
So, in the second example, the boy is not performing the action of the
verb. Some unknown person is performing the action by seeing the boy
trip. This is an example of the passive voice because the subject is not
acting out the verb.
More Examples of the Active Voice

•Suzy chased the butterfly with a net.

•The kite soared high in the air.
•The children shielded their eyes from the bright sun.
•A squirrel bounced across the lawn.
•The soldier ants invaded the picnic with military
precision.

In the examples so far, the verbs have been ones with

obvious actions. 
•Remember that not all verbs have such physical actions. Look at
these example of verbs in the active voice.

1. Paul imagined what the weather was like above those dark

clouds.
2. He is happy.

•(The action here is simply the act of being. The verb to be is our
most common verb.)

3. They are late.

(The examples above all feature the verb to be in the active voice.)
 PRACTICE
SELECT WHICH SENTENCE HAS A VERB IN THE ACTIVE VOICE ( A or B?)

1. A: The teddy bear was thrown in the corner.

B: His eyes glowed with rage.

2. A: The wax is being melted.

B: The wax caused the blister.

3. A: She was annoyed by you.

B: You annoyed her.

4. A: I cleaned the house today.

B: The bathroom was cleaned yesterday.
5. A: This maze is impossible to solve!
B: They were delayed by the rain.

6. A: Snowflakes fell gracefully from the clouds.

B: The ice was broken.

 7. A: Hannah mailed a postcard to her friend.

B: Jane's postcard was destroyed by her dog.

Choose which verb in the ff. sentences is in the active voice:

8. Keith is worried about Pamela, who was affected by the meeting.
9. The hamburger tasted delicious, but the chips were ruined.
10. My alarm worked this time, but I was delayed by traffic.
 ANSWERS:

1.B
2.B
3.B
4.A
5.A
6.A
7.A
8.WORRIED
9.TASTED
10.WORKED
Reference:
Grammar Monster
https://www.grammar-
monster.com/glossary/active_
voice.htm#