Matthew Adams breaks down the difference between the active and passive voice, including which is better. Plus, Adams shares ...

This handout is also available for download in PDF format. We refer to a sentence as being in the "active voice" when the subject is performing the action of the sentence (the verb). A sentence is in ...

As an example of the passive voice I offer the following sentence: “The dog was hit by a car.” I then ask students to make it active: “A car hit the dog.” It is usually clear that the second sentence ...

An active sentence is one where the subject is the source of the action. Conversely, a passive sentence has a subject that is the receiver of the action. In the following example sentences, the ...

On the other hand, a sentence is active when the subject performs the verb (action). For example, in this sentence the verb is active. Mr Brewer kicked the ball Whereas, in this sentence the verb ...

In a sentence using the active voice, the subject of the sentence (doer) performs the action described by the verb. Think of the subject as the “doer” of action. Example: The student wrote the essay.

Writing in the active voice makes the meaning clear while keeping sentences from becoming complicated and wordy. Sentences using passive voice are not necessarily wrong, just less effective than ...

On the other hand, a sentence is active when the subject performs the verb (action). For example, in this sentence the verb is active. Mr Brewer kicked the ball Whereas, in this sentence the verb ...

In English, there are two voices--active and passive. If the subject of a sentence performs the action of the verb, the verb is said to be in the "active voice"; for example: I stopped. I bathed. The ...