Active and Passive Voice

Active Voice The subject of the sentence performs

the verb▪ Example: The dog bit the boy

Passive Voice The subject is acted upon▪ Example: The boy was bitten by the dog.

Active voice helps to create clear and direct sentences

Passive voice adds unnecessary words to a sentence

Be verbs They create boring reading They also create a passive voice

Eliminating “be verbs” helps to create an active voice Replace them with stronger, action

verbs

“Be Verb” Usage

Be

Is, Are, Am (present tense)

's 're 'm (used in contractions)

Was (past tense)

Were (past tense)

Been (past tense)

Being

A book club has been formed by the librarian. The balloons were delivered by a happy clown.

Someone broke the shop window last night. The computer was fixed by Mr. Edmunds. Lucinda had planted those marigolds. The trees were being blown over by the wind. The street lights made long, scary shadows on

the sidewalk. The swelling on Joe’s arm was caused by the

bee sting.