Page 123 - SpringBoard_Writing_Workshop_Grade8_Flipbook

Writing Workshop 10 (continued)
6 SpringBoard® Writing Workshop with Grammar Activities Grade 8
• Passive Voice: “Instructional films have been edited and produced by my company for training purposes in varied workplaces.”
• Passive Voice: “Sometimes, printed materials or handouts to accompany the films are also requested.”
9. For each of the sentences above, identify the verb(s) or verb phrase(s). Then, find the acting agent that executes these verbs. Notice that in each of the sentences that employ the active voice, the subject of the sentence is the acting agent. In the sentences that employ the passive voice, the acting agent is not the subject and may or may not be mentioned at all.
Rewrite each of the passive sentences in the active voice. a.
b.
10. Which version of each sentence do you think better expresses the thought? Why?
Most sentences employ the active voice because the acting agent is an important part of the information conveyed. When the passive voice is employed, it means that the acting agent is not as important as the other pieces of information in the sentence.
11. With a partner, discuss how the meaning or emphasis in the following sentences changes when the active voice is changed to the passive voice.
a. The construction company finished the remodeling job on the school in eight months. The remodeling project at the high school was finished in eight months.
b. The accountant made some serious calculation errors in the final report. The final accounting report contained some serious calculation errors.
c. Lionel painted the porch a vibrant hue of green. The porch is painted a vibrant hue of green.
Often, the active voice is considered a better choice than the passive
voice. Sometimes, however, a sentence in the passive voice does a better job communicating the intended information in the preferred manner. For example, in sentence set letter B, the accountant may prefer the construction that employs the passive voice because it draws attention away from the person who made the mistakes.
12. Reread your class-constructed letter. Find the sentences that employ the passive voice. In each case, is the passive voice an appropriate choice? Are there any sentences that would better achieve their purpose by changing them to the passive voice? Working with a partner, make revisions to change the voice of sentences in the class-constructed business letter in the places you think are appropriate. Prepare to share your revisions with the class.
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.