Page 139 - SpringBoard_Writing_Workshop_Grade8_Flipbook

Lesson: Active and Passive Voice (continued)
Active voice is usually more direct and clear. In most sentences, you should use active voice. However, you may use passive voice when you want to emphasize the action or the recipient of the action, or when you do not know who performed the action. You may also use passive voice to avoid pointing fingers or naming names.
Active voice: John Smith made several mistakes. Passive voice: Several mistakes were made.
Use the voice that best achieves your purpose with the fewest words. Do not shift between active and passive voice unnecessarily.
Unnecessary shift: We worked in the yard, and several bags of leaves were raked up. Better: We worked in the yard and raked up several bags of leaves.
Check Your Understanding
Revise the following sentences, changing passive voice verbs to active voice verbs. EXAMPLE: The trees were climbed by Max and Ben.
Max and Ben climbed the trees.
1. The main dish was made by Olivia.
2. The virus will have been detected by my computer by then.
3. Our cat has been chased by the neighbor’s dog.
4. The fog was produced by rapidly warming temperatures and high humidity.
5. Several assignments were missed by Gavin when he was out sick.
4 SpringBoard® Writing Workshop with Grammar Activities Grade 8
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