Using Voice

Using Voice

Unit 3: Active or Passive Voice

What is Emphasized?

Emphasize = give special importance to (something)

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​Readers usually pay attention to what is mentioned first.

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Active Voice emphasizes who or what is doing the action.

​ Dave baked the pie last Thursday.

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Passive Voice emphasizes ​who or what the action was done to.

The pie was baked last Thursday.

Multiple Choice

The doctor took out my appendix in a 3 hour long surgery.

• what the surgery was

• who performed the surgery

Multiple Choice

The Odyssey was written by Homer.

• the book

• the author

Multiple Choice

Five hamburgers must have been eaten by the man.

• what was eaten

• who ate

When you want to emphasize something else, use the same steps for switching from Active & Passive Voice.

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1. Switch the who/what does the action with who/what the action is being done to

2. Add or remove "by"

3. Change the verb to an active or passive voice verb.​

Switching Emphasis

Fill in the Blanks

The letter was mailed by Marilyn.

Fill in the Blanks

Nine postcards were written by Nan on vacation.

Fill in the Blanks

The handler gave four commands to the dog.

Fill in the Blanks

Rinso Rug will clean the carpets tomorrow.