While the actions performed by the subjects are stated by verbs that are: ask, had pulled, asleep, dreaming and lying. The subjects in the passage are: she and he. In this passage, Virginia has used many active voices that give a direct and clear image. But he had pulled his hat half over his forehead: he was asleep, or he was dreaming, or he was lying there catching words, she supposed”.

Carmichael?” she was inclined to ask, looking at the old man. Excerpt from To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf :.While the subjects performing those actions are: I, he and you. With the help of an active voice author has created clarity and directness in the sentences.įollowing are the verbs of active voices from the passage: looked, talked and think. In the above excerpt, it is evident that the author has used active voice. ‘It isn’t what you think ,’ he cried, almost passionately”. “I looked at him, lost in astonishment…’Ah, he talked to you of love!’ I said, much amused. Excerpt from Heart of Darkness by Colin Higgins:.All the sentences of the excerpt are in active voice as well as the verbs are in active mode. She performs different actions that are shown through the verbs: swept in, moved on, had and turned. In the given excerpt the subject is Hilary.

Around and around and around she turned, 360 degrees”. “Finally, Hillary swept in and moved down a line of huggers toward a raised platform centered in the room…Her positioning meant that she had to keep turning in order to hug back.

Excerpt from Hillary’s Once in a Lifetime by Kathleen Parker:.

It is obvious from the above sentences that actions performed by subject “I” are expressed via verbs i-e break and decided. The use of active voice adds directness to the passage. The underlined words in the aforementioned passage are active voices. But I decided that was an idea way before its time”. “You know, at one time, I used to break into pet shops to liberate the canaries. Examples of Active VoiceĮxcerpt from Harold and Maud by Colin Higgins: As it uses fewer words, it grabs the attention of readers as well. Moreover, the use of active voice enhances the quality of written work. It also helps in building up the interest of the readers in the writing. Active voice contains a smaller number of words which makes it more understandable. Therefore, active voice is the most straightforward way to present the ideas because it gives a clear and direct meaning. Usage of Active Voiceīusiness reports and creative writing demand to be clear, direct and precise.

The use of active voice is also preferred in order to make the writing more comprehensible for the readers. Moreover, an active voice contains a less number of words which enhances the quality of writing. It has a clear subject + verb + object structure that is easy to comprehend. The action performed by the subject is stated by the transitive verb. In an active voice sentence, the subject acts upon its verb. The action performed by the subject is expressed through its representative verb. A clause or a sentence in which the subject performs an action directly is known as active voice.

Active voice verbs