Do Now:

1
Do Now

• In the paired sentences on your handout (Exercise
  8-2), circle the letter of the sentence that
  makes better use of its verbs, that flows better.
  Be ready to explain your choice.
• What do the verbs in the correct answers have in
  common?

2
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?

1. Use the active voice unless you have a good
   reason for choosing the passive.
2. Replace be verbs that result in dull or wordy
   sentences.
3. As a rule, make the subject the actor--the person
   or thing doing the action.

3
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?

• The pumps were destroyed by a surge of power.
• Passivethe subject is not the actor
• A surge of power was responsible for the
  destruction of the pumps.
• Be Verbs
• A surge of power destroyed the pumps.
• Active

4
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?

• 1. Use the active voice unless you have a good
  reason for choosing the passive.
• The fly ball was caught by Hernando.
• Hernando caught the fly ball.
• The transformer was struck by a bolt of
  lightning.
• A bolt of lightning struck the transformer.

Make the ACTOR the SUBJECT!
5
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?

• The land was stripped of timber before the
  settlers realized the consequences of their
  actions.
• The settlers stripped the land of timber before
  realizing
• The holiday decorations were not taken down until
  Valentines Day.
• We did not take the holiday decorations down
  until Valentines Day.

6
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?

• 2. Replace be verbs that result in dull or wordy
  sentences.
• Burying nuclear waste in Antarctica would be in
  violation of an international treaty.
• Burying nuclear waste would violate
• When Rosa Parks was resistant to giving up her
  seat on the bus, she became a civil rights hero.
  
• When Rosa Parks resisted giving up

7
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?

• 3. As a rule, choose a subject that names the
  person or thing doing the action.
• Exposure to Dr. Martinezs excellent teaching
  had the effect of inspiring me to major in
  education. (Weak)
• Dr. Martinezs excellent teaching inspired me to
  major in education (Emphatic).
• The use of cocaine by pregnant women can be a
  major cause of severe brain damage in infants.
  (Weak)
• Cocaine used by pregnant women can cause severe
  brain damage in infants.

8
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?

1. The Prussians were victorious over the Saxons in
   1745.
2. The entire operation is managed by Ahmed, the
   producer.

• The Prussians defeated the Saxons in 1745.
• Ahmed, the producer, manages the entire
  operation.

9
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?

• c. The video game programmers awkwardly paddled
  the sea kayaks.
• e. Protesters were shouting on the courthouse
  steps.

• The sea kayaks were awkwardly paddled by the
  video game programmers.
• e. There were shouting protesters on the
  courthouse steps.

10
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?
11
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?

• The Passive is acceptable if
• 1. Actor is unknown, oblivious, or irrelevant
• A car was broken into last night on Clawson.
• 2. Emphasis belongs to the receiver.
• The criminal was arrested, tried, convicted, and
  sentenced to prison.
• 3. In scientific writing, emphasizing the
  receiver lends an air of objectivity.
• Participants in the study were asked to respond
  to a test.

12
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?
3.
1.
2.
13
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?

• ADouglas assumed
• C. Also, poor people did not own lovely homes,
  pianos, art, and books.
• D. Douglass doubted
• F. Instead, the beautiful homes with equally
  beautiful furniture and gardens indicated
  considerable wealth.
• G. Laborers on the wharves handled quality
  merchandise and purchased it in the stores.

14
Aim How do you make your verbs more active?