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Difference between revisions of “Active voice”
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The '''active''' (/æktɪv/) is a [[grammatical voice]], in which the [[subject]] of the [[clause]] is the [[agent]], that is the person or thing that | The '''active voice''' (/æktɪv/) is a [[grammatical voice]], in which the [[subject]] of the [[clause]] is the [[agent]], that is the person or thing that “does" the action, <!-- erm--> and which can take a direct [[object]], e.g. ''I bought a book''. <!-- right?--> | ||
In [[English]], the active voice is the [[default]] grammatical voice, and is typically used unless there is good reason to use the [[passive voice]]. | |||
== Appropriacy == | |||
It is the | The active voice is generally preferred to the passive voice in most situations. It is particularly used when the topic of the sentence is the agent. The exceptions are explained at [[passive voice]]. | ||
When the agent is unknown, it’s possible to use active voice sentences beginning ''someone'' or ''somebody'', e.g. ''somebody has stolen my watch'', but these are somewhat awkward and often better expressed using the passive voice, e.g. ''my watch has been stolen''. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[category:grammatical voice]] | [[category:grammatical voice]] | ||
{{index}} | |||
Latest revision as of 03:06, 17 January 2023
The active voice (/æktɪv/) is a grammatical voice, in which the subject of the clause is the agent, that is the person or thing that “does" the action, and which can take a direct object, e.g. I bought a book.
In English, the active voice is the default grammatical voice, and is typically used unless there is good reason to use the passive voice.
Appropriacy[edit | edit source]
The active voice is generally preferred to the passive voice in most situations. It is particularly used when the topic of the sentence is the agent. The exceptions are explained at passive voice.
When the agent is unknown, it’s possible to use active voice sentences beginning someone or somebody, e.g. somebody has stolen my watch, but these are somewhat awkward and often better expressed using the passive voice, e.g. my watch has been stolen.
