info box Flashcards
Prepositional Phrases
after work from the left into the boat during the storm around the mess for the children across the alley at the intersection
Most Common Helping Verbs
be, am, is, are, was, were, have, has, had, do, did, may, might, can, could, will, would, should, used to, ought to.
Tips to Recognize the Passive Voice
Sometimes a sentence in passive voice does not necessarily sound “wrong” or wordy. However, it is still best to write in active voice when possible.
In order to recognize that a sentence is in passive voice, watch out for these keywords:
Be
Is
Are
A
Was
Were
Has been
Have been
Will be
Being
Practice Changing Passive to Active Voice
Correct the following five sentences to practice changing passive to active voice. The answers are below:
Hunger was what Bill felt.
Reading is enjoyed by Mary
The town was destroyed by fire
Funny is what clowns are
Cheese was liked by Sara
Answers to Practice Sentences
Bill felt hungry (Bill is the subject, felt is the action)
Mary enjoys reading (Mary is the subject, enjoys is the action)
Fire destroyed the town (Fire is the subject, destroyed is the action)
Clowns are funny (Clowns is the subject, funny is the action)
Sara likes cheese (Sara is the subject, likes is the action)
How to Change Voice from Passive to Active
In order to change passive voice to active voice, you need to recognize what the subject of the sentence is and then rewrite the sentence so the subject is performing the action.
Let’s use the following example to understand how to change passive voice to active voice:
Extensive training on the new safety procedures was required to be attended by the maintenance staff.
We can recognize that this sentence is in passive voice because the keyword was is used, and because it is not initially clear who or what this sentence is about. In order to correct the sentence:
Step One: Identify the subject of the sentence - who is doing an action? The training is not doing an action, so it can’t be the subject. The only person or thing doing an action here is the maintenance staff. They are attending training. So, the maintenance staff is the subject of the sentence.
Step Two: Rewrite the sentence so the subject is performing the action. This sentence could be rewritten to active voice as follows:
The maintenance staff was required to attend extensive training on the new safety procedures.
This rewrite makes it immediately clear to the reader who is doing what. The subject is doing the action.
Hints For Writing Process Paragraph
- In choosing a topic, find an activity you know well. If you write about something familiar than you will have a clearer paragraph.
- Choose a topic that includes steps that must be done in a specific time sequence,
- NOT THIS: I find lots of things to do on a rainy day,
- BUT THIS: I have a plan for cleaning the garage.
- Choose a topic that is faily small. Complicated process are harder to write about because it can’t be covered well in one paragraph, it then becomes vague, incomplete, and boring.
- TOO BIG: There are many stages in the process of a bill becoming a law.
- SMALLER & MANAGEABLE: Will power and support were the most important elements in my struggles to quit smoking.
- Write a topic sentence that makes a point. Your topic sentence should do more than announce, As you plan your topic sentence ask yourself: What point do I want to make about this process? Is the process hard? Is it easy? Does the process require certain tools? Does the process require certain skills, like organization, patience, endurance?
- An Announcement: This paragragh is about how to change the oil in your car.
- A Topic Sentence: You do not have to be a mechanic to change the oil in your car, but you do have to take a few simple precautions.
Checklist For Revising a Process Outline
- Does the topic sentence cover the whole paragraph?
- Does the topic sentence make a point about the process?
- Is any important step left out?
- Should any step be explained further?
- Are the steps in the right order?
- Should any sentences be combined?
- Have I used the same person throughout the paragraph to describe the process?
- Have I used transistions effectively?
Info Box: A List of Persons
First Person Singular: I
Second Person Singular: you
Third Person Singular: he, she, it, or a person’s name
First Person Plural: we
Second Person Plural: you
Third Person Plural: they, or the names of more than one person
Info Box: Transitions for a Process Paragraph
after during last the second step, ect.
afterward eventually later then
as finally meanwhile to begin
as he/she is first next to start
as soon as second, etc. now until
as you are first of all quickly when
at last gradually sometimes whenever
at the same time in the beginning soon while
before immediately suddenly while I am….
begin by initially the first step
Transitions are important in a process paragraph because you are shoing the steps in a specific sequence, and trying to show the connections between steps. Effective transistions keep your paragraph from sounding like a choppy boring list. Use only when logical to do so, do not overuse the same transitions.
Subjective Pronouns and a Present Tense Verb
Pronoun Verb Singular
I Listen
You listen
** he, she, it listens **
_ we listen Plural_
_you listen _
_they listen _
Pronouns can be used as subjects, they are words that take the place of nouns, when they are used they MUST agree in number with verbs
Singular pronoun, singular verb:
I make the best omelet in town.
Singular pronoun, singular verb:
You dance very well.
Singular pronoun, Singular verb:
She performes like a trained athlete.
Plural pronoun, pluaral verb:
We need a new refrigerator.
Plural pronoun, plural verb:
They understand the situation.
Sentence Structure
Phrase: Group of related words.
Clause: When group of words contains a subject and verb.
Independent Clause: When word group has subject and verb and makes sense by itself.
Dependent Clause: Has a subject and verb but doesn’t make sense by itself.
Prepositional Phrase: Made up of preposition and its object. Trick to remember prepositions. Think of a chair and think of series of words you can put in front of the chair. Nothing in a prepositional phrase can ever be the subject of the sentence.
*around, behind, between, by, of, off, with, to, near, under, on, from. *
Words that cannot be verbs: always, often, nearly, rarely, never, ever. Not is not a verb.
Contractions: They haven’t raced. (The verbs are have raced. Not is not a part of the verb, even in contractions.
- Do*n’t you come from Arizona? (The verbs are do come.)
- Wo*n’t he ever learn? (The verbs are will learn. Won’t is a contraction for will not.)
Recognizing Main Verbs: Try the pronoun test. Combine your word with this list of pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they.
Pronoun Test: For word drive: I drive, you drive, he drives, she drives, it drives, we drive, they drive.
Never is not a verb either. An -ing verb by itself, cannot be the main verb.
Common infinitives cannot be main verb: to care, to feel, to need, to vote, to play, to reject, to repeat, to stumble, to view.
Pronoun Agreement
Pronouns are words that substitute for nouns. A pronouns Antecedent is the word or word it replaces.
ex. Jack is a good friend; he is very loyal. (Jack - antecedent, he - Pronoun)
ex. I hated the movie because it was too violent. (the movie - antecedent, it - pronoun)
A pronoun must agree in number with its antecedent - singular must be with singular and plural must be with plural.
ex. Susan tried to arrive on time, but she got caught in traffic. (Susan - Singular Antecedent; She - Singular Pronoun)
ex. Susan and Ray tried to arrive on time, but they got caught in traffic. (Susan and Ray - Plural Antecedent; they - Plural Pronoun)
Indefinite Pronouns: Always take singular verb.
one, anyone, someone, everyone, nobody, anybody, somebody, everybody, nothing, anything, something, everything, each, either, neither.
