Style

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Actors

Action

Passives

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Actors Make people the subjects of sentences.

We can make people the subjects of sentences in several ways, including:

• Use a person’s name

• Use a pronoun

• Use a collective noun

• Use imperative voice

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Actor Example

At the previous meeting, a new organizational plan was selected and a new budget was adopted.

Rewrite:The executive committee selected a new organizational plan and adopted a new budget at the previous meeting.

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Your Turn Rewrite these sentences to make the actor the subject.

Attempts were made by the engineering staff to complete the project.

Rewrite:The engineering staff completed the project.

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Your Turn

Rewrite these sentences to make the actor the subject.

The new building will allow twenty new businesses to relocate downtown.

Rewrite:

Twenty new businesses can relocate downtown to the new building.

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ActionMake sure your verb shows actionAvoid nominalizations• Making a verb into a noun by adding an –ion and –ate ending.

• Demonstration• Administration• Education

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Action Example• The fire marshal is conducting an investigation of the fire that occurred this morning.

• The fire marshal is investigating the fire that occurred this morning.

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Your Turn

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Rewrite these sentences to place action in the verb.

We must provide support for the three candidates from our district who are running for president, vice president, and senator.

Rewrite: We must support the candidates from our district.

Your Turn Rewrite these sentences to place action in the verb.

Our expectation was to begin the interview at 10:00 a.m.

Rewrite:We expected to begin the interview at 10:00 a.m.

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Passive VoiceTo-be verb + past participle = passive voice

To-be verbsAmAreIsWasWereBeBeingBeen

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Passive VoiceWe can use passive voice if• We don’t care who performed the action• We need to describe something

However, we want to use active voice for most occasions.

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Your Turn Change these sentences from the passive to the active voice.

The merit raises were approved by the board of directors.

Rewrite: The board of directors approved the merit raises.

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Your Turn Change these sentences from the passive to the active voice.

Please notify this office as soon as a shipment date is known.

Rewrite:Notify us when you ship our order.

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Hope you have enjoyed learning the basics of style.

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