Modeling a short story grid
* Below is a story grid which you can use to create a story.
* You can use any vocabulary or grammar you want but you have to include all words in the story grid.
often Ralph tall run find
at ten p.m. offer Liza bookstore
select postcard buy flower beautiful
rob sad bump recent gift
pink smart never agree with
now blooming handsome special not
Story:
Ralph is tall and handsome. He has a beautiful and blooming girlfriend, Liza. Ralph runs to the bookstore to buy a postcard for her. He also wants to give Liza a bouquet of flowers. He drops by the flower shop to buy pink roses. It is ten p.m. He is just sad that the smart saleslady did not agree with Ralph about the packaging of the roses, his special gift. Ralph feels that the saleslady robs him of his right to choose what he likes.
Exercise 1
Directions: Create a story grid and make a story out of it.
Active voice
In most English sentences with an action verb, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb.
These examples show that the subject is doing the verb's action.
Because the subject does or "acts upon" the verb in such sentences, the sentences are said to be in the active voice.
Passive voice
One can change the normal word order of many active sentences (those with a direct object) so that the subject is no longer active, but is, instead, being acted upon by the verb - or passive.
Note in these examples how the subject-verb relationship has changed.
Because the subject is being "acted upon" (or is passive), such sentences are said to be in the passive voice.
NOTE: Colorful parrots live in the rainforests cannot be changed to passive voice because the sentence does not have a direct object.
To change a sentence from active to passive voice, do the following:
1. Move the active sentence's direct object into the sentence's subject slot
2. Place the active sentence's subject into a phrase beginning with the preposition by
3. Add a form of the auxiliary verb be to the main verb and change the main verb's form
Because passive voice sentences necessarily add words and change the normal doer-action-receiver of action direction, they may make the reader work harder to understand the intended meaning.
As the examples below illustrate, a sentence in active voice flows more smoothly and is easier to understand than the same sentence in passive voice.
It is generally preferable to use the ACTIVE voice.
To change a passive voice sentence into an active voice sentence, simply reverse the steps shown above.
1. Move the passive sentence's subject into the active sentence's direct object slot
2. Remove the auxiliary verb be from the main verb and change main verb's form if needed
3. Place the passive sentence's object of the preposition by into the subject slot.
Because it is more direct, most writers prefer to use the active voice whenever possible.
The passive voice may be a better choice, however, when
- the doer of the action is unknown, unwanted, or unneeded in the sentence
- the writer wishes to emphasize the action of the sentence rather than the doer of the action
- the writer wishes to use passive voice for sentence variety.
Exercise 1
Directions: Choose whether the verb is active or passive.
__________ 1. I ate a piece of chocolate cake.
__________ 2. The librarian read the book to the students.
__________ 3. The money was stolen.
__________ 4. They are paid on Fridays.
__________ 5. The movie is being made in Hollywood.
__________ 6. I washed my car three weeks ago.
__________ 7. His hair was cut by a professional.
__________ 8. I will introduce you to my boss this week.
__________ 9. It would have been fixed on the weekend.
__________ 10. The national anthem is being sung by Jason this time.
Exercise 2
Directions: The following sentences are in passive voice. Change it an active voice.
1. The instructions have been changed.
Someone __________ the instructions.
2. She will have to be taught.
Someone __________ her.
3. This car was manufactured in Japan by Toyota.
Toyota __________ this car in Japan.
4. Why aren't the exercises being finished on time?
Why __________ the exercises on time?
5. Last year 2,000 new units had been produced by the time we introduced the new design.
We __________ 2,000 new units by the time we introduced the new design last year.
6. Casual clothes must not be worn.
You __________ casual clothes.
7. $400,000 in profit has been reported this year.
The company __________ $400,000 in profit this year.
8. The test will be given at five o'clock this afternoon.
The school __________ the test at five o'clock this afternoon.
9. Students are required to wear uniforms at all times.
The school __________ students to wear uniforms at all times.
10. This rumor must have been started by our competitors.
Our competitors __________ this rumor.
Exercise 3
Directions: Decide whether the following sentences are written in the active or passive voice. Then write the doer of the action on the line to the right. If the doer is unknown, write a question mark (?).
1. Thomas feeds his dog. active / passive ____________
2. The dog is fed by Thomas. active / passive ____________
3. The family went to the beach. active / passive ____________
4. The letter was written by Marshall. active / passive ____________
5. The game had been won by the blue team. active / passive ____________
6. The problem was solved. active / passive ____________
7. The stunt man risked his life. active / passive ____________
8. The fire was extinguished. active / passive ____________
9. The car was being cleaned by its owner. active / passive ____________
10. It gets cold here during the winter. active / passive ____________
Reference
English, Communication Arts I (Conversational Approach) pp. 147-151
http://www.towson.edu/ows/activepass.htm
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-voice_quiz.htm
http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/blgrquiz_passive2.htm
http://www.englishforeveryone.org/PDFs/Active%20-%20Passive%20Voice.pdf
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