Appendix 3

Name:______________________
Date:______________________

Stylistic Writing: Using the Active Voice

You will be using COCA to locate and identify be verbs in written academic registers and determine
sentences structures that can and cannot be transformed from the passive voice to the active voice. You
will remember from your readings that in the passive voice the subject of the sentence receives the
action.
P: My mind is made up. I am going to the show without you
A: I made up my mind to go to the show without you.
Also remember that not all sentences can be transformed without changing the meaning of the
sentence or causing a conflict in relation with the following sentence(s)
P: Standpoint theory is compatible with social work, which also deals with people at the margins of
society and seeks to enhance their sense of dignity and worth...
You can see that the be verb acts as a modifier to the headword and transforming the sentence would
change the meaning of the sentence.
Please edit the following sentences for active voice
1. A highly creative person is more likely to produce below-average quality.
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2. I love being in this band, and I want it to be a career thing.
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3. You are not going to get caught. I already made you this, in case you...
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4. I was thinking the same thing myself
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5. All eyes were focused on the glass.
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6. May's daddy was someone who only came home when he got tired of being any other place.
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7. I'd been working for Brady for ten months and it still felt wrong.
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Search COCA for the following be verb registers and locate one form in which the sentence can be
transformed from passive to active voice and edit the sentence, and locate one sentence in which
changing the voice would change the meaning of the sentence or cause conflict with the following
sentences. Remember you can search specifically for different registers such as academic, magazines,
news, fiction, etc. which may make it easier to locate the different forms of active voice. Remember
that you need to be accurate and thorough with your research so for each searched term please list the
register you used to search for the word as well as the count in which it occurs.

Appendix 3
Be:
Passive:
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Active:
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Non Transformable:
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Is:
Passive:
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Active:
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Non Transformable:
Are:
Passive:
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Active:
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Non Transformable:
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Was:
Passive:
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Active:
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Non Transformable:
Were:
Passive:
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Active:
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Non Transformable:
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Being:
Passive:

Appendix 3
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Active:
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Non Transformable:
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Been:
Passive:
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Active:
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Non Transformable:
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