VERBS Active Voice Passive Voice and Subjunctive Mood

VERBS Active Voice, Passive Voice, and Subjunctive Mood

Subjunctive Mood • to express things we know are impossible (“what if” scenarios) or to make demands • verbs may look wrong because this does not use the -s in the third person singular

Subjunctive Mood often used after: if wish verb + that demand that require that request that insist that ask that suggest that it is necessary that it is important that

Subjunctive Mood Examples: • The robber demanded that she open the safe. • Mrs. Jones suggested that he whisper when in the library. • It is important that he notify the employees about the new regulations. • If I were a millionaire, I’d be happy. • Don’t you wish Megan Fox were your girlfriend?

Active and Passive Voices active voice = subject performs the action: • Jeremy beat the eggs with a fork.

Active and Passive Voices passive voice = subject receives the action: • The eggs were beaten with a fork by Jerry.

Active and Passive Voices HINT: The passive voice often uses the preposition “by. ” • The eggs were beaten with a fork by Jerry.

Active and Passive Voices Use the passive voice ONLY when: a. you don’t know who did the action b. you don’t want to point a finger at the culprit 1. 2. President Kennedy was shot in Dallas today. The toilet seat was left up.

How might you improve the following sentence? HINT: Simplify! The Better: Best: decision that was Thereached committee by the reached decided committee to the was decision postpone to the postpone vote. the vote. Purdue University Writing Lab

How might you improve the following sentence? Better: The disk drive of the Best: computer The was surge Theelectrical surge damaged by disk damagedthe thethe electrical drive of the surge. computer's disk drive. Purdue University Writing Lab