Drafting

Writing paragraphs, explaining ideas, structuring points.

Active voice

In the active voice the subject does the action described by the verb. It is direct, concise, and appropriate when readers are more interested in the agent doing the action or in the action itself than in the receiver or in the result of the action. Unless there is a reason to use the passive voice, you should use active voice verbs.

Examples:

Drunk drivers cause many accidents in the USA.

Drunk drivers, which are the agents, do the action. Cause, which is the active verb, describes the agent’s action.

Many FSC students went to Africa last summer.

Many FSC students, subject, do the action described by the past tense of the active verb to go.

Eric has lived in this apartment for three years.

Has lived, which is the active verb, lets readers know what Eric has been doing.

Active Voice in Different Verb Tenses

To form the active voice in all verb tenses, follow this formula: Subject + verb + direct object.

Examples:

Simple Present
The Constitution guarantees equality for all.

Present Progressive
Many politicians are taking steps to enforce the Constitution.

Present Perfect
The Supreme Court has upheld the principles of the Constitution many times.

Simple Past
Racially segregated school systems violated a constitutional right.

Past Progressive
Many southern police were violating black civil rights during the early 1930s.

Past Perfect
By 1960, the government had made school segregation illegal.

Simple Future
As the basis for our legal system, the Constitution will serve our country for many years to come.

Future Perfect
By the time our children are grown, we will have taught them many lessons about the Constitution.

Future Progressive
Teachers will be explaining the values of the Constitution for generations.

Source

Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.