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Categories: AestheticsDesignHumanitiesLanguageMediaUsability

Troy Sterling and the Active and Passive Verbs

Jerz > Writing > Grammar and Syntax > Active and Passive Verbs

Introduction

Active verbs form more efficient and more powerful sentences than passive verbs. This document will teach you why and how to prefer active verbs.

  • The subject of an active voice sentence performs the action of the verb:  “I throw the ball.”
  • The subject of a passive voice sentence is still the main character of the sentence, but something else performs the action: “The ball is thrown by me.”

For a detailed explanation, see my handout, “Active and Passive Verbs.”

For a more colorful introduction to the concept, with self-quizzes, and Legos, see the slideshow “Troy Sterling and the Active and Passive Verbs.”

(The slideshow will appear in the space below.)

About this Slideshow

I originally created this with Impress, the Open Office slideshow presenter, and exported it as a Shockwave file. I’m amazed at how tiny the resulting file is. It looks like a few effects didn’t make the transition, but they were just eye candy.

I designed this as a simple linear slide show, for me to present in the front of the room. In this online version, all you can do is click to advance to the next page. It should at least have multiple-choice questions, in order to ensure that a bored reader isn’t just clicking through on autopilot. (At any rate, it’s more entertaining than my more traditional online guide to Active and Passive Verbs.)

This is just a bit of practice, as I continue to experiment with various media production tools.

I’ve also downloaded Jahshaka, an open-source video editing tool, but it crashed on my little wimpy laptop. I’ll try it again when I get some time at the office.

Update. 22 July 2011: I’ve de-emphasized the original Flash version (which is still online), and replaced it with the WordPress slideshow version (which runs on iPads and other non-Flash machines).

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Post was last modified on 15 Oct 2021 3:05 pm

View Comments

  • Cool--thanks! It will be interesting to see their reaction (they tend to be so very "serious" when it comes to academics.... This will be good for them ;))
    A.

  • Hello, Andrea. Yes, you are welcome to use that material -- that's why I post it online. I'd be happy to hear what your students think.

  • Hey Dennis,
    I am teaching an ESL course for graduate students this semester and was just searching for additional grammar "stuff" when I came across your website. I love the active/passive slide show! And I know my students would get a kick out of it. Would you mind if I posted a link to it on our course website?
    Thanks--Andrea (from CCCC workshop New Orleans)

  • This recent exchange got deleted after I had to restore from a backup:
    Beth Stovell said:
    Hi Dr. Jerz,
    I'm a PhD student who will be teaching a course on writing and research skills in the fall and I would like to use the Troy Sterling slideshow. I think the students would respond well to its use of humour and its visual engagement.
    I deeply appreciate the resources you list on your website as I am only starting to create and organize my materials for this course.
    If you have any suggestions or advice, I have very open ears.
    January 2, 2008 12:09 PM
    Dennis G. Jerz said:
    Thanks for the note, Beth. Feel free to use it, and if you like, please stop by again and let me know how it goes.
    January 2, 2008 5:51 PM

  • I definitely remember you -- you sat along what would have been your right side of the classroom.
    For one of your projects you created a poetry handout that I still use every year.

  • It's hilarious and informative! It's great!
    Do you remember me, Prof. Jerz? I was a student in one of your technical writing courses at UWEC a few years ago.

  • Thanks for the compliment, Jess P... but you should probably get out a little more. ;)

  • Glad to know the site helped, Sadrie, and congratulations.

    It didn't really take all that long... I had already made the car (a custom job, combining two different car sets). I think I made the set one day when my daughter was napping, and took the photos during the next day's nap.

    I took more photos than I used in this version... one day I'll put up an expansion.

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Dennis G. Jerz
20 years ago

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