English 2

Appropriate passive: Appropriate passive:

The medical records were destroyed in the fire. The experiment was performed successfully.

Passive voice verbs always include a form of the verb to be, such as am, are, was, is being, and so on. To check for active versus passive voice, look for sentences that contain a form of this verb, and see whether in these sentences the subject of the sentence performs the action of the verb. 3. If you shift verb tense (for example, from past to present tense) in a sentence or passage without a good reason, you may confuse your reader. Wrong: Right: After he joined the union, Sam appears at a rally and makes a speech. After he joined the union, Sam appeared at a rally and made a speech.

2. Be particularly careful that your subject and verb agree when your subject is made up of two or more parts joined by and or or; when your subject is a word like committee or jury, which can take either a singular or a plural verb depending on whether it is treated as a unit or as a group of individuals; or when your subject is a word like mathematics or measles, which looks plural but is singular in meaning. Wrong: Right: Wrong: Right: Wrong: Right: My brother and his friend commutes every day from Louisville. My brother and his friend commute every day from Louisville. The committee was taking all the responsibility themselves. The committee were taking all the responsibility themselves. Measles have become less common in the United States. Measles has become less common in the United States.

Right: Wrong: Right: Wrong: Right:

Every one of the puppies thrived in its new home. Neither Jane nor Susan felt that they had been treated fairly. Neither Jane nor Susan felt that she had been treated fairly. The team frequently changed its positions to get varied experience. The team frequently changed their positions to get varied experience.

To proofread for agreement of pronouns and antecedents, circle each pronoun, identify its...