 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
|
 |
||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||
|
Grammar
Q & A Newsgroup
Click on Questions and Answers to see the newest messages. If you want to post a message or comment, you will be prompted to login. (If you are not registered, you can do so from the login box.) Remember to bookmark this page to make it easier to return to it. |
|
Go
|
New
|
Find
|
Notify
|
Tools
|
Reply
|
|
|
Member Posts: 42
|
Posted
How would I change the following sentence from passive to active voice?
Years ago, Cabbage Patch dolls were sold for lots of money. |
|
Member Location: Egypt
Posts: 206
|
Posted
In order to change it to active, you have to know who sold the dolls. Do you mean stores/shops? The manufacturer? Collectors? Once you have a subject, you can turn it into active:
Years ago, X sold Cabbage Patch dolls for lots of money. You sentence is a good example of why we use the passive -- when we don't know who did the action or it's not important who did it. |
|
Member Posts: 15216
|
Posted
Right on all counts.
We do need the passive, for just the reasons Okaasan states. Our 'grammar checks' on our computers are always trying to eliminate the passive voice, and many newspaper writers do, too. I believe this is not a good thing. |
