Question

Which of the following sentences uses the active voice?


Many old lighthouses have been turned into museums or hostels.


Now just a beacon to history, the old lighthouse saved thousands of lives in its day.


During bad weather, keepers would work around the clock to make sure that the light was burning and the lenses were clean.


The lighthouse was built halfway down the cliff so that the beams could be seen below the high fog.

Answer 1

Sentences 2 and 3 use the active voice.

- 2 ("the old lighthouse saved thousands of lives...") — subject (the lighthouse) performs the action.
- 3 ("keepers would work around the clock...") — subject (keepers) performs the action.

Sentences 1 and 4 are passive ("have been turned," "was built/could be seen").