Active voice is a grammatical structure in which the subject of a sentence performs the action expressed by the verb, as opposed to receiving it. In active voice sentences, the subject typically comes first, making the sentence clearer and often more direct.
For example:
- Active Voice: "The dog chased the ball." (The subject "the dog" is performing the action of chasing.)
- Passive Voice: "The ball was chased by the dog." (Here, the subject "the ball" is receiving the action.)
Active voice often conveys a stronger sense of emotion or excitement because it emphasizes the doer of the action, making the writing more dynamic and engaging. It is commonly used to describe actions that are currently taking place or to create a sense of immediacy.
Additionally, verbs in active voice can refer to physical actions, like "run" or "jump," as well as mental actions, such as "think" or "decide."
For example:
- Physical action: "She runs every morning."
- Mental action: "He thinks about the problem."
Overall, using the active voice helps create more vigorous and compelling sentences.