Changing the Voice and Verb Moods

Understanding Voice: Active vs. Passive

Two types of Voices when we write anything:
The Active Voice and The Passive Voice

Structure of Active Voice: In the Active Voice, the noun or the pronoun in the sentence is the doer of the action
Subject + Verb + Object

Structure of Passive Voice: In the Passive Voice, the subject is acted upon by the verb
Object + Form of 'be' + Past Participle + [by + Subject (optional)]

​ Use of Active Voice

1. Active voice emphasizes the doer of the action, making sentences clear and direct.

2. It is often preferred in writing for its clarity and straightforwardness.

3. Use active voice to engage readers and convey your message effectively.

Example: My mother baked a cake this morning.

​Use of Passive Voice

Passive voice shifts the focus from the doer of the action to the receiver.

It is useful when the emphasis is on the action or when the doer is unknown or less important.

Example: The cat (object) was chased (form of 'be' + past participle) by the dog (optional subject).

Use passive voice judiciously, as it can sometimes obscure the clarity of your writing if overused.

Verb moods

Verb moods refer to the different forms or categories that a verb can take to express the speaker's attitude or the reality of the action described in a sentence.

The mood of a verb indicates whether the action is a statement of fact, a command, a hypothetical situation, a suggestion, or a condition dependent on certain circumstances.

Each mood serves a specific purpose in conveying meaning and nuance in communication.

​Types of Verb Moods

The different types of Verb moods are as follows:

• Indicative Mood: Used to express statements, facts, or questions.

• Subjunctive Mood: Used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, or suggestions.

• Imperative Mood: Used to give commands, orders, or instructions.

• Conditional Mood: Used to express actions that are dependent on certain conditions.

Indicative and Imperative moods

Examples of Indicative mood:
There is a storm coming.
It is raining cats and dogs.

Examples of Imperative mood:
Wash the clothes in that room.
Please get me some water now.

Examples of Interrogative mood:
Are you going to the store today?

Conditional and Subjunctive moods

Example of conditional mood:
If you work hard, you will get good results.

We use the conditional mood, when one of our actions is dependent on the happening or the occurrence of another action.

Example of subjunctive mood:
If we had started on our trip five hours earlier, we would have reached our destination by now.

We use the subjunctive mood, when we express desires, wishes, proposals and hypothetical situations.

Let us summarize...