Grammar. Active voice.

Question

Which of the following sentences is not written using the active voice.

Holst composed the planets

Murder on the Orient Express was written by Agatha Christie

Galileo invented the telescope.

Columbus landed in North America.

Answer 1

The sentence that is not written in the active voice is:

"Murder on the Orient Express was written by Agatha Christie."

This sentence is in the passive voice because it focuses on the action ("was written") and the receiver of the action ("by Agatha Christie") rather than the doer of the action.

Answer 2

Absolutely! The sentence "Murder on the Orient Express was written by Agatha Christie" is a prime example of a passive voice structure. While the active voice places emphasis on the doer of the action, the passive voice highlights the receiver of the action. In this case, the focus is on the fact that the book was written by Agatha Christie, rather than on Agatha Christie as the doer of the action.

In active voice, the sentence would be rephrased to highlight the doer of the action, like this: "Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express."

Using the active voice often leads to more direct and clearer communication, but the passive voice can be useful for shifting the focus of a sentence. Both have their place in language and writing.