Definition of Poetry by Different Authors

Active Voice and Passive Voice

The term voice refers to the form of a verb indicating whether the subject performs an action ( active voice) or receives the action ( passive voice). 

Marcy smashed the ball over the net. (active voice) 

The ball was smashed over the net by Marcy. (passive voice) 

Use the active voice whenever you can because it conveys more energy than the passive voice and results in more concise writing. 

Use the passive voice when you don't know who is taking the action (actor), when you don't want to name the actor, or when you want to emphasize the person or thing acted upon rather than the one taking the action. The passive voice is often appropriate in scientific writing.

When we returned, the car had been towed. 

I regret that a mistake was made. 

Gold was discovered in California. 

His mother was rushed to the hospital. 

A change in structure was found in the experimental group.

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

A transitive verb, used with a direct object, transmits action to an object and may also have an indirect object, which indicates to or for whom the action is done. In contrast, an intransitive verb never takes an object.

Transitive verbs

A transitive verb takes a direct object;that is, the verb transmits action to an object. 

He sent the letter. ( letter = direct object of sent) 

She gave the lecture. ( lecture = direct object of gave) 

In these sentences, something is being done to an object.

A transitive verb can also have an indirect object that precedes the direct object. The indirect object tells to or for whom the action is done, although the words to and for are not used. In the following examples, notice the difference between the direct and indirect objects. 

The direct object ( letter) receives the action ( sent). The indirect object ( Robert) is the person to whom the letter is sent. 

He sent Robert the letter. 

The direct object ( lecture) receives the action ( gave). The indirect object ( class) is the group to whom the lecture is given. 

She gave her class the lecture. 

Learn to recognize words that are direct and indirect objects of verbs. When these words are pronouns, they must be in the objective case. 

Intransitive verb

An intransitive verb does not take an object. 

She sleeps too much. 

He complains frequently. 

In these sentences, nothing receives the action of the verbs sleep and complain. 

Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.

She sings every day. (no object = intransitive) 

She sings rock 'n' roll tunes. ( rock 'n' roll tunes receives the action of sings = transitive)