Choosing Between Active and Passive Voice

In sentences with active-voice verbs, the doer of the action is the subject of the sentence.

Example: Helmets protect cyclists.

In sentences with passive-voice verbs, the subject of the sentence is the receiver of the action.

Example: Cyclists are protected by helmets.

In business writing, active voice is preferred because it helps to keep your content concise and to the point. Active voice is also more interesting to read and helps reduce excess wording.

Convert the following phrases from passive to active voice:

The invoice is signed by the clerk. _______________________________________________________

My homework was eaten by my dog. _____________________________________________________

A movie will be shown by the teacher. ____________________________________________________

Quantity Expressions

The English language contains many words and phrases that tell us the quantity or amount of something. A nouns status as count or non-count determines the appropriate expression to quantify the noun. For instance, one prize, two prizes, a few prizes, many prizes; all tell how many, even if the number is not known.

Correct the following examples to reflect correct plural-use (more than one) as per the quantity:

• We ate a couple of pizza.
• She grew many vegetable in her garden.
• Some of his Instagram picture were beautiful.
• He has great writing skill such as content organization and tone.
• Her presentation skill demonstrated good eye contact and a clear voice.
• These assignment are too difficult to complete in 90 minute.
• I wish I had a coffees to drink while stuck in rush hour traffic.
• There are many mountain in the province of British Columbia.
• The student all showed up late to class.
• Next semester Im going to sign up for 3 more accounting course.
• In two week I will be travelling to China to visit my parents and two sister.
• When I eat a hamburgers from McDonald I also want two order of french fries.

Singular Versus Plural Nouns

1. To form the plural of most nouns, you add s to the singular form: ocean/oceans, course/courses
2. Some nouns have irregular plural forms that must be memorized: child/children, man/men, tooth/teeth
3. To pluralize nouns ending in a soft sound of s, x, z, ch, sh, add es: box/boxes, dish/dishes, kiss/kisses
4. To pluralize nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant, change the y to i and add es.

• Country/countries, lady/ladies, reply/replies

5. Nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel, add s to pluralize them

• Key/keys, boy/boys, delay/delays, valley/valleys

6. To pluralize nouns ending in f or fe, add ves if the plural is pronounced with a v sound.
   • knife/knives, wife/wives
   • yourself ________________
   • thief ________________
   • wife ________________
   • calf ________________

7. If the plural noun keeps its f sound, add only s
   • Belief _________________
   • Chief _________________
   • Chef _________________

8. Some nouns retain their singular form for the plural
   • Aircraft, caribou, deer, moose, mail, sheep, salmon

9. Some nouns are used in the plural form only, even though they refer to a single unit
   • Glasses, jeans, scissors, shorts, pants