Active Voice Example

The active voice is a grammatical voice that tells us that in a sentence the subject is the one who exercises or performs the action expressed in the verb. When a sentence is structured with this type of voice it is called active prayer or also prayer in an active voice.

The grammatical voice it's a mode of expression or manifestation that tells us what type of relationship exists between all the participants of a sentencein relation to the verb; These participants are the subject (who performs the action) and the different objects (direct, indirect, circumstantial). These participants are required by the verb and establish different relationships with it.

In this way, the active grammatical voice shows that there is an active relationship between the subject and the verb. In this type of voice the subject is an active participant in relation to the verb. This means that the subject performs the action of the verb actively: he is the one who provokes, exercises or triggers the action. For this reason this type of subject is calledagent subject: he is an agent because he acts.

Let's see some examples of active voice explained:

• I painted a picture.

This sentence is in the active voice because the subject "I" is an agent subject that has an active relationship with the verb "painted": performs the action of the verb.

• The architects approved the project.

This sentence is in active voice since its structure indicates that the subject "The architects" is an agent subject that performs the action "approved".

• Mirna discussed the problems.

This is a sentence in active voice because it indicates that there is an active relationship between the subject and the verb: "Mirna" is an agent subject who performs the action "discussed".

• The war claimed many innocent lives.

This sentence is in active voice because the agent subject "The war" is the one who executes the verb: "charged".

In addition to the agent subject, in an active voice sentence we can find other elements or participants that are influenced by the action of the verb executed by the subject. These elements are, for example, the direct object (the action of the verb falls on it), the indirect object (the addressee or beneficiary of the action) and circumstantial complements (add extra information about the place, time, purpose, cause, etc.).

It's important pointing that in sentences in the active voice there may be the presence of a direct object while in the sentences in the passive voice there may be no presence of a direct object. This is because in passive sentences the subject is the one who has the function of the direct object (the verb acts on the same subject, who receives the action). Examples:

• Active voice prayer: Me (agent subject) I bought (active verb) clothing (direct object).

Passive voice prayer: The clothes (patient subject) was bought (verb in passive voice) for me (agent complement).

• Active voice prayer: The general (agent subject) it gave (active verb) an order (direct object).

Passive voice prayer: An order (patient subject) It was given (verb in passive voice) by the general (agent complement).

In these examples we can see how in the active voice sentence there can be the presence of a direct object (“clothes” / “an order”) while in the passive voice sentence the direct object became the patient subject of the sentence ("The clothes" / "An order").

Types of active voice sentences:

The active voice can form different types of active sentences. Some of the active sentences in Spanish are:

1. Active transitive sentences. These active sentences are those that contain a transitive verb. Transitive verbs are those that allow the presence of a direct object. Examples:

• Mauro and Angel they saw a basketball game.
• Heavy rains they flooded streets.
• Her lend his voice for dubbing movies.

2. Active intransitive sentences. These active sentences are those that contain an intransitive verb. Intransitive verbs are those that do not allow the presence of a direct object; by themselves they complete the idea they want to express. Examples:

• The baby slept all night.
• Children they smiled when they were given balloons.
• His parents they died in a accident.

 3. Active copulative prayers. These active sentences are those that contain a copulative verb. The copulative verbs are ser and estar. Examples:

• Seafood is it so undercooked.
• Her it is a very reliable person.
• Honesty and humility They are human virtues.

4. Reflective active sentences. These active sentences are those that contain a reflexive verb. They are called reflective because in them the subject exercises the action and at the same time receives it. Examples:

• He He washed hands after eating.
• The prisoners they escaped from prison.
• Guilty he regret of the acts of him.

5. Reciprocal active sentences. These active sentences are in which two or more subjects exert an action and at the same time receive it mutually. Examples:

• Ramona and Alejandra They said hi when meeting at the party.
• The couple they kissed at the wedding ceremony.
• Me and my sister We hug because we haven't seen each other for a long time.

60 Examples of active voice sentences:

1. The constitution dictates the rights and obligations of citizens.
2. A good argumentation is essential to produce a convincing speech.
3. Social media is a way to connect with people from other countries.
4. Albert Einstein was born in 1879 in Germany and died in 1955 in the United States.
5. My friends laughed after hearing the joke I told them.
6. The triathlon competitors swam a distance of 1000 m.
7. Reasoning is a human ability.
8. The economy collapsed after the economic crisis.
9. Water is vital for human survival.
10. In this article they cited many well-known authors.
11. The doctors said that she would have to watch what she ate.
12. Geography studies the earth's surface.
13. Angelica and her boyfriend went for a walk in the park.
14. Lemon is used to prepare many types of desserts and foods.
15. Artists must deal with fame and public opinion on a daily basis.
16. The teacher introduced the new student to her classmates.
17. Gasoline is a fuel that is obtained from oil.
18. My son participated in a word spelling competition.
19. The journalist interviewed the president of the republic.
20. Maria went to the dentist because she had a toothache.
21. The brand presented its new cleaning products.
22. Living things are made up of atoms and molecules.
23. His favorite hobby is playing musical instruments.
24. The boy obeyed his mother and did all his homework.
25. Every Sunday we play board games as a family.
26. My younger brother plays video games all day.
27. The so-called conquest of America occurred in the 16th century.
28. I submitted a project to a national competition.
29. He knows many superheroes and villains from comics.
30. People of the world speak different languages ​​and have different beliefs.
31. The boy learned to ride a bicycle when he was seven years old.
32. On her birthday I gave my mother a blouse in her favorite color.
33. The manufacture of plastics derived from petroleum produces a lot of pollution.
34. A historian has a broad knowledge of the most important historical events.
35. This bakery sells the best desserts in town.
36. Students self-assessed their performance in math class.
37. This morning I went to the bank to apply for a home loan.
38. It is important to read the instruction manual before using the product.
39. When the curtain closed, all the spectators applauded.
40. Ana and Manuel hired a professional photographer for their wedding.
41. Students reviewed their homework before mailing it in.
42. Antonio taught his son to drive a car.
43. Shade plants should be kept indoors.
44. This library is the largest in the country.
45. The psychologist administered a brief questionnaire to his patient.
46. The business had advertising flyers printed.
47. In the morning I always have a cup of coffee with milk.
48. Archaeologists made a discovery that stunned them.
49. Francisco witnessed a car accident on the highway.
50. I lit a candle after the power went out.
51. The earthquake destroyed much of the historic buildings.
52. He has a lot of problems with his co-workers.
53. Teresa is excited about the new journey that she will take.
54. In the admission exam, knowledge of Spanish and mathematics were evaluated.
55. My friend bought a new music player.
56. A virus infected my computer and I lost my files.
57. The doctor prescribed the patient a list of medications.
58. Drinking enough water throughout the day helps the health of the body.
59. Every night I watch my favorite TV show.
60. The actress read the script hundreds of times to memorize it.