Three changes are made in transforming a sentence containing a verb or verb phrase in the active voice into an equivalent sentence containing a passive verb phrase. Note the three changes in the following illustrations:

1. She ate the apple.

2. The apple was eaten by her.

1. She has written the letter. .

2. The letter has been written by her.

(1) The object in the original sentence becomes the subject of the second.

(2) The subject of the original sentence, if it is not omitted, becomes the object of the preposition by in the second sentence.

(3) The verb or verb phrase in the original sentence is replaced by a passive verb phrase. The passive verb phrase contains a form of the verb be and a perfect participle.

Exercise 283

Which of the verb phrases in the following sentences are in the passive voice? Which verbs and verb phrases are in the active voice? Which do not have voice? Rewrite the sentences with a change of voice when this is possible.

1. I have sent the box.

2. The child has been sent to town by his mother.

3. I see the mistake.

4. The dog had been carefully trained.

5. The child is unhappy.

6. The news was received everywhere with joy.

7. I shall go to Chicago to-morrow.

8. Peonies are generally planted in the fall.

9. The window was broken yesterday.

10. I have answered the letter.

11. Mr. Brown's store has been robbed.

12. Two beds three by nine feet were planted with one hundred mixed tulips; when these appeared above ground in the spring, it was decided to have gladioli succeed them. A boring tool was made from the handle of a discarded spade; this was sawed off at the curve, sharpened to a point, and eight inches up a notch was cut in the wood to mark the depth for planting; this depth obviated the necessity for staking. The last week of April, when the ground was soft after a rain, rows of holes were bored between the rows of tulips, and one hundred large bulbs of gladioli in light mixed colors (pink and white) were planted.

The mixed tulips provided an abundance of bloom from the last of April till the beginning of June, and were followed very shortly by the gladioli, which lasted till October. The greater number of these gladioli bulbs sent up two stalks of flowers each, and great quantities were obtained for cutting. Aside from the display provided, each gladiolus bulb gave an increase of two to three good-sized young bulbs.1

B. M. Strain.