TRY THIS 11.7: Analyze the Effect of Passive Voice In the paragraph below, taken from the Declaration of Independence, please do the following:
— Circle the verb in each clause. Identify which clauses exhibit passive construction.
— Convert each sentence in passive voice to active voice.
— Explain how the meaning of the passive voice sentences change when rewritten in active voice.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Rosenwasser, David; Stephen, Jill. Writing Analytically with APA 7e Updates (p. 325). Cengage Learning. Kindle Edition.
