1、Application Essay 写作 第四课 Verb TenseVerb TenseAs you write your essay, remember to focus on verbs and keep adjectives to a minimum. Pumping your sentences full of adjectives and adverbs is not the same thing as adding detail or color. Adjectives and adverbs add lazy description, but verbs add action.
2、Passive TenseOur editors find that one of the greatest weaknesses of admissions essays is their frequent use of the passive tense. For this mini-lesson you will learn why the passive voice should be avoided, how to identify it, and how to replace it with the preferred active voice.Overuse of the pas
3、sive voice throughout an essay can make your prose seem flat and uninteresting. Sentences in active voice are also more concise than those in passive voice. You can recognize passive-voice expressions because the verb phrase will always include a form of to be, such as am, is, was, were, are, or bee
4、n. The presence of a be-verb, however, does not necessarily mean that the sentence is in passive voice. In sentences written in passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed in the verb; the subject is acted upon. In sentences written in active voice, the subject performs the action expre
5、ssed in the verb; the subject acts.EXAMPLES:(Passive) I was selected to be the tuba player by the band leader.(Active) The bandleader selected me to be the tuba player.(Passive)I will be prepared for college as a result of the lessons my mother taught me.(Active)My mother taught me lessons that will
6、 prepare me for college(Passive) I am reminded of her voice every time I hear that song.(Active) That song reminds me of her voice.EXERCISE #4: STRONG VERBS vs. WEAK VERBSFill in the blanks using the most descriptive or active verb phrase.1. After working closely with my mentor, I _ advanced techniq
7、ues in oil painting.a) was beginning to masterb) began to masterc) mastered2. My newspaper article on the labor strikes _ both praise and criticism.a) generatedb) gotc) was the recipient of3. Once I joined the debate team, I _ the opportunity to compete every weekend.a) soughtb) hadc) was exposed to
8、4. Samuels touchdown _ the stadium crowd.a) created much energy inb) energizedc) really energized5. Woolfs essay _ my opinion of gender inequality.a) challengedb) made me take another look atc) was challenging to6. As Jessica drew near me, I _ the baton and took off running.a) graspedb) gotc) was gi
9、ven温馨提示：专业的事情，交给专业的机构来完成。10 年来，监审留学一直致力于留学文书的写作服务，已经帮助过无数留学生申请到理想的大学，擅长美国，加拿大，英国和澳洲的个人陈述和推荐信写作。如果您有写作方面的需求可以 联系 QQ：970865017，按时交稿，绝不拖延，再也不用发愁。7. Once my mother had fallen asleep, I _ the dolls on her nightstand.a) putb) arrangedc) set up8. Chris and I _ an educational project for first-graders in ou
10、r community.a) beganb) startedc) initiated9. “Why didnt you ask me before throwing it away?“ Jason _.a) holleredb) said angrilyc) started to yell10. Mr. Franklin _ that he was our true father.a) let us knowb) told usc) revealedAnswers:1) c; 2) a; 3) a; 4) b; 5) a; 6) a; 7) b; 8) c; 9) a; 10) c;Chang
11、ing Passive Voice to Active VoiceIf you want to change a passive-voice sentence to active voice, find the agent in the phrase, the person or thing that is performing the action expressed in the verb. Make that agent the subject of the sentence, and change the verb accordingly. For many instances of
12、the passive voice in your essay, you can follow these steps:1. Do a global search for the words “was“ and then “were.“ These words often indicate the passive voice.2. Cross out the “was“ or the “were.“3. Add -ed to the verb that follows “was“ or “were.“4. If that changed verb does not make grammatic
13、al sense, it is an irregular verb, so change it to the simple past tense.5. Rewrite the sentence around the new active-voice verb.EXERCISE #5: MAKING SENTENCES MORE ACTIVEChange these sentences from passive voice to active voice, or note if no change should be made.1. I was taught by my brother the
14、principles of barbecuing.2. My father was given the title by the former head chief.3. The house was wrecked by the party and the cat was let loose by the guests.4. The house is a mess, the cat is lost, and the car has been stolen by Justin.5. Unfortunately, my plan was ruined by Gerald, the building
15、 superintendent.6. The roof was leaking. It had been leaking all week.7. The ball was thrown by Lucy, who had been hiding in the bushes.8. Francesca was placed on the first flight to Boston. Her father put her there.9. “To be or not to be?“ That is the question.10. A feast had been created from noth
16、ing. I was astounded.Answers: My brother taught me the principles of barbecuing. The former head chief gave the title to my father. The party wrecked the house and the guests let the cat loose. The house is a mess, the cat is lost, and Justin has stolen the car. Unfortunately, Gerald, the building s
17、uperintendent, ruined my plan. No change. Lucy, who had been hiding in the bushes, threw the ball. Francescas father placed her on the first flight to Boston. No change. A feast had been created from nothing. This astounded me.EXERCISE #6: PASSIVE-FREE WRITINGWrite a 100-word essay on anything at all (preferably relating to your essay topic) without using any form of the verb “to be.“
