What is active voice?

Definition
	Active voice is a voice that indicates a subject has the semantic function of actor.

Example (English)
	The following sentence construction is in active voice. The subject Jones has the semantic function of actor. Jones built the house. The above active construction contrasts with the following construction in passive voice, where Jones has the semantic function of actor but house is the subject: The house was built by Jones.

Generic
	Active voice is a kind of
	What is voice?

See also
	What is a semantic role?

Sources
	Crystal 1980 12
	Pei and Gaynor 1954 6
	Hartmann and Stork 1972 251–252
	Nida 1949 168
	Mish 1991 54

Context for this page:

Concept module: active voice
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): A
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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