+Hints for Oral Instruction+.—I picked the rose. I will tell the same thing in another way. The rose was picked by me. The first verb picked shows that the subject I represents the actor, and the second form of the verb, was picked, shows that the subject names the thing acted upon. This change in the form of the verb is called +Voice+. The first form is called the +Active Voice+; and the second, the +Passive Voice+.

The passive form is very convenient when we wish to assert an action without naming any actor. Money is coined is better than somebody coins money.

DEFINITIONS.

+Voice is that modification of the transitive verb which shows whether the subject names the actor or the thing acted upon+.

+The Active Voice shows that the subject names the actor+.

+The Passive Voice shows that the subject names the thing acted upon+.

In each of the following sentences, change the voice of the verb without changing the meaning of the sentence. Note the other changes that occur in the sentence.

The industrious bees gather honey from the flowers.
The storm drove the vessel against the rock.
Our words should be carefully chosen.
Death separates the dearest friends.
His vices have weakened his mind and destroyed his health.
True valor protects the feeble and humbles the oppressor.
The Duke of Wellington, who commanded the English armies in the
Peninsula, never lost a battle.
Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt.
Dr. Livingstone explored a large part of Africa.
The English were conquered by the Normans.

Name all the transitive verbs in Lessons 20 and 22, and give, their voice.