I've run into both labeling systems -- one just uses "active" to mean "non-passive," and so all linking verbs are active; the other uses "active" to mean "the speaker/writer chose not to use passive," and thus restricts it to transitives.
I also have been seeing some problematic questions on sample questions for tests used to evaluate students in my state. I would hope that, as a minimum, the real test questions are run past a panel of outside experts before the test is deployed. That may cost money, though, and I'm worried that the test developers might not be doing it.
Bill Spruiell
Central Michigan University
________________________________
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Beth Young [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 11:37 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ATEG Digest - 9 Mar 2015 to 10 Mar 2015 (#2015-19)
Interesting! Passive voice is something that only transitive verbs can have, but I've never considered active voice to be limited to transitive verbs. I've always considered all verbs that are conjugated with the formula "Tense + Modal (have + -en) (be + -ing) Main Verb" to be active voice, and verbs conjugated with the formula "Tense + Modal (have + -en) (be + -ing) + be + -en + Main Verb" to be passive voice. Otherwise, wouldn't many verbs have no voice at all? Maybe that doesn't matter.
Hats off to any 8th grade teachers who wade into this question with their students. :)
Beth
Dr. Beth Rapp Young
Associate Professor, English
[log in to unmask]
University of Central Florida
"Reach for the Stars"
________________________________
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Don Stewart [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 11:05 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ATEG Digest - 9 Mar 2015 to 10 Mar 2015 (#2015-19)
Beth,
If you consider "surprised" to be adjectival, then doesn't that make "was" a linking verb? In that case, there is no action verb, and thus no active voice.
Don
​ Stewart​
writingwhatever.com<http://writingwhatever.com>
<http://www.writing123.com>
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