Beth, I responded more fully to another post, indicating the possibility of its adjectival status. However, in this sentence, the writer could have easily rewritten the sentence to say a shooting star surprised her. I think the question unfair for an 8th-grade multiple choice test. Jack ________________________________ 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 9:30 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: ATEG Digest - 9 Mar 2015 to 10 Mar 2015 (#2015-19) It's possible to interpret B as active voice if you consider "surprised" to be adjectival. The "by a shooting star" phrase argues for passive, but the fact that you can say "was very surprised by . . ." argues for an adjectival complement. I prefer answer A, but I would probably accept B if a student invoked the "very" test. Beth ________________________________ From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Dick Veit [[log in to unmask]] Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 9:24 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: ATEG Digest - 9 Mar 2015 to 10 Mar 2015 (#2015-19) The question was which clause is in the active voice. A is the only correct answer. On Wed, Mar 11, 2015 at 7:12 AM, Scott Catledge <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: I do not care what the dimwits who wrote the Kansas test say: A is certainly correct; although B is possible, I am a grammar nazi and I would have chosen A. Prof. Scott Catledge > ------------------------------ > > Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 13:06:01 -0500 > From: Shana Schmidt <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> > Subject: Assessment question > > Please help us settle a debate about this sample 8th grade Kansas state assessment question. > > Rosa was admiring the moon when ____________. > > Which of the following completes the sentence in the active voice? > > A. she spotted a shooting star (this what student selected) > > B. she was surprised by a shooting star (this is marked as the correct answer) > > C. shooting star was spotted by her > > D. a shooting star was wished upon by her > > > > Thanks for your help on settling this debate so we can explain to the student. > > Shana To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/