What’s So Bad About the Passive Voice, Anyway?

The quick answer: lots.

This feature will explain what passive voice is and give tips and tricks for how to recognize (and change) the passive voice in writing. We’ll also discuss the times when passive voice might actually be a desirable technique to use.

( Read more... )

with examples from Stargate SG-1There are two conscious decisions an author must make before beginning a piece of writing-selecting the tense of the story and the point of view. These two things can set the tone of the piece, determining whether the reader is close to the action or further removed. The more immediate the action and the reactions ( Read more... )

roadrunner1896 asks When is it correct to use got vs. gotten?

ETA: The following differentiations apply to North American usage of got and gotten. In British usage, gotten is an archaic form that persists in contemporary usage only in compounds: ill-gotten, begotten, misbegotten and forgotten. Gotten comes across as American slang; use got in British fandoms. ( Read more... )

earth2skye asked: When is the past perfect tense used?

With examples from Stargate SG-1, House, Harry Potter and Firefly.

( When you want to talk about the time before a time before... )

Woulda, coulda, shoulda: Why is "Should of" not correct?

( With special guest star Marlon Brando! )

...with examples from Stargate Atlantis, Bones, Due South, NCIS, and Psych...

Question: What is the difference between "lie" and "lay," and why are they so often misused?

( LIE vs. LAY )