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Subject:Re: Passive Voice From:"Kim L. Shaw" <103205 -dot- 402 -at- COMPUSERVE -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 7 Nov 1996 14:42:01 EST
Elaine,
IMO, few writers or readers understand the difference in meaning between past
perfect and simple past tense, so I usually change those past perfect
constructions to simple past just to get rid of a few extra words. But as
someone else noted, you're still stuck with passive voice. In the interest of
clarity and reading ease, I always rewrite passive sentences into active voice,
unless there's just no graceful way to do so. You can do this without
switching to first person, e.g., "The researchers noted..." or "The effect
occured."
Kim Shaw
Words & Graphics Inc.
103205 -dot- 402 -at- compuserve -dot- com
