Final answer:
A sentence in the active voice has a subject that performs the action of the verb, leading to stronger and clearer sentences. The active voice focuses on the subject doing an action, which is essential for engaging narrative writing.
Step-by-step explanation:
A sentence written in the active voice has a subject that performs the action of the verb, which shows action. In contrast, in the passive voice, the subject is acted upon by the verb. For example, an active voice sentence would be 'The cat chased the mouse,' where 'the cat' is the subject actively doing the action of 'chasing'. In the passive voice, the sentence would be 'The mouse was chased by the cat,' where 'the mouse' is the subject but is receiving the action of being chased by the cat.
Using the active voice tends to make sentences stronger, clearer, and more concise. It is a powerful tool in narrative writing to convey action and engage the reader with a vivid portrayal of events. Active-voice verbs help to construct sentences with a clear subject performing a definite action, contributing to an engaging and dynamic prose style.
It's important to remember that all verbs require a subject, which can sometimes be omitted in commands, and many verbs also require an object to receive the action. However, in the active voice, the focus is on a clear subject doing an action. This creates a more direct and impactful sentence structure that is preferred in many forms of writing.