The Dreaded "Was"

(Without context)


Marley died.

Ruth shivered in the wind.

This sentence sucks the big one.

Marley laid lifeless.

Ruth quivered under the wintry blast.

Yeshanu said:

In another forum, one of our hapless writers asked for ways to avoid using the word "was."

So share your ideas about how to rewrite the following in the active voice:


Marley was dead.


Ruth was cold.


This sentence is boring.

Click to expand...

People.

Was alone does not = passive or passive voice!

Really. I wouldn't kid you about this.

None of these sentences are in passive voice; none use a passive construction.

The reason "was" is sometimes a useful target for revision is that it's an exceedingly common, very useful, but not terribly interesting verb. Quite often you can easily revise a sentence whose only verb is was (or another form of be) and make it much more interesting.

Medievalist is right. "Was" by itself doesn't make passive voice.

Death had taken Marley. / Marley lay dead.

Ruth felt cold. / "I'm cold," Ruth said.

This sentence lacks interest. / This sentence bores me.

I don't see anything wrong with 'Marley was dead'. I know exactly what it means and it could be very effective in the right place.
Bufty

Mind you, this is the games section.
Marley was dead. Ruth was cold, so she switched on the electric blanket.
Hmmmm
Bufty