Explain the importance of using formal writing style when writing an explanatory essay. Note the main characteristics of formal writing.

active voice: my father cut the tree.

passive voice: the tree was cut by my father.

active voice: people buy newspapers every day.

passive voice: newspapers are bought (by people) every day.

active voice: people have been using movies as political propaganda since world war ii.

passive voice: movies have been used as political propaganda since world war ii.

active voice: donna gave me my birthday present.

passive voice: i was given my birthday present (by donna). / my birthday present was given to me (by donna).

active voice: mom will leave the keys on the counter.

passive voice: the keys will be left (by mom) on the counter.

the words in parentheses are the agent of the passive voice and can be omitted when obvious, generic, or simply unnecessary.

dr. kings dream speech

explanation:

it was late in the day and hot, and after a long march and an afternoon of speeches about federal legislation, unemployment and racial and social justice, the rev. dr. martin luther king jr. finally stepped to the lectern, in front of the lincoln memorial, to address the crowd of 250,000 gathered on the national mall.

op: object of preposition