Shifts

Whenever possible, prefer active verb voice in sentence construction, but if the passive voice is more appropriate, do not mix active and passive voice in the same sentence. In the following example, the use of the passive voice (was arranged by) is appropriate:

The song that our chorus sang for the finale was arranged by Don Gray.

However, in this next example, the verb voice is mixed, producing an awkward sentence:

The videotape was watched by the chorus while our director critiqued the performance.

Prefer the following revision:

As the chorus members watched the videotape, our director critiqued the performance.

Shift	Everyone should report to your hotel room by 6:00 p.m.
Revised	Everyone should report to his hotel room by 6:00 p.m.
Shift	If you try hard enough, a person can learn to sing this arrangement.
Revised	If you try hard enough, you can learn to sing this arrangement.

or

If one tries hard enough, one can learn to sing this arrangement.

Shift	We drove around Kansas City in Herb's van for what seems like hours, and then we find we have taken a wrong turn and are heading toward Wichita.
Revised	We drove around Kansas City in Herb's van for what seemed like hours, and then we found we had taken a wrong turn and were heading toward Wichita.

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