| active voice |
| Definition:
A sentence is in the active voice when the subject of the verb is the agent of the action. Note: As opposed to the passive voice, where the logical subject receives the action of the verb; thus becoming the verb's object. |
| Example: In the sentence Mike ate the microphone, the verb ate is in the active voice. |
| OED: The term's first OED citation is from 1530: "The thyrde parsonnes plurelles of verbes actyves in the frenche tonge … ende in ent." (Palsgr. 4) |