You know about the structure of the personal essay and the topics that are good candidates for this type of essay. Now follow
the directions below to write a personal essay.
Think back over the past few years. Select one event that was significant in your life. Write a personal essay of two to three
pages about that event. Your essay should focus on these questions:
• Why was the event significant to your life?
• What did you learn from the event?
Your essay should include an introduction, body, and conclusion. It should use a particular organization style, such as
chronological order, spatial order, or cause and effect.

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.

the correct answer is the first one.