Write an Active Voice Sentence for Each of These Passive Sentences
(From a Tune up Manual for a 1970 Volkswagen)
Directions: To make passive sentences active, you must:


See and eliminate all ‘to be’ verbs (is, are, was, be, been, were, am) and their helping verbs
ending in ‘ed’ (aimed, attached, based, checked, located, positioned, provided, purchased,
pushed, recommended, replaced, required, secured, set, timed, used).
Invent and insert a (missing) subject at the beginning of the sentence (you, you understood, we,
Volkswagen).
Note: Often, passive voice sentences don’t say anything of use. When you spot a sentence that
doesn’t tell the reader how to do a task, don’t rewrite it. Delete it.
1.
Although these instructions are based on the 1970 VW engine, you can apply these
instructions to any 1960s Bug model. These instructions apply to the 1970 VW engine as
well as any of the 1960’s Bug models.
2.
And since the engine is similar to other, older VWs, you can apply these instructions to them
as well. Since the VW engine in models older than 1960 contain many similarities to the
1970 VW engine, you can apply many of these instructions to those engines as well.
3.
German cars are built with metric-sized parts. Use metric-sized parts when working on
German cars.
4.
This user’s guide has been written in such a way that you can easily move from step to step
without hurting yourself or causing damage to your car engine. VW wrote the user’s guide
in such a way that you can easily move from step to step without hurting yourself or causing
damage to your car engine.
5.
Be aware of the parts you are touching and your immediate work area while working on your
car. Be mindful of your immediate work area, and touching the wrong parts. Not needed!
6.
If you feel heat, the engine is too hot to work on. If you feel heat, do not work on the
engine. Not Needed!!
7.
Be aware that there may be some sharp corners or surfaces. Be aware of sharp corners and
surfaces. Not Needed!!!!!
8.
The car is not on during the tune-up. Turn the car off prior to any work.
9.
The best location is a flat driveway or inside your garage. Work on the car on a flat
driveway or garage.
10.
Space for an old mat, cushion, or stepstool to sit on while working might be useful. While
working on the car, leave space for an old mat, cushion or step stool. Not Needed!!!!!
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11.
If you do not see the condenser, it may be located inside the distributor under the cap. You
will find the condenser inside the distributor, under the cap.
12.
You will find, below each spark plug, embossed or otherwise marked on the engine metal,
the assigned number for that cylinder and spark plug combination.
13.
You are now ready to replace the old distributor ignition points and rotor with new parts.
14.
If there is a plastic dust cover below where the rotor was, remove it and set it aside. If you
find a plastic dust cover below the rotor, remove it and set it aside.
15.
A magnetic screwdriver is recommended. Use a magnetic screwdriver.
16.
Be careful not to drop the screw once it is past the area protected by rags. Once past the
area protected by the rags, be careful not to drop the screwdriver. Not Needed!!!!!
17.
It is important that these circular disks be in good condition if your car is to run smoothly.
If your want your car to run smoothly, the circular disks must be in good condition.
18.
Replace with new ignition points, if purchased. Replace the ignition points with new ones.
19.
File down any damaged areas on the old ignition points if a new part is not available, but
replace as soon as a new part is purchased. If you do not have new ignition points, file
down the damaged areas of the old ones.
20.
The adjustment of the ignition points is critical for setting the timing of the engine. Setting
the timing of the engine depends on the correct adjustment of the ignition points.
21.
Check that the rags under and around the distributor are still in place. Not needed – remove
22.
Tighten the screw until there is no movement.
23.
Pull off a piece of masking tape and firmly attach it to spark plug wire #1, where it is visible.
Firmly place a piece of masking tape to a visible area on spark plug #1.
24.
Look at the rotor’s metal tipped end and determine which spark plug wire it is pointing to.
Look at the rotor’s tipped end to determine which spark plug wire it points to.
25.
If the meter needle does not move, the batteries should be replaced. If the meter needle does
not move, replace the batteries.
26.
The timing is now finished. You are finished with the timing.
27.
If you are not careful when lining up the old and new caps, you may end up miss-wiring the
spark plug wires. When lining up the old and new caps, be careful not to miss-wire the spark
plug wires.
28.
The gap on the threaded end of the spark plug should be. Sentence doesn’t make sense???
29.
It is time to replace the spark plug if it is oily, black, or light tan. If the spark plug looks oily,
black or light tan, replace it.
30.
If the belt moved more than an inch, the belt is too loose and needs to be tightened. If the
belt moved more that an inch, tighten it.
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31.
Repeat steps 4 through 8 if the belt is still loose until the tension is properly set. If the belt is
still loose, repeat steps 4 through 8 until you have proper tension.
32.
Take a few minutes and review the following, to ensure no steps were overlooked. To ensure
you did not overlook any steps, review the following.
33.
Examine the engine to make sure that all four spark plugs were replaced with the spark plug
wires properly attached to each. Examine the engine to ensure that you replaced all four
spark plugs with the spark plug wires properly attached.
34.
The tune up is now complete. You have completed the tune-up.
35.
The electrical and mechanical engine parts are properly timed by setting the position of the
ignition points in relation to the shaft. To properly time the electrical and mechanical engine
parts, you must set the position of the ignition points in relation to the shaft.
36.
The gap distance is set as part of the tune-up. Part of the tune-up includes setting the gap
distance.
37.
If the gap is not properly set, the car may not run smoothly or might backfire. If the car
runs rough or backfires, the gap may not be properly set.
38.
The spark plug is connected to the distributor by one spark plug wire. One spark plug wire
connects the spark plug to the distributor.
39.
Above, and slightly back from the pulley is a small protruding metal block that the pulley
notch aims to when positioned at TDC. When positioned at TDC, the pulley notch aims,
above and slightly back from the pulley, towards a small metal block protrudes …..Above
and slightly back from the pulley, a small metal block protrudes when positioned at tdc. The
pulley aims for the small protrusion
40.
The hose is checked for debris during the tune-up and occasionally needs to be replaced.
During the tune up, we check the hose for debris; and occasionally it needs to be replaced.
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