Although "anybody" is in the third person singular, and hence the correct verb form used with it must contain an "s" (as in "anybody who has read the book "), " have " in the situation described above is . Sentence 1 does not change the subject, but also seems to be correct. Sometimes, even in scholarly writing, the passive voice may be used intentionally and strategically. In a past context the optative mood is generally used instead of the subjunctive (see . He wrote a letter. Also, overuse of passive voice throughout an essay can cause your prose to seem flat and uninteresting. // ]]>. Copyright 1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. The active voice does not require a linking verb to make sense. The main reason for writing a lab report or scientific paper is to communicate the results of a scientific study to the public (or your teacher). Consider these examples to help determine which form of the verb is most appropriate: Example: A study was conducted of job satisfaction and turnover. Lost is the past tense. //