Many a tame sentence of description or exposition can be made lively and emphatic by substituting a verb in the active voice for some such perfunctory expression as there is, or could be heard. a) There were a great number of dead leaves lying on the ground. b) Dead leaves covered the ground. a) The sound of a guitar somewhere in the house could be heard. b) Somewhere in the house a guitar hummed sleepily. a) The reason that he left college was that his health became impaired. b) Failing health compelled him to leave college.
