How do Uncle Septimus's grandchildren make
use of his beard?

The beard grew longer and longer. It became so long that it dragged several feet behind Uncle Septimus, but he refused to trim it. Sometimes at family dinners he fell asleep in his favorite chair beneath the pecan tree in the front yard. Then the grandchildren took the beard and used it as a jump rope.

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.