Active voice is primarily characterized by what?

Active voice is primarily characterized by the subject performing the action of the verb. In active voice constructions, the sentence structure typically follows a clear pattern where the subject is at the forefront, directly engaging in the action. For instance, in the sentence "The cat chased the mouse," the subject "the cat" is clearly the one doing the chasing, making it an active construction.

The other choices relate to different grammatical elements but do not capture the essence of what defines active voice. Dependent clauses do not specifically correlate to active voice, as they can be used in both active and passive constructions without affecting the overall voice of the sentence. Multiple predicates refer to situations where a sentence has more than one verb or action but also do not determine whether the voice is active or passive. Lastly, the presence of a direct object can occur in both active and passive voices; it is not a defining feature of active voice specifically. Thus, the correct answer spotlights the key characteristic of active voice, which is the direct involvement of the subject in the action.