What term describes the form of a verb that indicates whether the subject performs the action or receives it?

The term that describes the form of a verb indicating whether the subject performs the action or receives it is voice. In English grammar, voice is a critical concept that categorizes verbs into two main types: active voice and passive voice.

In active voice, the subject of the sentence is the doer of the action, meaning that the subject performs the action of the verb. For example, in the sentence "The cat chased the mouse," "the cat" is the subject that performs the action of chasing. On the other hand, in passive voice, the subject is acted upon by the verb, which indicates that the subject receives the action. An example would be "The mouse was chased by the cat," where "the mouse" is the subject that receives the action of being chased.

Understanding voice enables writers to clarify who is doing what in a sentence, thereby enhancing the overall clarity and effectiveness of their communication.