So if you want to write clearly and concisely, it’s best to stick with the active voice whenever possible. But if the subject receives that action or is acted upon, you use the passive voice.Īdditionally, a key characteristic of passive sentences is an auxiliary verb like “was,” “have been,” or “will have been.” This often indicates that an action has already occurred or will be completed in the future. You use the active voice if the subject or doer performs the action described in the sentence. One way to distinguish between the two is by looking at the subjects of your sentences. In general, the active voice is shorter and more straightforward, while the passive voice tends to be longer and more complex. Writing in the active or passive voice can sometimes take time to tell which one you are using. How Can You Tell Active or Passive Voice? This movie was not well received by the audience.The task wasn’t carried out by the trainees.Candace didn’t pick up the package yesterday morning.I knew I couldn’t hold that bag anymore it was way too heavy.The majority of sentences in fiction are written in active voice, but some genres, and even other kinds of writing, prefer passive. Here are some passive and active sentences to help you understand how to use each in writing. Examples of Sentences with Active and Passive Voice After all, the latter is the most important part of the idea. That’s because, in the passive voice, we don’t necessarily care who is doing the action. In some cases, using passive voice can make your writing seem more formal or academic. For example, if I want to make my writing sound more objective or detached, I might use the passive voice. However, there are also times when passive voice is preferable. Active voice is considered more direct and engaging, making it a popular choice among writers. In general, active voice is used to focus attention on the subject of the sentence, while passive voice puts more emphasis on the object. Active and Passive Voice UsageĪctive voice and passive voice are two different ways of constructing sentences. However, most writers use active voice whenever possible as it tends to be more direct and dynamic than its counterpart. So, when should you use the active or passive voice? That depends on your purpose and intended audience. It would sound something like, “This essay is written by her.” Let’s turn the previous active voice sentence into a passive voice one. In passive voice, on the other hand, the subject of a sentence receives action instead of performing it. The verb here is “is writing,” indicating that she is doing something by typing this essay herself. In this format, the subject comes first, followed by the verb and any additional information.įor example: “She is writing this essay.” Here, the subject is “she,” the person who is taking action. In active voice, the subject of a sentence takes action, usually by performing an action or making a statement. Generally, I consider the active voice style of writing to be more direct and engaging, while the passive voice is more subdued and impersonal. The Purdue Online Writing Lab uses the active and passive voice to show examples of the two ways of writing in English. However, in sentences written in the passive voice, the subject receives the action. This keeps the sentence active and makes it feel more direct. You are dealing with the active voice when you see a sentence where the subject performs an action. I’ll also provide a few examples to see how each voice is used in a sentence. But why do so many people prefer to write in the active voice? In this blog post, I’ll discuss the differences between the two voices and give tips on how to use them effectively. Why is the passive voice so frowned upon? My editor flags every bit of passive voice in all my writing.
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