Passive vs. Active Voice
The main difference between passive and active voice lies in the subject's role in the action.
In active voice, the subject performs the action (e.g., "The cat chased the mouse"), making sentences direct and clear.
In passive voice, the subject receives the action (e.g., "The mouse was chased by the cat"), often shifting focus to the action itself rather than the performer.
Understanding Active Voice
Active voice is where the subject performs the action. For example, "The cat chased the mouse." This structure is direct and clear. Using active voice can make your writing more dynamic and engaging, helping readers grasp your message quickly.
Examples:
"The manager approved the budget."
"The team completed the project ahead of schedule."
Advantages:
Clarity: Active voice is straightforward and easy to understand.
Engagement: It keeps the reader’s attention by making the sentences more direct.
Brevity: Active sentences are usually shorter and more concise.
Understanding Passive Voice
Passive voice is where the subject receives the action. For instance, "The mouse was chased by the cat." This structure can be useful when the action is more important than the subject.
Passive voice is often used in scientific writing to focus on the research rather than the researcher.
Examples:
"The budget was approved by the manager."
"The project was completed ahead of schedule by the team."
When to Use Passive Voice:
Scientific Writing: "The experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis."
Formal Reports: "The policy was implemented in 2020."
Unknown or Irrelevant Performer: "The documents were lost."
Advantages:
Focus on Action: It emphasizes the action or result rather than the doer.
Objectivity: It can make statements sound more objective and formal.
When to Use Passive Voice
Passive voice is beneficial in specific scenarios, such as:
When the performer is unknown or irrelevant: "The first edition of the book was published in 1920."
When the action is more important than the performer: "The bridge was built in 1883."
To create a formal tone: "The policy was enforced by the government."
Ethical Considerations: Passive voice can obscure responsibility, e.g., "Mistakes were made." It is crucial to use it ethically to avoid ambiguity or evasion of accountability.
Converting Passive to Active Voice
To convert passive sentences to active ones, identify the performer of the action and restructure the sentence accordingly. For example:
Passive: "The report was written by the team."
Active: "The team wrote the report."
Practice Exercise: Convert the following sentences to active voice:
The proposal was reviewed by the committee.
The new software was developed by the IT department.
The results were analyzed by the researchers.
Answers:
The committee reviewed the proposal.
The IT department developed the new software.
The researchers analyzed the results.
Common Mistakes
Overusing passive voice can make writing seem dull or indirect.
Not identifying the performer of the action can lead to ambiguity.
Using passive voice to avoid responsibility can create ethical issues.
Examples:
Mistake: "A decision was made to reduce costs." (Who made the decision?)
Corrected: "The management decided to reduce costs."