Why Is Active Voice Preferred Over Passive Voice?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Passive . Sentences written in an active voice flow better and are easier to understand . Using active voice places the emphasis on the subject of the sentence and makes the sentence more straightforward and concise.

Is active voice preferred over passive?

Active verbs form efficient, powerful sentences.

The subject of an active voice sentence performs the action of the verb: “I throw the ball.” The subject of a passive voice sentence is still the main character of the sentence, but something else performs the action: “The ball is thrown by me.”

Why is the active voice better?

Writing in an active voice: Uses fewer words , making the writing more concise and efficient; Creates a faster-moving narrative, which makes for easier writing and more engaging reading; Cleans up the sentence and helps prevent grammatical mistakes.

Which voice is better active or passive?

In this very simple sentence, the active voice is the better choice. It is more concise (shorter), more direct, and stronger. The passive voice , in this case, is unnecessarily wordy and clunky.

Which is preferred in passive or active voice research?

The passive voice emphasizes the person or object receiving the action (e.g., Samples were analyzed). ... Because active-voice sentences are clearer, livelier, and often more concise than passive-voice sentences, most style guides advise scientific authors to prefer the active voice in their writing.

How do you fix passive voice?

  1. Identify who or what is actually performing the action described by the verb in the sentence. ...
  2. Get rid of the verb be and turn the past participle into a correctly conjugated verb. ...
  3. Take the subject of the old sentence and turn it into a direct object.

Is the sentence passive or active?

A sentence is written in active voice when the subject of the sentence is performing the action. A sentence is written in passive voice when the subject of the sentence has something done to it by someone or something. For example: Active voice: The cat was chasing the mouse.

Should you always write in active voice?

In writing, always consider whether you should use the passive or active voice. It will depend on what you, the writer, want to convey: if you want to draw attention to the doer, use the passive voice; if your intent is to put the focus on the action, then you should go for the active voice .

When should you use passive voice?

The passive voice is used when we want to focus attention on the person or thing affected by the action . Normally, the performer of the action, or the agent, comes first and is made the subject of the verb and then we use the active form of the verb. The other person or thing is made the object of the verb.

How can I make my voice more active?

The active voice describes a sentence where the subject performs the action stated by the verb. It follows a clear subject + verb + object construct that's easy to read. In fact, sentences constructed in the active voice add impact to your writing. With passive voice, the subject is acted upon by the verb.

What are two reasons for passive voice?

  • Emphasizes the Action. Because we don't emphasize the person responsible for the action, the action itself becomes more important in the reader's mind. ...
  • Creates a Sense of Anonymity. ...
  • Fosters Objectivity. ...
  • Imbues Authority.

Is passive voice bad?

Well, what's wrong with passive voice is that it hides the identity of the person doing the action . It also makes sentences longer than they need to be. ... You see, sometimes it's okay—even desirable—to use the passive voice. But in general, active voice makes for better writing in English.

Is it OK to use passive voice in writing?

Although the passive voice is grammatically correct and sometimes preferable , you're usually better off favoring the active voice in business writing. Many business writers fall into the habit of depending on the passive voice because they see other writers doing it.

What are active passive examples?

When the subject performs the action it is active voice and when the subject receives the action it is passive voice. Examples. Active- He loves me . Passive- I am loved by him. In the above example of active voice, the subject is “he”, “loves” is the verb and “me” is the object.

What is passive voice examples?

A verb is in the passive voice when the subject of the sentence is acted on by the verb. For example, in “ The ball was thrown by the pitcher ,” the ball (the subject) receives the action of the verb, and was thrown is in the passive voice.

What is the best reason to use passive voice?

The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action. In other words, the most important thing or person becomes the subject of the sentence.

Juan Martinez
Author
Juan Martinez
Juan Martinez is a journalism professor and experienced writer. With a passion for communication and education, Juan has taught students from all over the world. He is an expert in language and writing, and has written for various blogs and magazines.