To avoid passive voice, focus on identifying the true actor in your sentence and restructuring it so that this actor performs the action directly as the subject.
Understanding Passive vs. Active Voice
Grasping the difference between passive and active voice is the first step toward clear, impactful writing.
- Passive Voice: In a passive sentence, the subject receives the action, rather than performing it. The actor (the one doing the action) is often omitted or placed in a "by" phrase at the end of the sentence. This construction frequently uses a form of the verb "to be" (e.g., is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been) followed by a past participle (a verb usually ending in -ed, -en, -t, etc.).
- Active Voice: In an active sentence, the subject performs the action. This makes your writing more direct, clear, and concise.
Why Prioritize Active Voice?
While passive voice has its occasional uses, active voice is generally preferred for several key reasons:
- Clarity: It immediately tells the reader who or what is doing the action, making the meaning unambiguous.
- Conciseness: Active sentences are often shorter and more impactful, cutting down on unnecessary words.
- Impact: They convey stronger, more dynamic meaning and maintain reader engagement.
Practical Strategies to Eliminate Passive Voice
Eliminating passive voice involves a few simple, actionable steps:
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Identify the Actor and Action:
For every sentence, ask yourself two crucial questions: Who or what is performing the action? and What is the action being performed?- Example Passive Sentence: "The report was written by Sarah."
- Action: "was written"
- Actor: "Sarah"
- Example Passive Sentence: "The report was written by Sarah."
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Make the Actor the Subject:
Once you've identified the actor, switch the sentence around to make the subject and actor one. Put the actor (the one doing the action of the sentence) in front of the verb. This restructuring directly transforms the sentence into active voice.- Rewritten Active Sentence: "Sarah wrote the report."
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Watch for "To Be" Verbs:
Passive constructions are heavily reliant on forms of the verb "to be" (is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been) combined with a past participle. If you spot this pattern, it's a strong indicator of passive voice.- Passive Cue Examples: "The decision was made." "Errors are often found." "The project has been completed."
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Look for the "By" Phrase (or its absence):
In many passive sentences, the actor is introduced by the word "by." If you see "by [someone/something]," that's typically your hidden subject. If there's no "by" phrase, you might need to infer the actor or add them if the context allows.- Example Passive: "The goal was scored by the forward."
- Active Transformation: "The forward scored the goal."
- Passive (without "by"): "Mistakes were made."
- Active (adding the actor): "We made mistakes."
Examples of Passive to Active Transformation
The table below illustrates how to convert passive constructions into more direct active ones:
Passive Voice | Active Voice | Explanation |
---|---|---|
The ball was thrown by the boy. | The boy threw the ball. | "The boy" is the actor. Move "the boy" to the beginning of the sentence to make it the subject. |
A new policy has been implemented. | The company implemented a new policy. | The passive sentence doesn't state who implemented it. To make it active, you need to identify or infer the actor ("The company"). |
The experiment was conducted by the team. | The team conducted the experiment. | "The team" is the actor. Place "the team" directly before the verb "conducted." |
The report will be submitted by tomorrow. | I will submit the report by tomorrow. | The original passive sentence doesn't specify who will submit it. If "I" am the actor, I become the subject. |
Mistakes were made. | We made mistakes. | The passive avoids assigning responsibility. To make it active, you assign the actor ("We"), making the sentence more accountable. |
When is Passive Voice Acceptable?
While active voice is generally preferred for clarity and conciseness, there are specific contexts where passive voice is appropriate or even necessary:
- When the actor is unknown or unimportant: If the focus is on the action or the recipient, and the doer of the action is unknown, irrelevant, or obvious. Example: "The window was broken." (The person who broke it might not be known or important to the narrative.)
- To emphasize the action or recipient: When the thing being acted upon or the action itself is more important than who performed it. Example: "The patient was given a life-saving drug." (The focus is on the patient and the drug, not the medical professional.)
- To avoid assigning blame or maintain objectivity: In situations where the writer wants to depersonalize the action or avoid direct responsibility. Example: "Mistakes were made."
- In scientific or technical writing: Sometimes used to maintain an objective tone by focusing on processes and results rather than the researchers themselves, though active voice is increasingly encouraged for clarity even in these fields.
Tools and Resources
- Grammar Checkers: Most modern writing software and online grammar checkers (like Microsoft Word's built-in tools or Grammarly) can identify passive voice and suggest active alternatives.
- Conscious Practice: The most effective way to improve is to consciously review your writing for passive constructions and actively rephrase them.
- Writing Guides: Consult reputable writing resources for further examples and deeper understanding. A comprehensive guide can be found at the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL).
By consistently identifying the actor and making them the subject of your sentences, you can effectively avoid passive voice and create clearer, more impactful writing.