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Activate Your Sentences
How can you write strong, direct, and concise
sentences? Use the active voice instead of the
passive
voice as much as possible.
What is the difference? As illustrated below, a
sentence using the active voice has the subject
performing the action. A passive voice sentence has
the subject being acted upon.
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Active
The
subject is the "doer"
of the action |
Passive
The
subject is the "receiver"
of the
action |
Health professionals
recommend that people exercise
regularly.
|
It is recommended by health
professionals that people exercise
regularly. |
| Many colleagues attended
Nan's farewell party.
|
Nan's farewell party was
attended by many colleagues. |
| Someone alerted the
police. |
The police were
alerted. |
Tip #1: Clues to the passive voice
- A form of the verb "to be" (is, are, was, were, etc.)
combined with a past participle. (A past participle is a
verb form ending in "ed," with some exceptions such
as "shown," "written," or the examples listed below.)
Example: Have been, were
seen,
was taken, was hired.
- Lack of a "doer" or "actor".
Example:
The man's
concentration was disturbed.
- A "by" phrase.
Example: Several
patients
were seen by the doctor.
Tip #2: Ways to make sentences active
- Turn the clause or sentence around.
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Change... |
To... |
| A mysterious package was
delivered by UPS. |
UPS delivered a mysterious
package.
|
|
Change... |
To... |
| No deliveries will be made
on Sunday. |
Beck's delivers daily, except on
Sunday. |
|
Change... |
To... |
| The dog needs to be
walked. |
Sally needs to walk the
dog.
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Tip #3: Exceptions: Use the passive
voice
- When you don't know who did something.
Example: A basket of breakfast
foods was left on the new neighbor's front
steps.
- To protect a person or
organization.
Example:
Celebrity telephone numbers were given
out in error.
- To put emphasis on the object of the action
instead of on the "actor."
Example: Dell
computers are considered to be of the
highest quality.
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Is passive voice construction incorrect?
Although passive voice construction is
grammatically correct, it often results in indirect,
wordy, and sometimes vague sentences.
Should you totally avoid using it?
Do
use occasional passive voice construction to add
fluency and balance to your writing; however, aim for
writing in the active voice about 80 percent of the time.
Note that most scientific, technical, or legal writing is
passive because the purpose is to emphasize a
process or principle instead of the "actor."
Focus on identifying your passive sentences when
you are proofreading your document instead of when
you are drafting it. The grammar check tool will help
you find them. Then you can decide which ones
should be converted to the active voice and which
ones serve a better purpose by remaining passive.
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Ilana G. Traverse, Principal
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