Active vs. passive voice, What is the active voice and passive voice?

We often hear that the sentences written in the active voice are clearer and more effective than sentences written in the passive voice . But that does not mean that we should always avoid the passive voice ? Let's start by looking at the meaning of the terms andpassive voice active voice.

What is the active voice ?

When a sentence is in active voice, the subject does (or did or will) the action expressed in the verb :

The runners train together every Saturday.

[ The runners do training. ]

Taylor went skydiving for his birthday .

[ Taylor did skydiving. ]

Maneesha held his first solo album next week .

[ Maneesha will yield. ]

Sometimes a verb has a direct object , which is the direct recipient of the action expressed in the verb . Ask what ? or who ? after the verb to find the direct object :

Maneesha held his first solo album next week .

[ Maneesha done what? His first solo . ]

Yvon lead to his house after dinner .

[ Yvon boost whom? Her. ]

In an active voice sentence , then, the subject is the doer of the action and the direct object (if any ) is the recipient of the action.

What is the passive voice ?

In the passive voice , however , the subject does the action expressed in the verb :

The apple was eaten by Sarah .

[ The apple did not eat . ]

The party was planned in detail.

[ The party did the planning . ]

The sculpture was completed in time for the ceremony.

[ The sculpture did not complete . ]

In these passive sentences , apple issues , the party and sculpture are not doing the action - they get action.

The difference between active and passive voice is simply this , then: in the active voice , the subject is the doer of the action, while in the passive voice , the subject is the receiver of the action.

Why is the active voice better?

The active voice is clearer and more direct , because it puts the author of the first action and follows a logical order :

doer of the action + action + receptor action (if applicable)

In addition, an active voice sentence is always shorter than the same sentence in the passive voice . And of course , the active voice is active - what makes our writing more dynamic and energetic. For these reasons , it is usually best to write in the active voice and rewrite passive voice sentences to be active .

Do I need to avoid the passive voice completely?

No, the passive voice of common sense in the following situations :

• when you do not know the author of the action:

The lights are left on .

[ Do not know what the left . ]

• when the doer of the action is less important than the receiver:

The package was delivered this morning .

[ No matter who brought it . ] 

• when the doer of the action is someone who does not want to name :

They gave me the wrong address .

[ You do not want to blame anyone in particular. ]

If you write most of their sentences in the active voice and the passive voice used only when one of these three situations applies , your writing will be clearer , more concise and more effective.