Is it better to write in passive or active voice?
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.
Why is direct clear active writing more effective than the passive voice?
Active vs. Passive Voice. 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.
What is the best way to change this voice from passive to active?
To change passive voice to active voice, make the agent of the sentence into the subject, and turn the old subject into the object. For example, this is a passive sentence: The article is being read by most of my class. The agent is most of my class, and the subject is the article.
How do you tell if a sentence is passive or active?
Remember: If the subject is performing the action, then the sentence is in active voice. If the subject is simply receiving the action, then the sentence is in passive voice.
How can you identify a passive sentence?
To identify passive voice, look at what happened and look at who was responsible for doing it. If the person or thing responsible for doing the actions is either omitted or occurs in the sentence AFTER the thing that happened, AND if you see a past participle straight after the form of “to be,” it’s passive voice.
What does a passive sentence look like?
In a passive sentence, the person or thing doing the action (the actor) is usually preceded by the word “by.” For example: Anita was driven to the theatre by Carla. Nowadays, black kites are protected by law.
How do you avoid passive writing?
To avoid using passive voice and start using active voice, start by figuring out the verb in the sentence. This will make it a lot easier to spot passive voice in your own writing and avoid it. The verb is the action word in the sentence, and it can be either active or passive.
Is it OK to use passive voice in writing?
The passive voice isn’t a grammatical error; it’s a matter of style. Use the active voice if it makes your sentence sound clearer and more natural. Forming passive voice requires the verb “to be” and a past participle. When it comes to good writing, don’t be passive—even if your sentences sometimes need to be.
What are examples of passive verbs?
Passive verb formsTensePassiveExamplepast perfecthad been + past participleHis mother had been brought up in India.futurewill be + past participleArrangements will be made to move them to other locations.future perfectwill have been + past participleAll the merchandise will have been shipped by tomorrow.5
What is the difference between active and passive writing?
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.
How do you get rid of passive voice in writing?
4 Ways to Remove Passive Voice from Your PaperGet rid of “ing” If you look through your passive sentences, chances are you’ll see quite a few “was”s and “were”s followed by an “ing” verb.Move your adjective (describing word) before your noun. Have you ever written a sentence like this?Change the order of your sentence.
What is passive voice misuse in writing?
The sentence construction “(noun) (verb phrase) by (noun)” is known as passive voice or passive construction, because the true subject is relegated to the end of the sentence and is thus acted on, rather than acting, which often weakens the statement.
What is an example of a passive voice sentence?
The passive sentence consists of bananas (object) + are adored (a form of to be plus the past participle adored) + by (preposition) + monkeys (subject). Making the sentence passive flipped the structure and necessitated the preposition by.
What is the example of passive voice?
Note in these examples how the subject-verb relationship has changed. Because the subject is being “acted upon” (or is passive), such sentences are said to be in the passive voice. NOTE: Colorful parrots live in the rainforests cannot be changed to passive voice because the sentence does not have a direct object.