PASSIVE VERSUS ACTIVE VOICE HOW TO

We use active verbs to represent that “doing,” whether it be crossing roads, proposing ideas, making arguments, or invading houses (more on that shortly). The more familiar phrasing (why did the chicken cross the road?) puts the actor in the subject position, the position of doing something-the chicken (the actor/doer) crosses the road (the object).

Instead, the road is the grammatical subject. Who is doing the action in this sentence? The chicken is the one doing the action in this sentence, but the chicken is not in the spot where you would expect the grammatical subject to be. Take a look at this passive rephrasing of a familiar joke: That is, whoever or whatever is performing the action is not the grammatical subject of the sentence. Defining the passive voiceĪ passive construction occurs when you make the object of an action into the subject of a sentence.

PASSIVE VERSUS ACTIVE VOICE HOW TO

It discusses how to recognize the passive voice, when you should avoid it, and when it’s OK.

Typically, grammar checkers catch only a fraction of passive voice usage.ĭo any of these misunderstandings sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. Since the passive voice isn’t a grammar error, it’s not always caught. Myth: I can rely on my grammar checker to catch the passive voice. While the passive voice can weaken the clarity of your writing, there are times when the passive voice is OK and even preferable. Myth: You should never use the passive voice. Here’s an example: “I was hit by the dodgeball.” 4. On the contrary, you can very easily use the passive voice in the first person. Myth: The passive voice always avoids the first person if something is in first person (“I” or “we”) it’s also in the active voice. Using “to be” can weaken the impact of your writing, but it is occasionally necessary and does not by itself constitute the passive voice. The passive voice entails more than just using a being verb. Myth: Any use of “to be” (in any form) constitutes the passive voice. It’s a stylistic issue that pertains to clarity-that is, there are times when using the passive voice can prevent a reader from understanding what you mean. Use of the passive voice is not a grammatical error. Myth: Use of the passive voice constitutes a grammatical error. Below, we’ll list some common myths about the passive voice: 1. So what is the passive voice? First, let’s be clear on what the passive voice isn’t. We hope this handout will help you to understand the passive voice and allow you to make more informed choices as you write. This handout will help you understand what the passive voice is, why many professors and writing instructors frown upon it, and how you can revise your paper to achieve greater clarity.

Passive versus active voice