To create an authoritative or factual tone.įor example, ‘Pupils are not allowed in the dining hall after 1:45 p.m.Because we don't know or do not want to say who performed the action.įor example, ‘I had the feeling that I was being watched.’ - I don’t know who was watching me Tips and strategies Active and passive voice have different benefits and drawbacks in academic writing and it is important to consider your purpose when making a decision about which.To show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action.įor example, the castle was built in 1066 - we are interested in the castle, not in who built it.Reasons to use the passive voiceĪlthough the active voice is usually the preferred choice, there are sometimes good reasons to use the passive voice: ‘The exam was passed by the pupil’ would change to ‘The pupil passed the exam’. Rewrite the sentence so that the subject in the 'by' phrase is closer to the beginning of the sentence. Active voice is used for most non-scientific writing. Active voice can help ensure clarity by making it clear to the reader who is taking action in the sentence. One way to avoid using the passive voice is to look for a ‘by’ phrase. Using active voice often improves clarity, while passive voice can help avoid unnecessary repetition. Who scored the goal? Doesn’t the writer know? Converting sentences to active voice Passive sentences can cause confusion because they can be vague about who is responsible for the action. (7 words)Īctive : The teacher collected the books. Passive : The books were collected by the teacher.Using the active voice in a sentence often means less words are used than in the passive voice.
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