Paper Rater Passive Voice Vs Active Voice

Cover Active vs Passive Voice The Difference Between Active and Passive Voice • 7ESL (1200x628)

Table of Contents

1. What is Active Voice?
2. What is Passive Voice?
3. When to Use Active Voice?
4. When to Use Passive Voice?
5. Examples of Active and Passive Voice

What is Active Voice?

Active voice is a type of sentence construction where the subject performs the action stated by the verb. In other words, the subject is the doer of the action. For example, "The dog chased the cat" is an active sentence because the subject (dog) is performing the action (chased). Using active voice in your writing can make your sentences more concise, direct, and engaging. It can also help to clarify who or what is performing the action in the sentence.

What is Passive Voice?

Passive voice, on the other hand, is a type of sentence construction where the subject is acted upon by the verb. In passive voice sentences, the subject is not the doer of the action but rather the receiver of the action. For example, "The cat was chased by the dog" is a passive sentence because the subject (cat) is not performing the action (chased) but is being acted upon. While passive voice can be useful in some cases, such as when the doer of the action is unknown, it can also make your writing sound vague, impersonal, and indirect. It can also make it unclear who or what is performing the action in the sentence.

When to Use Active Voice?

Active voice is generally preferred in most types of writing, including academic, scientific, and technical writing. This is because active voice can make your writing more concise, direct, and engaging, and can help to clarify who or what is performing the action in the sentence. Here are some situations where active voice is particularly useful:

• When you want to emphasize the doer of the action. For example, "The company's CEO announced the new product line" emphasizes that it was the CEO who made the announcement.
• When you want to make your writing more engaging and interesting. Active voice can help to create a sense of immediacy and action in your writing.
• When you want to make your writing more concise and direct. Active voice often requires fewer words than passive voice, which can make your writing more efficient and effective.

When to Use Passive Voice?

While active voice is generally preferred, there are some situations where passive voice may be more appropriate or necessary. Here are some examples:

• When you want to focus on the receiver of the action rather than the doer. For example, "The cake was eaten by the guests" emphasizes that the focus is on the cake and not the guests who ate it.
• When the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant. For example, "The vase was broken" doesn't specify who broke the vase, but rather focuses on the fact that it was broken.
• When you want to be more tactful or diplomatic in your writing. Passive voice can be useful when you want to avoid blaming or accusing someone directly. For example, "Mistakes were made" is a more diplomatic way of saying "I made mistakes."

Examples of Active and Passive Voice

Here are some examples of active and passive voice sentences:

• Active voice: "The teacher graded the exams."
• Passive voice: "The exams were graded by the teacher."
• Active voice: "The company launched a new product."
• Passive voice: "A new product was launched by the company."
• Active voice: "The chef prepared a delicious meal."
• Passive voice: "A delicious meal was prepared by the chef."

As you can see, active voice sentences are often more concise, direct, and engaging than passive voice sentences. However, there may be times when passive voice is more appropriate or necessary.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the difference between active and passive voice can help you to write more effectively and clearly. While active voice is generally preferred, passive voice can be useful in certain situations. By choosing the right voice for each sentence, you can create writing that is engaging, clear, and effective.