You know what bugs me? When people treat grammar like it's some sacred temple you're not allowed to enter without a PhD. Let's talk about active and passive voice like regular humans. I remember grading papers last semester - half the essays sounded like robots wrote them because students thought passive voice made them sound "academic." Spoiler: it didn't.
Whether you're writing a blog post, work email, or college essay, understanding active voice versus passive voice changes everything. It's not about rigid rules but making your message hit harder.
What Exactly Are Active and Passive Voice?
Here's the simplest way I can explain it: In active voice, the subject does the thing. In passive voice, the subject gets stuff done to it. See the difference?
Passive: "The squirrel was chased by the dog." (Squirrel = receiver)
Why Sentence Structure Matters
Active voice follows this pattern: Subject → Verb → Object. Passive voice flips it: Object → Verb → Subject (if the subject even shows up). Half the time in passive constructions, the doer disappears entirely.
| Pattern | Example | Who's Doing What? |
|---|---|---|
| Active Voice | Sarah designed the website | Clear (Sarah = designer) |
| Passive Voice | The website was designed | Mystery designer |
| Passive (with "by") | The website was designed by Sarah | Revealed but clunky |
Notice how passive voice often uses helping verbs like "was," "is," or "were"? That's your clue. But here's a reality check - sometimes passive is totally fine. More on that soon.
When Active Voice Steals the Show
Most writing coaches push active voice for good reason. In my freelance work, clients constantly complain about unclear emails. Guess what's usually the culprit?
• You need punchy marketing copy ("Our software solves your problem" vs. "Your problem is solved by our software")
• Clarity is non-negotiable (instruction manuals, technical docs)
• You want to sound confident (resumes, proposals)
• Storytelling (novels, case studies)
The Real Cost of Passive Overuse
Passive sentences often feel like watching paint dry. Compare:
Active: "The committee rejected the proposal yesterday."
Passive: "The proposal was rejected by the committee yesterday."
First one? 7 words. Second? 8 words. Scale that up to a 2000-word document and you've added 285 unnecessary words. Google's algorithms notice flabby writing too - wordiness hurts SEO.
| Situation | Active Voice Example | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Resume bullet point | Increased sales by 30% | Shows direct achievement |
| Product description | This vacuum cleans pet hair effortlessly | Highlights benefit clearly |
| Apology email | I messed up the schedule | Takes direct responsibility |
Personal pet peeve: corporate memos that say "Mistakes were made." Seriously? Who made them? Passive voice becomes a accountability avoidance tactic.
The Smart Way to Use Passive Voice
Okay, passive voice isn't grammar's villain. There are legit times it works better:
• When the action matters more than the actor: "The experiment was conducted at -200°C." (Science focus)
• For diplomatic phrasing: "The deadline was missed" vs. "You missed the deadline"
Passive Voice in Specialized Fields
In academic and scientific writing, passive voice traditionally dominated. Why? Supposedly for objectivity. But trends are shifting. Major journals like Nature now encourage active voice. Still, passive persists in methods sections:
Standard passive: "The solution was heated to 80°C."
Modern active: "We heated the solution to 80°C."
I lean toward active unless there's strong reason otherwise. During my thesis writing, my advisor red-penned every passive construction. Took weeks to fix!
| Field | Typical Passive Usage | Active Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Documents | The tenant shall be evicted | We will evict the tenant |
| Scientific Papers | Data were analyzed using SPSS | We analyzed data using SPSS |
| News Reporting | The suspect was arrested | Police arrested the suspect |
Converting Passive to Active: A Practical Walkthrough
Spotting passive voice gets easier with practice. Look for:
2. The word "by" introducing the doer
3. Sentences where the action happens TO the subject
Rewrite Strategy That Actually Works
Here's my simple 3-step method:
Step 1: Identify the real actor (board)
Step 2: Find the main action (approved)
Step 3: Flip the sentence: "The board approved the proposal."
Tools like Hemingway Editor flag passive sentences. But don't blindly obey them - sometimes passive serves a purpose.
• Don't force active voice if the actor is genuinely irrelevant ("The city was founded in 1792")
• Avoid awkward constructions just to avoid passive ("Someone stole my car" vs. "My car was stolen")
Real-World Examples Across Industries
SEO Content Writing
Google favors content that answers queries clearly. Passive voice obscures meaning. Compare:
Passive (weak): "Best practices for keyword research can be implemented by following these steps."
Active (stronger): "Follow these steps to implement keyword research best practices."
See how the active version puts the reader in control? That's engagement gold.
Business Communication
Emails dripping with passive voice sound evasive. Bosses hate it. Clients distrust it. Try:
Passive: "The report will be submitted by Friday."
Active: "I'll submit the report by Friday."
One shows ownership. The other feels like bureaucratic fog.
Your Active/Passive Voice FAQ
Not always, but overuse creates readability issues. Google's algorithms increasingly prioritize user experience metrics like time-on-page. Confusing sentences = higher bounce rates.
Because default settings favor active voice for clarity. But you can ignore it strategically - sometimes passive voice is the right tool.
General guideline: Aim for <10% in most web content. Academic writing might hit 20-25%. Use tools like Grammarly to check ratios.
Absolutely. When tact matters ("Your request was denied" vs. "I deny your request") or in scientific contexts emphasizing processes over people.
Using passive to hide responsibility. "Mistakes were made" irritates readers. Own actions when appropriate.
Tools to Master Active and Passive Voice
Beyond grammar checkers:
• The "by zombies" trick: If you can add "by zombies" and it makes sense ("The report was written [by zombies]"), it's passive.
• Hemingway App: Highlights passive voice in yellow
• Practice swaps: Take passive-heavy paragraphs and convert 50% to active voice
Final thought? Don't stress perfection. Last week I caught myself writing "it should be noted that..." in a draft. We all slip. The goal isn't eliminating passive voice entirely but using both tools intentionally. Now go make your words work harder.
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