Writing in the Active and Passive Voice

Understanding the difference between active and passive voice is crucial for effective writing, especially in a professional context. This unit will guide you through the basics of active and passive voice, when to use each, and how to convert sentences from one voice to the other.

Understanding Active and Passive Voice

In English, sentences can be written in either active or passive voice.

• Active Voice: The subject of the sentence performs the action. For example, "The manager reviewed the report." Here, the manager (subject) is doing the reviewing (action).

• Passive Voice: The subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb. For example, "The report was reviewed by the manager." Here, the report (subject) is being reviewed (action) by the manager.

When to Use Active and Passive Voice

• Active Voice: Use active voice to make your writing clear, direct, and concise. It's generally preferred in professional writing because it's more straightforward and easier to understand.

• Passive Voice: Use passive voice when the action is more important than who or what is performing the action. It's often used in scientific or technical writing. For example, "A new method was developed to improve productivity."

Converting Sentences from Active to Passive Voice and Vice Versa

To convert a sentence from active to passive voice, move the object of the sentence to the subject position and add the appropriate form of the verb "to be" followed by the past participle of the main verb. For example, "The team completed the project" (active) becomes "The project was completed by the team" (passive).

To convert a sentence from passive to active voice, move the subject of the sentence (usually found after "by" in a passive sentence) to the subject position and change the verb to its base form. For example, "The project was completed by the team" (passive) becomes "The team completed the project" (active).

Tips for Using Active Voice

Active voice makes your writing more engaging and clear. Here are some tips to help you use active voice effectively:

• Keep the subject of your sentence at the beginning.
• Use strong, direct verbs.
• Avoid using too many helping verbs.
• Practice converting passive sentences to active ones to improve your understanding and usage of active voice.

By understanding and practicing the use of active and passive voice, you can enhance your English writing skills and create more impactful and effective professional documents.