Active passive voice examples

As a writer or speaker, you must have come across the terms “active” and “passive” voice. These terms are crucial in the English language because they affect the clarity and precision of your message. Although they may seem confusing at first, learning to use active and passive voice correctly will significantly improve your writing and communication skills. This guide will explain what active and passive voice are, how they differ and provide numerous examples to help you understand their usage better. Table of Contents • • • • • • • • • • • What is Active Voice? Active voice is a sentence structure where the subject of the sentence performs the action. In other words, the subject of the sentence is the one doing the action, while the object receives the action. For instance: “The dog bit the postman.” What is Passive Voice? Passive voice, on the other hand, is a sentence structure where the object of the sentence becomes the subject of the sentence. In other words, the action is done to the subject. For instance, “The postman was bitten by the dog.” Active Passive Voice: The Difference The difference between active and passive voice lies in the emphasis of the sentence. Active voice emphasizes the subject of the sentence, whereas passive voice emphasizes the action or the object of the sentence. Active voice is more direct and concise, making it easier to read and understand. Passive voice, however, is more indirect and can lead to confusion and ambiguity. When to Use Ac...

Table of Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • Active and Passive Voice! What’s the Difference? Active Voice We use Some examples of active voice are: • The cat killed the mouse. • The man cut down the tree. • Columbus discovered America. • His teacher praises him • The boy teased the dog. Passive Voice When the object is affected by the • He was praised by his father. • The horse was frightened by the noise. • Now a word was spoken by Sara. • The road was lined with people. Another Interesting Lesson: When to Use Active Voice? The active voice is usually the best choice for most sentences. It is more concise and direct than the passive voice. In addition, it is usually less confusing for readers. Here are a few examples of when to use the active voice: • When the subject of the sentence is doing the action: • I am writing this blog post. • When you want to be concise and direct: • Passive voice can be wordy and confusing for readers. • When you want to emphasize the subject of the sentence: • Active voice puts the focus on the subject of the sentence. • When you want to show that someone is in control: The active voice can make it seem like someone is in control of a situation. When to Use Passive Voice? There are times when the passive voice is the better choice. Here are a few examples: • When you want to emphasize the object of the sentence: • The passive voice can make it seem like the object of the sentence is more important than the subject. • When you want to hide the...

It’s an admonition that’s been uttered by everyone from high school English teachers to newspaper editors to renowned writing instructors: use the active voice over the passive voice. Another way of saying this is “make sure your subjects are performing an action rather than having an action performed on them.” But is active voice always superior to the passive voice? It isn’t quite so simple.

Summary: This handout will explain the difference between active and passive voice in writing. It gives examples of both, and shows how to turn a passive sentence into an active one. Also, it explains how to decide when to choose passive voice instead of active. Using Active Versus Passive Voice In a sentence using active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed in the verb.