Understanding and Mastering Active and Passive Voice in Professional Writing

While the active voice is often preferred for its directness and clarity, it's important to recognize that the passive voice also has its rightful place, especially in various contexts and fields. This article will help you understand what constitutes passive voice, when it is appropriate to use it, and how to identify and convert sentences from one form to another.

Distinguishing Between Active and Passive Voice

The passive voice is identified by its structure: the object of the sentence is turned into the subject, and the subject performs the action indirectly. In contrast, the active voice is more straightforward, with the subject directly performing the action.

Examples of Active and Passive Voice

Active Voice: Tim threw the ball.

The subject, Tim, performs the action of throwing. There's no hidden recipient or object receiving the action.

Passive Voice: The ball was thrown by Tim.

Here, the ball, which is the object in the active sentence, is now the subject. The verb 'was thrown' indicates that the action is performed on the ball. Although Tim is mentioned as the actor, his action is less prominent in this form.

When to Use Passive Voice

While the active voice is generally preferred for its directness, there are specific scenarios where the passive voice is more appropriate. Here are a few contexts where passive voice is often used:

Examples of Appropriate Use of Passive Voice

Emphasis on the Object: When the object of the action is more important than the subject, the passive voice emphasizes it. Unknown or Irrelevant Subject: If the subject is unknown or not particularly relevant, the passive voice is useful. Focus on Process: When the focus is on the action itself or the process, passive voice can be more effective.

Business Writing Contexts

In the business world, passive voice is commonly used because it often reflects a more formal tone and allows for the omission of the subject. However, it's important to recognize that even in professional writing, the active voice can be more effective in conveying active agency and engagement.

Identifying Passive Voice

Identifying whether a sentence is in passive or active voice can be done by looking at the position of the subject and object. Generally, a sentence in active voice follows the pattern Subject-Verb-Object, while a sentence in passive voice follows the pattern Object-Verb-Subject or includes the preposition 'by' to indicate the subject.

Pattern Recognition for Active and Passive Voice

Active Voice: Subject-Verb-Object (Example: I clean the room.) Passive Voice: Object-Verb3-Subject (Example: The room is cleaned by me.)

Converting Sentences Between Passive and Active Voice

Converting a sentence from passive to active voice involves identifying the subject and rewording the sentence to place emphasis on the actor. Conversely, to convert from active to passive, the focus shifts to the object, and the subject becomes an agent in the sentence.

Examples of Conversion Between Active and Passive Voice

Active: Tim cleaned the room. Passive: The room was cleaned by Tim. Active: The company awarded Mary. Passive: Mary was awarded by the company.

Conclusion

While the passive voice may not be the most direct choice, it has its place in professional and formal writing. Understanding when and how to use it effectively can greatly enhance the clarity and impact of your writing. The key lies in recognizing the context and the importance of the subject versus the object.

Always remember that the choice between active and passive voice depends on the context, the emphasis you want to place, and the clarity of the message you are trying to convey.