Voice relates to the sort of an action term that implies whether a linguistic subject performs out the activity or is the receiver of the activity. At the time where a sentence is written in the active voice, the subject controls the activity; in the passive voice, the subject acquires the activity. Choosing an active action word and matching it with a topic that identifies the person or thing doing the action is common practice in academic writing. Action words in the active voice are more grounded and, thus, more forceful than passive action words or versions of the action verb “be.”
What is Active Voice?
Active voice is when the subject of an expression performs the action word’s activity. As such, it makes sense of what an individual or article does. The expression is clear, powerful, and easy to peruse. For instance:
- Cows love Grass.
- The public followed the bus.
- Our marketing approach increased the network in three years.
In each of caes of active voice, the subject does the activity that the remainder of the phrase illustrates. Active voice happens when you include action verbs (e.g., climb, inquire, make) (e.g., climb, ask, make). Action verbs indicate what a person or thing can do (e.g., read, smile, bake) (e.g., read, smile, bake).
What is Passive Voice?
Passive voice passes what is being done or was done on to the individual or thing. It frequently comprises an adaptation of the action word “to be.” It might use the previous participle (e.g., is valued, was eaten, were chosen) (e.g., is delighted in, was eaten, were picked). The assertions beneath are completely written in the passive voice:
- Cows love the grass.
- The public followed the bus.
- The network was extended in three years.
Passive voice tends to be more protracted and sometimes unpleasant to read. You may squander words (and time) in getting to your point. Or it may make your writing seem impersonal.
Active and Passive Voice examples
As you check your work, identify phrases written in the passive voice. Change the composition to create an active voice. Your objective is to make it obvious who is executing the activity in your reader’s mind. Like this:
Passive: The job offer letter was rejected by Tyagi.
Active: Tyai rejected the job offer letter.
Passive: Confidential research will be conducted.
Active: The HR officer will conduct the personal research.
It may take a little more time in modifying your papers in this method. But the activity will help you rapidly detect passive voice and construct active voice sentence structure.
Your objective is to become a better writer and thrive in business communication. Using passive voice sparingly and active voice abundantly can assist you in accomplishing so.
How to write in the active voice and passive voice?
It may surprise you that written sentences have voices and debates about which of the two — passive or active – is ideal for writing. This article describes both voices and gives instances of when either may be used successfully.
Some argue that active voice should be used whenever possible. Because it may help you write faster. As seen above, the passive voice typically requires additional words. Incorrect wording may also be unsettling and unclear, especially when the statement’s theme is implied rather than explicitly stated.
This does not mean that the passive voice should be avoided at all costs. It has its function. For example, many authors use it while writing fiction. Mystery writers prefer the passive voice because it lets them conceal secrets inside their stories.
Lack of attention on the actor has made the passive voice the preferred choice in scientific and academic writing. While there has been a recent effort to allow scientists to convey their activities in their experiments, the scientific profession still prefers the passive voice to maintain objectivity. This is because it focuses on the actions and their repercussions rather than the individual’s opinion.
Always consider whether to use the passive voice or active voice while writing. To emphasise the doer, use the passive voice; to emphasise the action, use the active voice.
Conclusion
In academic contexts, the active voice is typically preferred over the passive when writing in a clear, concise, and engaging voice. In the active voice, the “actor” or the “doer” of action is put at the beginning of a sentence. The sentence takes on an almost inverted form when a “to be” verb (was, were, etc.) is used between an action verb and the receiver in passive voice. The active voice allows you to convey a more prompt message, while the passive voice is formal and indirect in tone.