#ACTIVE VS PASSIVE VOICE HOW TO#

I knew I couldn’t hold that bag anymore it was way too heavy.The majority of sentences in fiction are written in active voice, but some genres, and even other kinds of writing, prefer passive.

#ACTIVE VS PASSIVE VOICE HOW TO#

Here are some passive and active sentences to help you understand how to use each in writing.

Examples of Sentences with Active and Passive Voice After all, the latter is the most important part of the idea. That’s because, in the passive voice, we don’t necessarily care who is doing the action. In some cases, using passive voice can make your writing seem more formal or academic. For example, if I want to make my writing sound more objective or detached, I might use the passive voice. However, there are also times when passive voice is preferable. Active voice is considered more direct and engaging, making it a popular choice among writers. In general, active voice is used to focus attention on the subject of the sentence, while passive voice puts more emphasis on the object. Active and Passive Voice UsageĪctive voice and passive voice are two different ways of constructing sentences. However, most writers use active voice whenever possible as it tends to be more direct and dynamic than its counterpart. So, when should you use the active or passive voice? That depends on your purpose and intended audience. It would sound something like, “This essay is written by her.” Let’s turn the previous active voice sentence into a passive voice one. In passive voice, on the other hand, the subject of a sentence receives action instead of performing it. The verb here is “is writing,” indicating that she is doing something by typing this essay herself. In this format, the subject comes first, followed by the verb and any additional information.įor example: “She is writing this essay.” Here, the subject is “she,” the person who is taking action. In active voice, the subject of a sentence takes action, usually by performing an action or making a statement.

Generally, I consider the active voice style of writing to be more direct and engaging, while the passive voice is more subdued and impersonal. The Purdue Online Writing Lab uses the active and passive voice to show examples of the two ways of writing in English. However, in sentences written in the passive voice, the subject receives the action. This keeps the sentence active and makes it feel more direct. You are dealing with the active voice when you see a sentence where the subject performs an action.

Active vs passive voice