Section 17.3 Active vs. Passive Voice
You have seen passive voice analyzed structurally in earlier chapters—the auxiliary be plus a past participle, with the logical object promoted to subject position. But the passive is more than a grammatical curiosity. It is one of the most consequential stylistic choices a writer makes, and it is frequently misunderstood. Writing instructors often say "avoid the passive," and sometimes that advice is sound. But passive voice exists for good reasons, and skilled writers in every field use it deliberately. The real question is not whether to use it, but when and why.
Review.
Active: The subject performs the action.
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The committee approved the proposal.
Passive: The subject receives the action.
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The proposal was approved by the committee.
Choosing Active Voice.
Use active voice when:
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The agent is important: The CEO announced the merger.
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Directness is valued: We made a mistake. (not Mistakes were made.)
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Energy is needed: Active voice tends to be more dynamic.
Choosing Passive Voice.
Use passive voice when:
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The agent is unknown or irrelevant: The building was constructed in 1920.
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The patient is the topic: The proposal—which I discussed earlier—was approved.
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Objectivity is expected: Scientific writing often uses passive.
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Tact is needed: Your request has been denied. (softer than We denied your request.)
Avoiding Passive Overuse.
Excessive passive creates weak, evasive prose:
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It was decided that changes would be made. -
Better: The committee decided to make changes.
