2/18/2024 0 Comments What is an active voice in writing![]() ![]() With the passive voice, the subject is acted upon, like 'The moon was walked on by Neil Armstrong'. In the active voice, the subject of a sentence acts, like 'Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.' The active voice is direct, clear, and easy to read. Sometimes a prepositional phrase like "by the" in the sentences above indicates that the action is performed on the subject, and that the sentence is passive. There are two voices in writing: Active and passive. Don't assume that just because there is a form of 'be' that the sentence is passive, however. You can recognize passive voice because the verb phrase will include a form of be (was, am, are, been, is). Another way to recognize passive-voice sentences is that they may include a "by the." phrase after the verb the agent performing the action, if named, is the object of the preposition in this phrase. The presence of a be-verb, however, does not necessarily mean that the sentence is in passive voice. You can recognize passive-voice expressions because the verb phrase will always include a form of be, such as am, is, was, were, are, or been. Instead, the writing appears to convey information that is not limited or biased by individual perspectives or personal interests. This practice helps to create the appearance of an objective, fact-based discourse because writers can present research and conclusions without attributing them to particular agents. In scientific writing, however, passive voice is more readily accepted since using it allows one to write without using personal pronouns or the names of particular researchers as the subjects of sentences (see the third example above). Also, overuse of passive voice throughout an essay can cause your prose to seem flat and uninteresting. Sometimes the use of passive voice can create awkward sentences, as in the last example above. The subject of the passive voice sentence performs the action expressed in the verb in this example. Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students Most sentence structures are built around the subject in the sense that the subject is the most important part of the action.To describe a condition in which the actor is unknown or unimportantĮvery year, thousands of people are diagnosed as having cancer. The procedures were somehow misinterpreted. ![]() After long debate, the proposal was endorsed by. The data processing department recently presented what proved to be a controversial proposal to expand its staff. To keep the subject and focus consistent throughout a passage To emphasize the action rather than the actorĪfter long debate, the proposal was endorsed by the long-range planning committee. With the passive voice, the subject receives the action by the object or the performer of the sentence. The subject does the action of the verb in the sentence. There are sometimes good reasons to use the passive voice. Generally, the active voice makes your writing a little loud, more direct as the name suggests, more active. If the subject of the sentence is somewhat anonymous, see if you can use a general term, such as “researchers,” or “the study,” or “experts in this field.”.Rewrite the sentence so that the subject buried in the “by” clause is closer to the beginning of the sentence. If you find one, the sentence may be in the passive voice. Active voice is when the subject of the sentence performs the action. ![]()
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