There are situations where it is more appropriate to use passive voice over active voice. A: No, passive voice is not always incorrect.Using vague verbs such as “is,” “are,” “was,” and “were”.Overusing the passive voice in a paragraph or article.Using passive voice when the active voice is more direct.Using passive voice when the subject is clear.Using passive voice too often can lead to confusion and ambiguity. The walls were painted by the children.Īs you can see, in active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action, while in passive voice, the action is done to the subject.To help you understand the difference between active and passive voice, let’s look at some examples: Active Voice:

Passive voice is also useful when you don’t know or don’t want to mention who performed the action. For instance, when you want to de-emphasize the subject or avoid assigning blame, passive voice is the best choice. Passive voice, on the other hand, is best used when the focus is on the action or the object of the sentence rather than the subject. Active voice is also useful in creating a sense of urgency, making your writing more engaging and compelling. It is best used when you want to emphasize the subject and the action. When to Use Active Voice?Īctive voice is the preferred sentence structure in most writing because it is more direct and concise. Passive voice, however, is more indirect and can lead to confusion and ambiguity. Active voice is more direct and concise, making it easier to read and understand. Active voice emphasizes the subject of the sentence, whereas passive voice emphasizes the action or the object of the sentence. The difference between active and passive voice lies in the emphasis of the sentence. For instance, “The postman was bitten by the dog.” Active Passive Voice: The Difference In other words, the action is done to the subject. Passive voice, on the other hand, is a sentence structure where the object of the sentence becomes the subject of the sentence. For instance: “The dog bit the postman.” What is Passive Voice? In other words, the subject of the sentence is the one doing the action, while the object receives the action. Active voice is a sentence structure where the subject of the sentence performs the action.

Passive voice to active voice