Here are four good reasons to use active sentences and four good reasons to use passive sentences.Īctive sentences are always shorter than their passive alternatives. However, both the active voice and passive voice have their benefits. The guidance to opt for active sentences over passive ones is so strong that many spell checkers (humans and applications) highlight a passive sentence as poor writing. As a result, many businesses encourage their staff to write using active sentences (i.e., ones with verbs in the active voice) rather than passive sentences. Sentences with verbs in the active voice are often more direct than those with passive-voice verbs. Here is a video on active and passive sentences.Īre you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos.

(If 'slaughtered' is a verb meaning beaten easily, then 'was slaughtered' is in the passive voice.) (If 'slaughtered' is an adjective meaning drunk, then 'was' is in the active voice.) (The three examples above all feature the verb 'to be' in the active voice.) The verb ' to be' is our most common verb.) (The action here is simply the act of being.

Paul imagined what the weather was like above those dark clouds.

Look at these example of verbs in the active voice. Remember that not all verb have such physical actions.

In the examples so far, the verbs have been ones with obvious actions. The soldier ants invaded the picnic with military precision.The children shielded their eyes from the bright sun.This is an example of the passive voice because the subject is not acting out the verb. Some unknown person is performing the action by seeing the boy trip. So, in the second example, the boy is not performing the action of the verb.

Step 3: Ask 'Did 'the boy' perform the verb?' (No! Therefore, 'was seen' is a verb in the passive voice.)

The boy was seen tripping while he ran.

Step 3: Ask 'Did 'the boy' perform the verb?' (Yes! Therefore, 'tripped' is a verb in the active voice.) They tell similar stories, but the first one features a verb in the active voice, while the second features a verb in the passive voice. Sometimes, it's a little trickier to spot whether the subject carried out the action of the verb. Step 3: Ask 'Did 'some weasel' perform the verb?' (Yes! Therefore, 'removed' is a verb in the active voice.)

Some weasel removed the cork from my lunch.

Step 3: Ask 'Did 'all power' perform the verb?' (Yes! Therefore, 'corrupts' is a verb in the active voice.) Step 3: Ask 'Did 'curiosity' perform the verb?' (Yes! Therefore, 'killed' is a verb in the active voice.) Step 3: Ask 'Did 'Janet' perform the verb?' (Yes! Therefore, 'posted' is a verb in the active voice.) In these examples, the active verbs are shaded. Remember that if a verb is in the active voice, its subject performs the action of the verb. Make passive Make active Examples of Verbs in the Active Voice In these examples, the subjects are highlighted and the verbs are bold: Here are four interactive examples showing the difference between active and passive voice. When the opposite is true (i.e., the subject of the sentence is being acted upon by the verb), it is said to be in passive voice. Active voice is a quality of a verb that describes when its subject is acting out the verb.

Active voice verbs