Understanding Passive Voice in Writing

Understanding Passive Voice

Passive voice is a construction in which the subject of the sentence follows the verb, instead of coming before it as in active voice. Sentences in passive voice tend to convey less specificity about who performed the action described. This construction can be used in various circumstances, but it can also result in unclear writing due to its tendency to obfuscate the exact source of an event or action.

Usage of Passive Voice

Using passive voice can be advantageous when you want to highlight something besides the actor (subject) of the sentence. For instance, a cartoon meant for kids might be written about in active voice to indicate that the producers intend it primarily for children, despite adults enjoying it:

The cartoon was intended for kids, but adults seem to enjoy it more because of its serious themes (passive voice).

Producers intended the cartoon for kids, but adults appreciate it for its serious themes (active voice).

Another reason to choose passive voice is when you aim to put more focus on the object of the sentence, allowing the subject to remain implicit without drawing attention away from the central point:

Soccer was played all day at the park, attracting spectators from across town (passive voice)

Local college students played soccer all day at the park, attracting spectators from across town (active voice).

Form of Passive Voice

In most languages, passive voice involves the presence of auxiliary verbs such as 'be', 'have,' or 'become,' plus an appropriate past participle. Common mistakes include confusing past tense and past perfect tenses with passiveness. For instance, "He went yesterday" is present perfect continuous, whereas "He had gone yesterday" is past perfect continuous. A common tip for identifying passive voice is looking for a 'to be' verb followed by a past participle.

Active vs. Passive Voice Debate

While passive voice isn't inherently wrong, its overuse can lead to vague, ambiguous writing. However, passive voice can certainly be useful in situations where the direct actor isn't relevant, such as in scientific writing that aims for objectivity:

Mistakes were made during the experiment.

My team conducted several tests and found errors in the data collection process (passive voice).

Summary

Overall, active voice tends to be preferred over passive voice for its clarity and ability to establish facts directly. Yet, passive voice has its applications depending on the desired effect and context. Writers must be conscious of the implications of their word choices and strive for the right balance between active and passive voice for effective communication.