Active Voice | Boost Your Writing Skills
Have you ever noticed how some pieces of writing seem to come alive, while others fall flat? So, one major factor that can make a big difference is the use of active voice.
Active voice is a writing style that emphasizes the subject of a sentence doing the action, rather than the action being done to the subject. For example,
“Sarah threw the ball” is in active voice, while “The ball was thrown by Sarah” is in passive voice.
Reasons to use active voice
So, if you want your writing to come alive and captivate your readers, consider using active voice as much as possible. With a little practice, it can become a natural and powerful part of your writing style.
- Clarity
Active voice makes it clear who is doing what in a sentence. It’s easier for readers to understand the meaning of a sentence when the subject is doing the action, rather than being acted upon.
- Directness
Active voice is more direct and concise than passive voice. It gets straight to the point and makes the writing more engaging.
- Engagement
Active voice engages the reader by creating a sense of action and movement in the writing. It helps readers visualize the scene and feel more connected to the content.
- Emphasis
Active voice allows you to emphasize certain words and ideas by putting them at the beginning of the sentence. This can help draw attention to important information and make your writing more persuasive.
- Style
Active voice is generally considered more modern and lively than passive voice. Using active voice can make your writing more engaging and interesting to read.
Of course, there are times when passive voice is appropriate – for example
When the subject of a sentence is unknown or unimportant. However, in most cases, using active voice can help make your writing clearer, more direct, and more engaging.
How active voice can improve clarity in your writing
As you can see, from the above examples, active voice makes it clear who is doing what in a sentence. This can help the reader understand the meaning of the sentence more easily and quickly. Hence, when you’re writing, try to use the active voice as much as possible to improve the clarity of your writing. We have made 10 sentences in the active and passive voice which will help you to understand the clarity.
- Passive: The cake was baked by Susan. Active: Susan baked the cake.
- Passive: The email was sent by the marketing department. Active: The marketing department sent the email.
- Passive: The vase was broken by the cat. Active: The cat broke the vase.
- Passive: The movie was watched by Sarah and Tom. Active: Sarah and Tom watched the movie.
- Passive: The report was written by the consultant. Active: The consultant wrote the report.
- Passive: The book was recommended by the librarian. Active: The librarian recommended the book.
- Passive: The party was organized by my friends. Active: My friends organized the party.
- Passive: The car was repaired by the mechanic. Active: The mechanic repaired the car.
- Passive: The meeting was attended by the CEO. Active: The CEO attended the meeting.
- Passive: The presentation was given by the marketing team. Active: The marketing team gave the presentation.
How active voice can improve the directness in your writing
These sentences become more direct and to the point by using active voice. It’s easier to understand who is doing what and what is happening in the sentence. This can make the writing more engaging and interesting to read. As it doesn’t beat around the bush or use unnecessarily complicated language. There are 10 sentences given below for your better understanding regarding developing directness in your writing effectively.
- Passive: The report was analyzed by the team. Active: The team analyzed the report.
- Passive: The project was completed by the team last month. Active: The team completed the project last month.
- Passive: The article was written by a journalist. Active: The journalist wrote the article.
- Passive: The proposal was rejected by the committee. Active: The committee rejected the proposal.
- Passive: The mistake was made by the employee. Active: The employee made the mistake.
- Passive: The cake was baked by my grandma. Active: My grandma baked the cake.
- Passive: The decision was made by the manager. Active: The manager made the decision.
- Passive: The problem was solved by the team. Active: The team solved the problem.
- Passive: The speech was given by the president. Active: The president gave the speech.
- Passive: The concert was attended by thousands of people. Active: Thousands of people attended the concert.
How active voice can make writing more engaging
These sentences become more direct and to the point by using active voice. It’s easier to understand who is doing what and also what is happening in the sentence. This can make the writing more engaging and interesting to read. Along with that, it doesn’t use unnecessarily complicated language. Below are 10 examples of learning how to make your writing more engaging.
- Passive: The book was read by many people. Active: Many people read the book, captivated by its story.
- Passive: The movie was watched by audiences around the world. Active: Audiences around the world watched the movie, glued to the screen.
- Passive: The song was sung by a talented musician. Active: A talented musician sang the song, moving the audience to tears.
- Passive: The sunset was watched by the couple from the beach. Active: The couple watched the sunset from the beach, marvelling at its beauty.
- Passive: The speech was given by the politician. Active: The politician gave the speech, rallying the crowd with their words.
- Passive: The game was won by the team. Active: The team won the game, celebrating their victory with cheers and high-fives.
- Passive: The play was performed by a talented cast. Active: A talented cast performed the play, bringing the characters to life on stage.
- Passive: The dance was choreographed by a renowned artist. Active: A renowned artist choreographed the dance, stunning the audience with their creativity.
- Passive: The painting was admired by art enthusiasts. Active: Art enthusiasts admired the painting, gazing at its colours and textures.
- Passive: The meal was cooked by a skilled chef. Active: A skilled chef cooked the meal, tantalizing the taste buds of diners.
How active voice can improve the emphasis of your words and ideas in writing
- Passive: The car was hit by a tree branch during the storm. Active: During the storm, a tree branch hit the car, causing significant damage.
- Passive: The report was reviewed by the committee last week. Active: Last week, the committee reviewed the report, making several important recommendations.
- Passive: The problem was solved by the team, but not without difficulty. Active: The team solved the problem, but not without difficulty, demonstrating their perseverance and dedication.
- Passive: The goal was scored by the striker in the final minutes of the game. Active: In the final minutes of the game, the striker scored the goal, securing the team’s victory.
- Passive: The proposal was rejected by the board of directors, much to the disappointment of the author. Active: Much to the disappointment of the author, the board of directors rejected the proposal, citing concerns about its feasibility.
- Passive: The novel was written by a bestselling author. Active: A bestselling author wrote the novel, captivating readers with their imaginative storytelling.
- Passive: The award was presented to the musician by a famous actor. Active: A famous actor presented the award to the musician, recognizing their outstanding talent and contributions to the industry.
- Passive: The city was impacted by the hurricane, causing widespread damage. Active: The hurricane impacted the city, causing widespread damage and disrupting the lives of thousands of residents.
- Passive: The movie was directed by a celebrated filmmaker, known for their unique style. Active: Known for their unique style, a celebrated filmmaker directed the movie, earning critical acclaim and a loyal following.
- Passive: The study was conducted by a team of researchers, who found some interesting results. Active: A team of researchers conducted the study, uncovering some interesting results that could have significant implications for the field.
How active voice can improve the style of your writing
So when we talk about the style of writing, it means we can make your writing more modern, lively, and engaging. So, the next time when you are writing, consider how you can use active voice to bring your words to life and captivate your readers. We have given some examples to understand the style as follows.
- Passive: The book was read by me in one sitting. Active: I read the book in one sitting, unable to put it down.
- Passive: The party was attended by many people, including some celebrities. Active: Many people, including some celebrities, attended the party and had a great time.
- Passive: The presentation was given by the CEO, who discussed the company’s recent performance. Active: The CEO gave the presentation, providing valuable insights into the company’s recent performance.
- Passive: The cake was baked by my grandmother, who has been perfecting the recipe for years. Active: My grandmother baked the cake, using a recipe she had been perfecting for years.
- Passive: The song was written by the singer, who drew inspiration from their personal experiences. Active: The singer wrote the song, drawing inspiration from their personal experiences and emotions.
- Passive: The project was completed by the team, who worked tirelessly to meet the deadline. Active: The team completed the project, working tirelessly to meet the deadline and deliver outstanding results.
- Passive: The movie was produced by a well-known studio, which spared no expense in its creation. Active: A well-known studio produced the movie, sparing no expense in its creation and delivering an unforgettable cinematic experience.
- Passive: The painting was created by the artist, who used bold colours and expressive brushstrokes. Active: The artist created the painting, using bold colours and expressive brushstrokes to capture their vision on canvas.
- Passive: The article was written by a renowned journalist, who has won numerous awards for their work. Active: A renowned journalist wrote the article, leveraging their expertise and experience to provide valuable insights and analysis.
- Passive: The trip was taken by my family and me, who had a great time exploring the city. Active: My family and I took the trip, exploring the city and creating unforgettable memories along the way.
