Use active voice for clear, direct writing. Know when passive voice is appropriate.
约9分钟阅读
Understanding the difference between active and passive voice is one of the most practical skills you can develop as a writer. Active voice produces sentences that are direct, clear, and energetic. Passive voice has its uses, but overreliance on it leads to writing that feels vague, wordy, and difficult to follow. This section teaches you what each voice is, how to identify them reliably, and why active voice is generally the stronger choice.
In grammar, voice describes the relationship between the verb and the subject of a sentence. Specifically, it tells us whether the subject is performing the action or receiving the action. English has two voices:
This distinction might sound simple, but it has profound consequences for how your writing reads. Voice affects clarity, emphasis, sentence length, and the overall energy of your prose.
In active voice, the subject of the sentence is the agent — the person or thing doing the action. The sentence follows a natural pattern:
Subject (agent) + Verb + Object (receiver)
| Sentence | Subject (Agent) | Verb | Object (Receiver) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The researcher conducted the experiment. | The researcher | conducted | the experiment |
| Maria wrote the report. | Maria | wrote | the report |
| The committee approved the budget. | The committee | approved | the budget |
| Severe storms damaged the bridge. | Severe storms | damaged | the bridge |
| The students completed every assignment. | The students | completed | every assignment |
Notice how each sentence moves in a clear direction: someone does something to something. The reader immediately knows who is acting and what they are acting upon.
Active voice follows the way humans naturally think about events. When we witness something happen, we instinctively process it as "X did Y." A child describes their day by saying "I built a tower" or "The dog ate my sandwich," not "A tower was built by me" or "My sandwich was eaten by the dog." Active voice mirrors this natural cognitive pattern, which is why it feels immediate and easy to understand.
In passive voice, the subject of the sentence is the receiver of the action, not the performer. The agent either appears in a "by" phrase or is omitted entirely.
Subject (receiver) + Form of "be" + Past Participle (+ by Agent)
| Passive Sentence | Subject (Receiver) | Verb Phrase | Agent |
|---|---|---|---|
| The experiment was conducted by the researcher. | The experiment | was conducted | by the researcher |
| The report was written by Maria. | The report | was written | by Maria |
| The budget was approved by the committee. | The budget | was approved | by the committee |
| The bridge was damaged by severe storms. | The bridge | was damaged | by severe storms |
| Every assignment was completed by the students. | Every assignment | was completed | by the students |
And with the agent omitted (agentless passive):
| Passive Sentence (No Agent) | What Is Missing |
|---|---|
| The experiment was conducted last year. | Who conducted it? |
| The report was written in March. | Who wrote it? |
| The budget was approved. | Who approved it? |
| The bridge was damaged. | What damaged it? |
| Mistakes were made. | Who made them? |
The agentless passive is especially common — and especially problematic — because it hides responsibility. "Mistakes were made" is a classic example of using passive voice to avoid naming who made the mistakes.
Identifying passive voice is straightforward once you know the structural formula. A sentence is in passive voice if it meets all three of these criteria:
A popular shortcut for identifying passive voice is the "by zombies" test. If you can insert "by zombies" after the verb and the sentence still makes grammatical sense, it is probably passive:
- The report was written... by zombies. (Makes sense — passive.)
- The bridge was damaged... by zombies. (Makes sense — passive.)
- Maria wrote the report... by zombies. (Does not make sense — active.)
- The committee approved the budget... by zombies. (Does not make sense — active.)
This test is not perfectly precise (it can occasionally give false positives with certain verb forms), but it works well as a quick check while editing.
Writers sometimes confuse passive voice with other structures. Here are the most common traps:
Trap 1: Not all forms of "be" signal passive voice.
"The sky is blue." — This is active voice. "Is" here is a linking verb, not part of a passive construction. There is no action being received.
"The dog was sleeping." — This is active voice. "Was sleeping" is the past progressive tense. The subject (the dog) is performing the action (sleeping).
Trap 2: Not all sentences with "by" are passive.
"She sat by the window." — Active voice. "By" here indicates location, not an agent.
Trap 3: Past tense is not the same as passive voice.
"The team won the championship." — Active voice, past tense. The subject (team) performed the action (won).
"The championship was won by the team." — Passive voice. Now the championship (receiver) is the subject.
The key question is always: Is the subject doing the action, or is the action being done to the subject?
Most style guides — from Strunk and White's The Elements of Style to the APA Publication Manual — recommend active voice as the default. Here is why.
Active voice tells the reader immediately who is doing what. Passive voice can obscure the agent, forcing the reader to reconstruct the action.
Passive: The samples were contaminated during the experiment. (Who contaminated them? The researcher? A lab assistant? An equipment malfunction?)
Active: The lab assistant contaminated the samples during the experiment. (Clear. We know exactly who did it.)
Active voice almost always uses fewer words than passive voice for the same information.
| Passive | Word Count | Active | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| The decision was made by the board. | 8 | The board made the decision. | 6 |
| The results were analyzed by the team. | 8 | The team analyzed the results. | 6 |
| A new policy has been introduced by management. | 9 | Management introduced a new policy. | 6 |
| The building was designed by a local architect. | 9 | A local architect designed the building. | 7 |
Across an entire essay, these small savings add up. A 500-word essay heavy on passive constructions might become a 400-word essay in active voice — saying the same things more efficiently.
Active voice gives writing a sense of forward momentum. The reader moves from actor to action to result, which creates a narrative flow.
Passive: The ball was kicked into the net. The crowd was thrilled. A new record was set.
Active: The striker kicked the ball into the net. The crowd roared. She set a new record.
The active version feels alive. We can picture the striker, hear the crowd, sense the achievement. The passive version reads like a report filed after the excitement has passed.
Active voice names the agent, which is essential in contexts where responsibility matters.
Passive: The data was falsified. (Who falsified it?)
Active: The lead researcher falsified the data. (Now we know.)
In academic, business, and legal writing, hiding the agent behind passive constructions can create ambiguity or even appear evasive.
On standardized writing assessments (IELTS, TOEFL, AP English), examiners reward clear, direct prose. Overuse of passive voice is a common marker of less proficient writing. While occasional passive constructions are perfectly acceptable, a pattern of passive voice throughout an essay can lower scores for grammatical range, clarity, and coherence.
Research on readability consistently shows that heavy passive usage makes text harder to process:
This does not mean passive voice is wrong — it means that active voice should be your default, with passive voice reserved for situations where it genuinely serves a purpose.
| Feature | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Subject role | Performs the action | Receives the action |
| Typical structure | Subject + Verb + Object | Subject + be + Past Participle (+ by Agent) |
| Word count | Shorter | Longer (2–3 extra words typical) |
| Clarity | Agent is immediately clear | Agent may be hidden or absent |
| Tone | Direct, confident, energetic | Indirect, formal, detached |
| When to prefer | Most writing situations | Specific contexts (see Section 2) |
约8分钟阅读
The previous section established that active voice should be your default. But "default" does not mean "always." Passive voice is a legitimate grammatical tool, and skilled writers use it deliberately in situations where it produces a better result than active voice. This section covers the specific circumstances where passive voice is the right choice, so you can use it with intention rather than by accident.
The problem with passive voice is not that it exists — it is that many writers use it unconsciously. They default to passive without realizing it, which produces vague, wordy prose. The solution is not to eliminate passive voice entirely but to use it only when you have a clear reason.
A good rule of thumb: every passive construction in your writing should be there because you chose it, not because it happened to come out that way.
When you genuinely do not know who performed an action, passive voice is natural and appropriate. Forcing active voice by inventing a vague subject ("someone," "people," "they") often sounds worse.
Passive (appropriate): The ancient temple was built around 500 BCE. (We do not know who built it.)
Forced active: Someone built the ancient temple around 500 BCE. ("Someone" is vague and adds no useful information.)
Passive (appropriate): My bicycle was stolen last night. (You do not know who stole it.)
Forced active: An unknown person stole my bicycle last night. ("An unknown person" is clumsy.)
Passive (appropriate): The city was founded in the 12th century. (The specific founders may be lost to history.)
In these cases, passive voice is cleaner because the identity of the agent is irrelevant or unavailable.
Sometimes the agent is known but unimportant. What matters is the action or the receiver, not who performed it.
Passive (appropriate): The mail is delivered every morning at 9 a.m. (It does not matter which postal worker delivers it.)
Active (unnecessary detail): A postal carrier delivers the mail every morning at 9 a.m.
Passive (appropriate): The building was constructed in 1965. (The specific construction company is irrelevant to the point being made.)
Passive (appropriate): English is spoken in over 60 countries. (The focus is on the widespread use of English, not on who specifically speaks it.)
Passive (appropriate): The suspect was arrested at 3 a.m. (In a news report, what matters is the arrest, not which specific officer made it.)
The test is simple: if naming the agent adds no useful information to the sentence, passive voice may be the better choice.
Scientific writing has a long tradition of using passive voice, particularly in methods sections. The reasoning is that science should be objective and reproducible — the results should not depend on who performed the experiment.
Scientific passive: The solution was heated to 85°C and stirred for 30 minutes. The resulting precipitate was filtered and dried overnight.
Scientific active: We heated the solution to 85°C and stirred it for 30 minutes. We filtered the resulting precipitate and dried it overnight.
Both are acceptable in modern scientific writing. The APA style guide (7th edition) actually recommends active voice even in scientific papers, and many journals now accept first-person active constructions. However, passive voice remains common and expected in certain fields, particularly chemistry, physics, and engineering.
The trend in scientific writing is toward more active voice, but passive voice remains a useful tool in specific contexts.
One of the most sophisticated uses of passive voice is to maintain topic continuity — keeping the same subject across consecutive sentences so the reader can follow the thread easily.
Consider this paragraph about a clinical trial:
Version A (all active, no topic continuity): Researchers recruited 500 participants for the trial. A screening committee evaluated each participant for eligibility. Lab technicians collected blood samples from all eligible participants. An independent panel analyzed the samples.
Every sentence has a different subject: researchers, a screening committee, lab technicians, an independent panel. The reader's attention bounces from agent to agent.
Version B (strategic passive for topic continuity): Five hundred participants were recruited for the trial. Each participant was evaluated for eligibility. Blood samples were collected from all eligible participants and analyzed by an independent panel.
Now "participants" (or concepts related to them) remain the topic throughout. The paragraph flows more smoothly because the reader tracks one thread instead of four.
When the receiver of one action is the agent or topic of the next sentence, passive voice can create smoother transitions:
The new software was installed on Monday. It was tested extensively over the following week. Several bugs were identified, and they were fixed before the launch date.
The topic (the software and its bugs) stays consistent. Active voice would require introducing new agents in each sentence, disrupting the flow.
Passive voice is valuable when you need to deliver criticism, report problems, or discuss sensitive topics without directly blaming someone.
Active (accusatory): You failed to submit the report on time.
Passive (diplomatic): The report was not submitted on time.
Active (blaming): Your department exceeded the budget by 30%.
Passive (neutral): The budget was exceeded by 30%.
Active (confrontational): You made several errors in the financial projections.
Passive (constructive): Several errors were found in the financial projections.
In business communication, performance reviews, and conflict resolution, passive voice can soften the tone without changing the factual content. The receiver of the message is more likely to be receptive to feedback that does not feel like a personal attack.
There is a line between tact and evasion. Passive voice should not be used to dodge accountability entirely:
"Mistakes were made and lessons have been learned." — This classic phrase uses passive voice to avoid saying who made the mistakes or what those lessons are. It sounds diplomatic but communicates almost nothing.
The goal is to soften delivery while preserving substance, not to empty the sentence of all meaning.
English sentences typically place the most emphasis on the beginning and end positions. Passive voice lets you rearrange the sentence to put the most important element in the position of greatest emphasis.
Active: A drunk driver killed three pedestrians. (Emphasis on "a drunk driver.")
Passive: Three pedestrians were killed by a drunk driver. (Emphasis on "three pedestrians" — the victims.)
If the story is about the victims, the passive version puts them first, where readers' attention naturally falls.
Active: The CEO announced the merger at a press conference. (Emphasis on the CEO.)
Passive: The merger was announced at a press conference. (Emphasis on the merger — which may be the real news.)
Active: Local activists organized the protest. (Ends with "the protest.")
Passive: The protest was organized by local activists. (Ends with "local activists" — drawing attention to who was behind it.)
Choosing between active and passive here depends on what you want to emphasize. Neither version is inherently wrong; each serves a different rhetorical purpose.
Passive voice is standard in certain types of formal writing where the focus is on rules, regulations, or procedures rather than on specific individuals.
All applications must be submitted by March 15. Employees are required to complete safety training annually. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Vehicles must be inspected every two years. Candidates will be notified of the results within 30 days.
In these contexts, passive voice emphasizes the rule or requirement itself. Active voice would require naming an agent that is either obvious or variable:
You must submit all applications by March 15.(Too direct for a formal regulation.)The HR department requires employees to complete safety training annually.(The specific department is less important than the requirement.)
Even in writing that is primarily active, occasional passive constructions add rhythmic variety. A long sequence of subject-verb-object sentences can become monotonous:
All active: The team analyzed the data. The team identified three trends. The team reported the results to management. The team recommended changes.
This reads like a checklist. Mixing in passive voice creates a more natural rhythm:
Mixed: The team analyzed the data and identified three trends. The results were reported to management, and several changes were recommended.
The mixed version reads more smoothly and avoids the repetitive "The team... The team... The team..." pattern.
There is no universal rule, but research and style guides offer useful benchmarks:
| Context | Recommended Passive Voice Usage |
|---|---|
| General essay writing | 10–15% of sentences |
| Business writing | 10–20% of sentences |
| Scientific methods sections | 30–50% of sentences |
| Legal / regulatory documents | 40–60% of sentences |
| Creative writing / journalism | Under 10% of sentences |
If more than 20% of the sentences in a general essay are passive, the writing likely needs revision. The goal is not zero passive — it is intentional passive.
When deciding between active and passive voice, ask yourself these questions in order:
| Use Passive Voice When... | Example |
|---|---|
| The agent is unknown | The temple was built around 500 BCE. |
| The agent is irrelevant | English is spoken in over 60 countries. |
| Writing scientific methods | The solution was heated to 85°C. |
| Maintaining topic continuity | The software was installed Monday. It was tested all week. |
| Being diplomatic | Several errors were found in the report. |
| Shifting emphasis to the receiver | Three pedestrians were killed. |
| Writing rules or procedures | Applications must be submitted by March 15. |
| Creating sentence variety | The results were reported to management. |
Passive voice is a tool. Use it when it does the job better than active voice. Put it away when it does not.
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The first two sections taught you what active and passive voice are and when each is appropriate. This section puts that knowledge into practice with extensive before-and-after examples, conversion exercises, and real-world scenarios where you must choose the right voice for the context. By the end, you should be able to convert between voices fluently and make deliberate voice choices in your own writing.
Converting a passive sentence to active voice follows a consistent three-step process.
Example 1:
Passive: The proposal was rejected by the board of directors.
Step 1: Agent = the board of directors Step 2: Move agent to subject position Step 3: "was rejected" becomes "rejected" (simple past)
Active: The board of directors rejected the proposal.
Example 2:
Passive: The new software has been installed by the IT department.
Step 1: Agent = the IT department Step 2: Move agent to subject position Step 3: "has been installed" becomes "has installed" (present perfect)
Active: The IT department has installed the new software.
Example 3:
Passive: The experiment will be conducted by senior researchers next month.
Step 1: Agent = senior researchers Step 2: Move agent to subject position Step 3: "will be conducted" becomes "will conduct" (simple future)
Active: Senior researchers will conduct the experiment next month.
Example 4:
Passive: The endangered species is being monitored by wildlife conservationists.
Step 1: Agent = wildlife conservationists Step 2: Move agent to subject position Step 3: "is being monitored" becomes "are monitoring" (present progressive)
Active: Wildlife conservationists are monitoring the endangered species.
Example 5 (no "by" phrase):
Passive: The window was broken during the storm.
Step 1: Agent = the storm (implied) Step 2: Move agent to subject position Step 3: "was broken" becomes "broke" (simple past)
Active: The storm broke the window.
When converting from passive to active, the tense must be preserved. Here is a reference for each tense:
| Tense | Passive Form | Active Form |
|---|---|---|
| Simple present | is/are + past participle | base verb / verb-s |
| Simple past | was/were + past participle | past tense verb |
| Present perfect | has/have been + past participle | has/have + past participle |
| Past perfect | had been + past participle | had + past participle |
| Simple future | will be + past participle | will + base verb |
| Future perfect | will have been + past participle | will have + past participle |
| Present progressive | is/are being + past participle | is/are + present participle |
| Past progressive | was/were being + past participle | was/were + present participle |
| Passive | Active |
|---|---|
| The report is written by the analyst. | The analyst writes the report. |
| The report was written by the analyst. | The analyst wrote the report. |
| The report has been written by the analyst. | The analyst has written the report. |
| The report had been written by the analyst. | The analyst had written the report. |
| The report will be written by the analyst. | The analyst will write the report. |
| The report will have been written by the analyst. | The analyst will have written the report. |
| The report is being written by the analyst. | The analyst is writing the report. |
| The report was being written by the analyst. | The analyst was writing the report. |
Sometimes you need to convert in the other direction — from active to passive — when you want to shift emphasis, maintain topic continuity, or remove the agent.
Example 1:
Active: The architect designed the museum.
Step 1: Object = the museum Step 2: Move object to subject position Step 3: "designed" becomes "was designed" (simple past passive)
Passive: The museum was designed by the architect.
Example 2:
Active: The company has hired 200 new employees this year.
Step 1: Object = 200 new employees Step 2: Move to subject position Step 3: "has hired" becomes "have been hired" (present perfect passive, plural subject)
Passive: Two hundred new employees have been hired this year. (Agent "the company" is dropped because it may not be important.)
Example 3:
Active: The editorial board will review all submissions.
Step 1: Object = all submissions Step 2: Move to subject position Step 3: "will review" becomes "will be reviewed"
Passive: All submissions will be reviewed by the editorial board.
Converting between voices mechanically is only half the skill. The other half is knowing when to convert and when to leave a sentence as it is. This section presents real-world scenarios where you must choose the right voice.
Original (passive): It has been argued by several scholars that social media has a negative impact on mental health. A study was conducted by researchers at Stanford University that demonstrated a correlation between screen time and anxiety levels.
This paragraph is entirely passive. In an academic argument, the writer should take ownership of claims and present evidence directly.
Revised (active): Several scholars argue that social media negatively impacts mental health. Researchers at Stanford University conducted a study demonstrating a correlation between screen time and anxiety levels.
The active version is 8 words shorter, names the agents clearly, and reads with more authority.
Original (active): You missed the project deadline. You also forgot to update the client. I need you to fix these problems immediately.
This reads as an attack. Each sentence directly blames "you." In a professional context, this tone can damage relationships.
Revised (strategic passive): The project deadline was missed, and the client update was not completed. These issues need to be addressed as soon as possible.
The passive version conveys the same factual information but softens the accusatory tone. It focuses on what happened rather than who is at fault.
Version A (active): A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the coastal region early Tuesday morning. The tremor destroyed over 300 buildings and displaced approximately 15,000 residents. Emergency crews rescued survivors from collapsed structures throughout the day.
Version B (passive): The coastal region was struck by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake early Tuesday morning. Over 300 buildings were destroyed, and approximately 15,000 residents were displaced. Survivors were rescued from collapsed structures throughout the day.
Both versions are acceptable in journalism. Version A emphasizes the earthquake as an active force. Version B emphasizes the region and its people as the affected parties. A skilled journalist might choose based on the article's angle: a piece about seismic activity might prefer Version A; a piece about the human impact might prefer Version B.
Original (active): We weighed 50 grams of sodium chloride. We dissolved it in 500 mL of distilled water. We heated the solution to 80°C and maintained the temperature for 20 minutes.
Revised (passive): Fifty grams of sodium chloride were weighed and dissolved in 500 mL of distilled water. The solution was heated to 80°C and maintained at that temperature for 20 minutes.
In a methods section, the procedure is what matters, not who performed each step. Passive voice appropriately shifts focus to the materials and process.
A strong IELTS essay uses primarily active voice but incorporates passive where appropriate:
Many people believe that governments should invest more in public transportation. This view is supported by research showing that cities with extensive transit networks have lower carbon emissions. For example, a recent study demonstrated that cities with subway systems produce 40% fewer transportation-related emissions than car-dependent cities. However, it must be acknowledged that building transit infrastructure requires enormous upfront investment.
Notice the deliberate mix:
This kind of strategic mixing is what evaluators look for in high-scoring essays.
Passive: The button should be pressed. The code should be entered. The door will be unlocked automatically.
Active: Press the button. Enter the code. The door will unlock automatically.
For instructions, active voice (often in imperative form) is almost always clearer. The reader needs to know what to do, and active imperative sentences deliver that information directly.
Note that the last sentence ("The door will unlock automatically") remains in active voice because the door is genuinely the agent — it performs the action of unlocking.
Passive: Action must be taken. Donations can be made on our website. Change will be seen in our communities.
Active: Take action today. Donate on our website. Together, we will see change in our communities.
Persuasive writing demands active voice because it creates urgency and personal connection. Passive voice in a call to action sounds detached and impersonal.
These extended examples show how voice choices affect full paragraphs.
Before: In this essay, the impact of social media on teenagers will be discussed. It is believed by many parents that too much screen time is harmful. Studies have been conducted that show a link between social media usage and depression. Actions should be taken by schools to educate students about healthy screen habits. If limits are set by parents, a reduction in screen time can be achieved.
After: This essay examines the impact of social media on teenagers. Many parents believe that excessive screen time harms their children. Multiple studies link social media usage to depression. Schools should educate students about healthy screen habits, and parents who set limits can effectively reduce their children's screen time.
Changes made:
The revision cuts 17 words while improving clarity and directness.
Before: Our team reviewed the quarterly sales data. We identified a 15% decline in the Northeast region. We attributed this decline to increased competitor activity. We recommend hiring two additional sales representatives. We also suggest launching a targeted marketing campaign.
After: Our team reviewed the quarterly sales data and identified a 15% decline in the Northeast region. This decline is attributed to increased competitor activity. Two additional sales representatives should be hired, and a targeted marketing campaign is recommended.
Changes made:
| Conversion Direction | Steps |
|---|---|
| Passive to active | Find agent, make it the subject, change verb to active form |
| Active to passive | Find object, make it the subject, add be + past participle |
| Choosing voice | Consider: Who/what should be emphasized? Is the agent known/relevant? What is the context and audience? |
约7分钟阅读
This section is a reference guide you can return to whenever you need to quickly identify voice, convert between active and passive, or edit your own writing for stronger voice choices. It consolidates the key patterns, rules, and checklists from the previous three sections into a scannable format.
A sentence is in active voice if:
Quick test: Ask "Who or what is doing the action?" If the answer is the grammatical subject, the sentence is active.
A sentence is in passive voice if:
Quick test ("by zombies"): If you can add "by zombies" after the verb and the sentence makes grammatical sense, it is likely passive.
| Form | Tense |
|---|---|
| am, is, are | present |
| was, were | past |
| been | perfect (used with has/have/had) |
| being | progressive (used with is/was) |
| be | infinitive (used with will/can/must/should) |
| Sentence | Why It Is Not Passive |
|---|---|
| She is happy. | "Is" is a linking verb, not part of a passive construction. |
| They are running. | "Are running" is present progressive — the subject is performing the action. |
| He was sleeping. | "Was sleeping" is past progressive — the subject is the agent. |
| The food has gone bad. | "Has gone" is present perfect active. "Gone" is intransitive. |
| She sat by the window. | "By" indicates location, not an agent. |
| The game was exciting. | "Exciting" is an adjective, not a past participle in a passive construction. |
| He has been working all day. | "Has been working" is present perfect progressive — active. |
| Passive Construction | Active Construction | Tense |
|---|---|---|
| X is done by Y. | Y does X. | Simple present |
| X was done by Y. | Y did X. | Simple past |
| X has been done by Y. | Y has done X. | Present perfect |
| X had been done by Y. | Y had done X. | Past perfect |
| X will be done by Y. | Y will do X. | Simple future |
| X will have been done by Y. | Y will have done X. | Future perfect |
| X is being done by Y. | Y is doing X. | Present progressive |
| X was being done by Y. | Y was doing X. | Past progressive |
| X can be done by Y. | Y can do X. | Modal |
| X must be done by Y. | Y must do X. | Modal |
| X should be done by Y. | Y should do X. | Modal |
Reverse the pattern above: move the object to the subject position, add the appropriate form of "be" + past participle, and optionally add "by" + original subject.
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| The agent is important or interesting | The CEO announced the restructuring plan. |
| You want clarity about who did what | The lab assistant contaminated the samples. |
| You want to be concise | The team analyzed the data. (not: The data was analyzed by the team.) |
| You are making an argument | Researchers have demonstrated that exercise reduces stress. |
| You are writing instructions | Press the green button to start. |
| You are writing a call to action | Contact your representative today. |
| You want energy and engagement | The striker slammed the ball into the net. |
| The agent deserves credit or blame | The lead engineer solved the problem. |
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| The agent is unknown | The artifact was created around 3000 BCE. |
| The agent is irrelevant | The package was delivered this morning. |
| You are writing scientific methods | The samples were analyzed using mass spectrometry. |
| You need topic continuity | The software was tested. It was then deployed to production. |
| You are being diplomatic | The deadline was missed. (not: You missed the deadline.) |
| You want to emphasize the receiver | Three civilians were injured in the explosion. |
| You are writing rules or procedures | All applications must be submitted by March 15. |
| The agent is obvious from context | The suspect was arrested. (Obviously by police.) |
These passive phrases appear frequently in student writing and can almost always be improved with active voice:
| Passive (Common in Student Writing) | Active Alternative |
|---|---|
| It can be seen that... | [Just state the observation.] |
| It is believed that... | Many people believe... / Researchers believe... |
| It has been shown that... | Studies show... / Research demonstrates... |
| It should be noted that... | [Delete; just state the point.] |
| It was found that... | The researchers found... / The study found... |
| It is argued that... | Scholars argue... / Critics argue... |
| It is widely known that... | [Delete the phrase; state the fact directly.] |
| It can be concluded that... | The evidence suggests... / We can conclude... |
| It must be emphasized that... | [Delete; emphasize through strong writing.] |
| The essay will be structured as follows... | This essay examines... [then start examining.] |
These "it + passive" constructions are sometimes called impersonal passives. They are among the most common sources of wordiness and vagueness in academic writing.
Use this checklist when revising any piece of writing for voice:
For each passive sentence, ask:
| Question | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Who is the subject? | The doer of the action | The receiver of the action |
| Verb structure? | Main verb (no extra "be") | Form of "be" + past participle |
| Agent visible? | Always (it is the subject) | Sometimes (in "by" phrase) or absent |
| Typical word count? | Shorter | Longer (2–3 extra words) |
| When to use? | Most of the time | When the agent is unknown, irrelevant, or deliberately omitted |
| Common problem? | Rarely problematic | Overuse leads to vague, wordy prose |
| Genre / Context | Typical Passive % | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| News reporting | 5–15% | Active preferred for immediacy |
| Academic essays (IELTS, TOEFL, AP) | 10–20% | Active default, passive for variety and specific purposes |
| Business communication | 10–20% | Active for clarity, passive for diplomacy |
| Scientific papers (results, discussion) | 15–25% | More active than methods sections |
| Scientific papers (methods) | 30–50% | Passive is conventional |
| Legal / regulatory documents | 40–60% | Passive focuses on rules, not agents |
| Creative writing | 5–10% | Active creates vivid, engaging prose |
| Technical documentation | 20–30% | Mixed; depends on whether steps are agent-focused |
| Persuasive / marketing | Under 10% | Active creates urgency and personal connection |
When scanning your writing, these words often signal passive constructions:
| Signal | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| was / were + -ed / -en | "was completed," "were chosen," "was written" |
| has been / have been | "has been approved," "have been selected" |
| had been | "had been established," "had been reported" |
| will be | "will be reviewed," "will be announced" |
| is being / was being | "is being investigated," "was being repaired" |
| can be / could be | "can be found," "could be improved" |
| should be / must be | "should be noted," "must be submitted" |
| "by" after a verb | "designed by," "written by," "approved by" |
| "It is" / "It was" | "It is believed," "It was decided," "It is argued" |
Not every instance of these words signals passive voice (remember the common traps from the identification guide above), but they are reliable starting points for a voice audit.
Active voice is not better than passive voice. Active voice is simply the right choice more often. The mark of a skilled writer is not the absence of passive voice but the intentional use of both voices. Every sentence should be in the voice you chose, not the voice that happened to come out first. When in doubt, choose active. When you have a clear reason, choose passive. That is all there is to it.
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