Use Active Voice For Clarity And Impact

 

Use Active Voice For Clarity And Impact

 

Active voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. It is often contrasted with passive voice, in which the subject is acted upon by the verb. For example, “The cat chased the mouse” is in active voice, while “The mouse was chased by the cat” is in passive voice.

Using active voice can make your writing clearer and more impactful. Here are some reasons why:

1. Active voice is more concise: Using active voice can help you get to the point more quickly. In passive voice, the subject of the sentence often comes after the action, which can make the sentence longer and more convoluted. For example, “The cake was eaten by the dog” is longer than “The dog ate the cake.” This can be especially important in business writing or other contexts where brevity is valued.
2. Active voice is more direct: Active voice makes it clear who is doing what, which can be especially important in persuasive writing. If you want to convince someone to take a certain action, using active voice can make it clear that they are the one who needs to take that action. For example, “You should buy this product” is more direct than “This product should be bought by you.”
3. Active voice is more engaging: Active voice can make your writing more interesting to read. It puts the focus on the people or things doing the action, which can make your writing more lively and engaging. Passive voice can make your writing seem more distant and detached. For example, “The ball was hit by the bat” is less engaging than “The batter hit the ball.”
4. Active voice is more natural: Active voice is the way that people naturally speak and think. Using passive voice can make your writing seem stilted or awkward. For example, if you were telling a friend about a movie you saw, you wouldn’t say “The movie was enjoyed by me.” You would say “I enjoyed the movie.”
5. Active voice is more authoritative: Using active voice can make your writing seem more confident and authoritative. Passive voice can make it seem like you’re hedging your bets or trying to avoid responsibility. For example, “Mistakes were made” is a classic example of a passive construction that politicians use to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. Using active voice, such as “I made a mistake,” shows that you are willing to take responsibility for your actions.

Here are some tips for using active voice in your writing:

1. Put the subject first: In active voice, the subject of the sentence comes first. Make sure that your sentences are structured in a way that puts the subject first. For example, instead of saying “The report was written by me,” say “I wrote the report.”
2. Use strong verbs: Active voice is all about action. Use strong verbs that convey the action that is taking place. For example, instead of saying “The car was driven by him,” say “He drove the car.”
3. Avoid “to be” verbs: “To be” verbs (such as “is,” “was,” “were,” etc.) can make your writing sound passive. Try to use more active verbs instead. For example, instead of saying “The cake was delicious,” say “The cake tasted delicious.”
4. Be careful with adverbs: Adverbs can sometimes be a sign that you’re using passive voice. For example, instead of saying “The car was driven quickly,” say “He drove the car quickly.”
5. Read your writing out loud: Reading your writing out loud can help you identify passive constructions and other issues with your writing. If a sentence sounds awkward or stilted, try rephrasing it in active voice.

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