Passive and Active Voice Some professors may ask you to avoid writing in the passive voice, but how can you make it active? You may find the answer surprisingly easy. Check out this quick guide to become a master of passive and active voice.
What is the difference?
The difference between passive and active voice is determined by the structure of the sentence. A passive sentence structure begins with the object, whomever or whatever is receiving the action. In contrast, an active sentence structure introduces the subject, the person or thing performing the action, first.
Passive Voice Sentence
Use the Rearrange Rule
The innovative study was conducted by four researchers from different universities. In this sentence, the study, the object, comes before the main verb and the researchers who conducted the study, the subjects.
Active Voice Sentence Four researchers from different universities conducted the innovative study. The active version of the same sentence places the subject before the main verb and the object. In this new active voice version of the sentence, the was and by are no longer needed, creating a more concise sentence!
Tips to Remember: Check for passive voice by looking for the word by and to be verbs - is, are, am, was, were. Rearrange your subject and object to change your sentence from passive to active. Make sure who or what is doing the action comes before the main verb of your sentence. Review your entire paper to make you are writing in the active voice throughout.
When the Rearrange Rule doesn't work Sometimes, passive voice sentences do not identify the subject at all, so there us not enough information to rearrange. To address these instances of passive voice, you must add the subject, the person or thing performing the action of the sentence. Review the example below.
Passive Voice Sentence Results of the twenty interviews have been organized to reveal changes in clinical best practices. In this sentence, there is no subject. We do not know who organized the data, so we cannot use the rearranging rule.
Active Voice Sentence Dr. Marlo organized the results of the twenty interviews to reveal changes in clinical best practices. The active version of the same sentence names the subject, Dr. Marlo, before the main verb.