REVISED: The combination of these two elements weakens the argument.

Example: It is the combination of these two elements that makes the argument weak.

Using forms of to be (e.g., is, are, was, were) leads to wordiness.

PASSIVE VOICE: Thomas Jefferson’s support of the new Constitution was documented in a letter to James Madison.ĪCTIVE VOICE: Thomas Jefferson documented his support of the new Constitution in a letter to James Madison.PASSIVE VOICE: On April 19, 1775, arms were seized by British soldiers at Concord, precipitating the American Revolution.ĪCTIVE VOICE: On April 19, 1775, British soldiers seized arms at Concord, precipitating the American Revolution.PASSIVE VOICE: My first trip abroad is one I will always remember.ĪCTIVE VOICE: I will always remember my first trip abroad. PASSIVE VOICE: My first trip abroad will always be remembered by me.To change a sentence from passive to active voice, determine who or what performs the action, and use that person or thing as the subject of the sentence. Passive voice often creates unclear, less direct, wordy sentences, whereas active voice creates clearer, more concise sentences. In contrast, active voice produces a sentence in which the subject performs an action. Passive voice produces a sentence in which the subject receives an action. The passive voice comes in handy when the doer of the action is undetermined.

The active voice focuses on the doer of the action. The passive voice uses a linking verb followed by the past participle of the main verb. The active voice is the most common type of writing. Lastly, 'The error was corrected' (passive voice and weak verb) does not show who corrected the error or how, whereas 'I corrected the error by recalculating the figures' (active voice and action verb) shows ownership, accountability, and how you solved the problem.In most instances, put the verb in the active voice rather than in the passive voice. The active voice does not require a linking verb to make sense. Define active voice: the definition of active voice is when the subject performs the verb of a sentence. The first sentence conveys commitment and value proposition, while the second sentence sounds passive and distant. Similarly, 'We can help you achieve your goals' (active voice and action verb) is more persuasive than 'Your goals can be achieved with our help' (passive voice and weak verb). The second sentence is shorter, clearer, more engaging, and shows ownership in comparison to the first sentence. For example, 'The project was completed on time and within budget by the team' (passive voice and weak verbs) can be rewritten as 'The team completed the project on time and within budget' (active voice and action verbs). This helps to avoid ambiguity and misunderstanding, as well as demonstrate credibility and professionalism.

Additionally, it makes your writing accurate and accountable, as it shows who is responsible for the action and what the result is. It also makes your writing engaging and persuasive, as it creates a sense of energy and urgency that captures the attention of readers. For instance, it makes your writing clear and concise, eliminating superfluous words and avoiding confusion. Utilizing active voice and action verbs in your writing has many advantages.

Whats active voice