Common mistake Passive voice

Passive voice

Introduction

Using passive voice is a common mistake that many people make when writing. It can make your writing unclear and hard to follow. In this article, I will explain what passive voice is and why it is important to avoid it whenever possible. I will also provide tips on how to identify and fix passive voice in your writing.

What is passive voice?

Passive voice is a grammatical construction where the subject of a sentence is the recipient of the action, rather than the doer of the action. In other words, the subject is being acted upon, rather than doing the action.

For example:

Active voice: John baked a cake.
Passive voice: The cake was baked by John.

In the active voice sentence, John is the subject and he is doing the action of baking the cake. In the passive voice sentence, the cake is the subject and it is being acted upon.

Why should you avoid passive voice?

While passive voice is not always incorrect, it is generally best to avoid using it whenever possible. Here are a few reasons why:

Clarity: Passive voice can make your writing less clear and harder to understand. It often leads to wordy and convoluted sentences.
Brevity: Passive voice often requires more words to express the same idea. By using active voice, you can make your writing more concise and to the point.
Engagement: Active voice is generally more engaging and dynamic. It puts the focus on the subject performing the action, making your writing more interesting to read.
Impact: Active voice can help you make your writing more persuasive and impactful. It allows you to present your ideas more assertively and directly.

How to identify passive voice?

Identifying passive voice in your writing can be tricky, but there are some telltale signs to look out for:

Look for the use of "be" verbs (is, are, was, were, etc.) followed by a past participle verb. For example: is eaten, were written, has been destroyed.
Check if the subject of the sentence is being acted upon, rather than doing the action.

How to fix passive voice?

If you notice passive voice in your writing, there are several ways to fix it:

Identify the doer of the action and make it the subject of the sentence.
Rewrite the sentence in active voice, using the doer of the action as the subject.
Remove or replace any "be" verbs with more active verbs.
Consider whether the passive construction is necessary. In some cases, it may be appropriate to use passive voice.

Linguix grammar checker: To help you identify and correct passive voice in your writing, you can rely on the Linguix grammar checker. It can quickly and accurately detect passive voice and provide suggestions on how to rephrase your sentences in active voice.

Passive voice mistake examples

Correct:
It is also thought that tests are satisfactory.
Correct:
On 31 May 2013, it was announced that Andorra intended to legislate for the...
Correct:
While it was previously thought that the heavier alkali metals also...
Correct:
While it was not always generally thought that the the tests are...
Correct:
It is long known that aquifers in areas as diverse as northern...
Correct:
...guests made the confusion indescribable when it was found that scarcely anything of the costly building...
Correct:
It is disambiguated that text.
Correct:
We think that tests are satisfactory.
Correct:
It is possible that the sky is blue.
Correct:
It are thought that the sky is blue.
Correct:
When it was put that clearly, I was at a loss for a response.

Correct:
He is said to have been happy.
Correct:
He is said to have not always been happy.
Correct:
He is not thought to have been happy.
Correct:
He was not generally thought to have been happy.
Correct:
... by a litigation-funded study that has since been shown to have been 'an elaborate fraud'.
Correct:
Cult films have been falsely claimed to have been banned to increase their...
Correct:
Such mixtures are commonly thought to have first been prepared by Indian merchants for sale to...
Correct:
People said that he was happy.

Correct:
He is said to be happy.
Correct:
They were not usually considered to be satisfactory.
Correct:
... forming the negative hydride ion, and is very occasionally considered to be a halogen on that basis.
Correct:
Premature births and stillbirths are generally not considered to be miscarriages although...
Correct:
The complexity of an algorithm is usually taken to be its worst-case complexity, unless specified ...
Correct:
People say that he is happy.
Correct:
Let's find out what time we're supposed to be there.
Correct:
Rules are made to be broken.
Correct:
There's got to be another way.
Correct:
That's got to be a good sign.
Correct:
But serious music was never meant to be soporific.
Correct:
The aggressors are bound to be defeated.
Correct:
She was pleased to be treated as a guest.
Correct:
He is very confused to be in this situation.

Correct:
He insisted that red should be used by the designers.
Correct:
She suggests the designers might not always be considered the experts (by the managers), and that other people have much to offer.
Correct:
He insisted that the designers should use red.
Correct:
If he insists that red be used, then use red.

Correct:
By now, the work will have been completed by the engineers.
Correct:
Her work will not have been finished by tonight.
Correct:
Are you sure the carpets will not already have been cleaned?
Correct:
By now, the engineers will have completed the work.
Correct:
I think she will have been pleased by the admiration she received.
Correct:
We will have been married for ten years on this day next week.

Correct:
A cake is being baked by him.
Correct:
Tests are also usually being done during the night.
Correct:
Those engineers were unfortunately not actually being considered by management for the project.
Correct:
Instruments are played by her.
Correct:
Instruments were played in most cultures.
Correct:
Instruments are not always played well.
Correct:
John was given a very large book with a green cover by her.
Correct:
The mined ore is washed, crushed, classified, and separated from quartz.
Correct:
... fried meat and fried cheese are very often eaten for lunch and served in most typical restaurants.
Correct:
Many of Earth's contemporary religions are shown to still exist
Correct:
He is baking a cake.
Correct:
Tom and Mary were drunk and they both said some things they shouldn't have.
Correct:
One throws a right-handed boomerang with the wind on one's left cheek.
Correct:
The "left hand opponent" is the player to one's left who cannot defend on the right.
Correct:
It's no use thinking about one's lost youth.
Correct:
One who listens to one's recorded voice has the sensation of listening to a stranger.
Correct:
Fadil's past quickly caught up.

Correct:
We have been warned about the strong winds on the coast.
Correct:
All of these have been absorbed into the mestiço population.

Linguix Browser extension

Fix your writing
on millions of websites

Get Started For Free Watch how it works

Related mistakes from category Style

transitive verb 'occasion' is very formal to be able to + 'passive voice' 'also' at the end of the sentence Style: 'possible' after 'possibility' Readability: Three nouns in a row Word order: 'Hopefully' starting a sentence Number starting a sentence Sentence starting with 'And' or 'But' irregardless (regardless) an invite (invitation)