If you’ve ever received feedback that your writing feels "wordy" or "weak," the culprit is likely the Passive Voice. At Raddix, we teach you that the "voice" of your sentence determines how much energy and clarity your message carries.
Mastering the switch between Active and Passive voice is a major "power move" for both competitive exams and professional emails.
What is the Difference?
The difference lies in who is performing the action (the subject) and who is receiving it (the object).
1. Active Voice:
The Subject "Does" In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. It is direct, clear, and takes up fewer words.
● Formula: [Subject] + [Verb] + [Object] ● Example: "The manager (Subject) approved (Verb) the budget (Object)."
2. Passive Voice: The Subject "Receives"
In the passive voice, the target of the action is moved to the front. The person doing the work is either pushed to the end or omitted entirely.
● Formula: [Object] + [to be verb] + [Past Participle] + [by Subject] ● Example: "The budget (Object) was approved (Verb) by the manager (Subject)."
Why Active Voice Usually Wins?
In most professional writing, Active Voice is preferred because:
- It’s Faster: It gets straight to the point.
- It’s Stronger: It shows accountability. It’s clear who did what.
- It’s Concise: It cuts out "filler" words like was, by, and been.
When Should You Use Passive Voice?
Passive voice isn't "wrong"—it's a tool for specific situations:
● When the "doer" is unknown: "The bank was robbed." (We don't know who did it).
● When the "object" is more important: "The cure for the disease was discovered in 2024." (The cure is more important than the specific scientist).
● To be diplomatic: "Mistakes were made" sounds less accusatory than "You made a mistake."
The "Zombies" Test:
Here is a fun trick to identify passive voice: If you can add the phrase "by zombies" after the verb and the sentence still makes sense, it’s passive!
● The report was finished (by zombies). → Passive.
● I finished the report (by zombies). → Doesn't make sense (Active).
Today’s Challenge:
Take a look at the last three emails or messages you sent. Can you find one "Passive" sentence and rewrite it into "Active"?
Use the Active Voice to show leadership and clarity. Use the Passive Voice only when you want to shift the focus away from the person performing the action.