Active and Passive Voices

1
Active and Passive Voices
2
Passive Voice

• The passive voice emphasizes the action being
  performed rather than the person doing the action
  
• The passive voice has two main uses
• To present ideas objectively
• (Showing that the results are more important than
  the person doing the work)
• The surveys were tabulated.
• To avoid using names or assigning blame
• An unfortunate error has occurred.

3
Construction of passive voice sentences

• They begin with a thing rather than a person
• They use a two-word verb
• is or was followed by a past-tense verb
• They sometimes end with a phrase starting with
  by that identifies the doer of the action
• All expenses were approved by the CEO.

4
Active Voice

• The active voice is preferred for most type of
  business writing because it is shorter, more
  personal, and more forceful
• In active voice sentences, the subject of the
  verb performs the action
• I heated the solution
• You made a mistake

5
Exercise

• Instructions
• Decide whether each of the following sentences
  uses the active or passive voice
• Then decide whether it should be changed from one
  to the other. Be prepared to justify your answer
• When necessary, write down the revised version
• The first one is done for you

6
Sample Answer

• The new procedure is thought to be superior by
  the president.
• Active Voice ? Passive Voice
• It should be written in the active voice
• The president thinks the new procedure is
  superior

7
Exercise

• I left the window open last night and killed all
  the plants.
• Verification of passwords must be done on a daily
  basis by security personnel.
• The observer saw the needle on the gauge jump
  into the red zone at the same time the circuit
  overloaded.
• I cannot approve your loan until you have
  provided us with collateral.
• We made a major error by spelling our clients
  name wrong in the report.
• The editing of the financial reports was done
  over the weekend by the accountant.

8
Exercise (continued)

• You failed to submit the application before the
  due date
• We should not have ordered a separate phone line
  for each person in the office.
• It was suggested by the project manager that
  construction schedules be revised to take
  advantage of the unusually warm weather.
• We must delay filling your order because of
  problems with our supplier.
• You must send an additional payment of 12 so
  that we can process your order.
• The software was installed incorrectly on your
  computer.