Active Vs Passive Voice: How To Choose And Write Clearly

From your high school coursework to your very first novel, it’s one of the most commonly heard writing instructions in the world: use the active voice over the passive voice. Another way of saying this is “make sure your subjects are performing an action, rather than having an action performed on them.” But is the active voice always better than the passive voice? The answer isn’t quite so straightforward. Today at What We Writing, we’ll be leading you through the difference between active voice vs passive voice; we’ll be providing you with the best examples of both types to help you identify the difference, and run you through all you need to know about knowing which type of voice you should be using in your writing! 

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What Is Active Voice? 

In active voice writing, the subject of a sentence is performing an action. This action is represented by a verb, which is the part of speech that grounds all complete sentences. In order for a sentence to be “complete,” it needs to contain a subject and a verb, and it must express a complete idea. When a sentence’s verb is enacted by its subject, that’s when we consider it to be written in the active voice. 

Remember: someone performing something. 

Examples of the Active Voice 

Active voice sentences contain actions. Here are some examples of sentences that are written in the active voice:

• John worked on his assignment all night. 
• The judge knows that the defendant is a flight risk. 
• The politician can see the value in surveying their constituents. 
• Coach Potts will reveal this week’s formation during practice. 

As you can see, active voice verbs can occur in any tense – past tense, present tense, past perfect tense, present perfect tense, future tense, and beyond. The key here is that an active sentence contains action verbs, and that the subject of the sentence performs the action of the verb. 

What Is Passive Voice? 

Passive voice sentences contain subjects that are the objects of a sentence’s verb. They’re not the “doer” of the sentence; they are the receiver of an action. This doesn’t necessarily mean passive voice sentences don’t contain any action; they do, however, the action is not performed by the sentence’s subject. 

Examples of the Passive Voice 

In all passive sentences, the subject of the sentence has an action done upon them. Here are some quick passive voice examples: 

• Amy was persuaded to move to New York. 
• Olive has been given five options for her next assignment. 
• We were driven to the lecture hall by our teacher. 
• I will be asked to complete several physical exercises. 

Active Voice Vs Passive Voice: What’s The Real Difference 

Whilst active and passive sentences usually describe the same event, they don’t communicate it in the same way. The difference typically comes down to emphasis, clarity, and how much power you want to give the subject of the sentence. 

1. Semantic Difference (What the Sentence Means) 

At a semantic level, the key distinction is where the focus lies. 

• Active voice focuses on who is performing the action. 
• Passive voice focuses on what is being acted upon.

Both forms can represent the same action, but the central idea shifts depending on where you choose to put the spotlight. 

2. Reader Impact (How It Feels) 

Active voice typically feels: 

• Clearer 
• Faster 
• More direct
• More engaging

Passive voice tends to feel: 

• Slower
• More distant
• More formal or neutral 
• Sometimes more ambiguous 

In other words, readers connect more immediately with the active voice because the “who did what” is delivered upfront, without detours. 

3. Usefulness Difference (When Each Is More Effective) 

Neither voice is “right” or “wrong.” Both active and passive voice have their uses in different situations. 

Active voice is most useful when: 

• Clarity is the main goal
• You’re looking for energetic, accessible writing
• You need concise sentences
• You want to highlight the doer 

Passive voice is most useful when: 

• The actor is unknown (“The window was broken.”) 
• The actor doesn’t matter (“The results were recorded at 12 pm.”)
• You want to soften statements or avoid blame (“Mistakes were made.”) 
• You’re following scientific or technical conventions. 

The usefulness difference all comes from control over emphasis. 

4. Tone Difference (How It Shapes Voice and Mood) 

Tone is where the choice between active and passive voice becomes more apparent. 

Active voice creates a tone that is: 

• Confident 
• Bold 
• Direct
• Conversational 

Passive voice conjures up a tone that is:

• Neutral
• Formal 
• Restrained
• Sometimes distant or abstract

Writers can intentionally jump between the voice types to adjust the emotional texture of a sentence. 

Active Vs Passive Voice: Quick Comparison Chart 

Feature	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Main focus	The doer of the action (subject)	The receiver of the action (object)
Typical structure	Subject → Verb → Object	Object → “to be” + past principle → (optional agent)
Reader experience	Clear, direct, engaging	Formal, slower, sometimes vague
Best used when…	You want clarity and energy	The actor is unknown, irrelevant, or should be de-emphasised
Tone created	Confident and active	Neutral, impersonal, or softened
Example	“The cat chased the mouse.”	“The mouse was chased by the cat.”

How To Choose: A Decision Framework (Mini Flowchart) 

Deciding between active and passive voice doesn’t need to be complicated. In most instances, you can choose in seconds by answering a couple of simple questions. Use the framework below to pick the most effective construction for your sentence every time. 

Step 1: Is the Doer of the Action Important? 

• Yes → Use active voice. 
  • Example: “Shawn solved the issue.” 

The reader needs to know who acted. 

• No → Passive voice might be better suited. 
  • Example: “The issue was solved.” 

The focus is on the result, not the actor. 

Step 2: Is Clarity or Tone Your Priority 

For clarity, directness, and strong pacing → Use active voice. 

Active voice gives readers information faster and with fewer words. 

For a neutral, formal, or softened tone → Passive could work better.

Passive voice creates distance, removes emphasis from the actor, and feels more objective. 

Step 3: Is Responsibility Implied or Avoided? 

Sometimes, writing needs to highlight the responsible party; other times it needs to avoid assigning blame or credit. 

• To assign responsibility → Active. 

“The IT department caused the outage.” 

• To avoid responsibility or keep the actor vague → Passive. 

“An outage was caused.” 

This is why passive voice appears so frequently in politics, PR, and delicate professional communications. 

Step 4: Does the Sentence Flow Better in Active or Passive? 

Even with all the above, rhythm matters. 

Try both versions out loud. 

Opt for one that: 

• Supports your pacing
• Feels smoother in context
• Doesn’t distract the audience 

Sometimes passive voice simply sounds far more natural, particularly when the agent is long or awkward. 

Mini Flowchart 

Use this quick path to instantly land on your choice: 

1. Do you need the name of the doer of the action?

• Yes → Active voice
• No → Go to step 2 

2. Do you want maximum clarity and impact? 

• Yes → Active voice 
• No → Go to step 3

3. Should responsibility be softened, hidden, or generalised? 

• Yes → Passive voice 
• No → Go to step 4 

4. Which version reads more naturally in context? 

• The active one → Active voice 
• The passive one → Passive voice 

Interactive Section: Rewrite These Sentences 

Practice is still the best way to master voice. Here are ten passive sentences. Your task here is to try to rewrite each one in the active voice before checking the answers. This quick exercise helps train your ear to spot passive structures instinctively. 

Rewrite the Following Passive Sentences 

1. The keys were found under the sofa. 
2. The meeting was postponed by the manager. 
3. The cake was eaten before the party started. 
4. The windows were being cleaned by the maintenance team. 
5. A new policy was announced by the company. 
6. The package was delivered two days ago. 
7. The award will be presented by the leadership team. 
8. The report had been completed before the deadline.
9. The mystery was solved by the investigator. 
10. The software is being updated by the developer. 

Take a moment to rewrite them – then compare your versions to the ones below. 

Answer Key: Active Voice Versions 

These are straightforward active rewrites. Yours might differ slightly, but still be correct, provided the meaning remains the same. 

1. Someone found the keys under the sofa. 
2. The manager postponed the meeting. 
3. Someone ate the cake before the party began. 
4. The maintenance team cleaned the windows. 
5. The company announced a new policy. 
6. The courier delivered the package two days ago. 
7. The leadership team will present the award. 
8. The team completed the report before the deadline. 
9. The investigator solved the mystery. 
10. The developer is updating the software. 

FAQs 

These are some of the most commonly asked questions we’ve found online for people looking to learn the differences between active and passive voice. 

1. Is Active Voice Better than Passive Voice? 

Active voice is usually clearer, stronger, and more direct, so it’s often a better go-to for most types of writing. With that being said, passive voice isn’t “wrong.” It’s useful when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or intentionally de-emphasised, or when a more formal or neutral tone is required. 

2. Is Passive Voice Gramatically Incorrect? 

No. Passive voice is grammatically correct and widely used across the English language. Issues only crop up when it makes sentences wordy, vague, or confusing. When used with intention, passive voice can actually improve clarity in certain situations (especially academic, scientific, and technical writing). 

3. How can I Avoid Passive Voice? 

To avoid passive constructions: 

• Identify forms of “to be” + a past principle
• Rewrite the sentence so that the subject performs the action
• Name the doer of the action when it matters 
• Opt for shorter, more direct sentence structures 

Tools like Hemingway, ProWritingAid, and Grammarly are all lifesavers when it comes to spotting passive voice. 

4. Why do Teachers tell Students not to use Passive Voice? 

Teachers often steer away from passive voice because beginner writers often use it accidentally, leading to unclear or overly formal sentences. The goal here is to develop strong writing habits by prioritising clarity and directness. Once students understand the difference between active voice vs passive voice, the latter just becomes another tool to use intentionally. 

5. Can Passive Voice be used in Academic Writing? 

Absolutely, and it often is! Academic writing often prioritises objectivity and process over personal involvement, which makes passive voice extremely useful. For example, “The samples were heated to 90 degrees” emphasises the method rather than the researcher. Most modern style guides, however, now encourage a blend of active and passive for clearer writing. 

6. How do I know when to use Passive Voice? 

Use passive voice when: 

• The actor is unknown
• The actor doesn’t matter
• You want to shift focus to the result 
• You’re describing procedures or processes 
• You need a neutral or softened tone

If none of these apply, active voice might be the better shout to use. 

7. Does Passive Voice Make Writing Weaker? 

Not inherently. Passive voice might make writing when it’s used carelessly, but when it’s used with intention, it creates emphasis, suspense, or neutrality. Weakness comes from overuse, rather than the voice itself. 

8. Why does Passive Voice Sound more Formal? 

Passive voice removes emphasis from the subject and places focus on the action or the object. This creates an emotional distance, which naturally feels more formal, bureaucratic, or academic. Active voice sounds more conversational because it reflects the way we speak in everyday life. 

9. Can Passive Voice be used in Storytelling?

Definitely! Fiction and creative nonfiction use passive voice for: 

• Suspense (“The door opened slowly…”) 
• Mystery (hiding who acted) 
• Atmosphere and mood 
• Varying sentence rhythm 

The key here is moderation – too much passive voice slows pacing. 

10. Should I Rewrite Every Passive Sentence? 

Nope. Passive voice is only an issue when it reduces clarity or hides essential information. If a passive sentence communicates your message clearly and fits the tone, there’s no need for you to change it. 

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Check Out Our Guide On How To Self-Edit Like A Pro

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Wrap Up 

Understanding the difference between active voice vs passive voice isn’t all about memorising rules – it’s about learning how to shape emphasis, clarity, and tone with intention. Active voice provides your writing with energy and directness, whereas passive voice provides neutrality, subtlety and flexibility. Both forms are essential tools, and the best writers know when to use each of them. 

By recognising the patterns of passive voice, practising rewrites, and using the quick decision framework in this guide, you can make confident choices sentence by sentence. Whether it’s fiction, fine-tuning academic work, writing a blog post, or improving your business communication, your ability to choose the right voice is sure to sharpen your message. 

In the end, mastering voice isn’t about avoiding passive sentences – it’s about using both actively and purposefully to conjure the cleanest, most effective writing for your audience.