A Guide to Understanding and Effectively Using the Passive Voice

This handout clarifies what passive voice is, why professors discourage it, and how to revise for clarity. It addresses misunderstandings and helps writers make informed stylistic choices.

Common Myths About the Passive Voice

  • Myth 1: Grammatical error. Reality: It's a stylistic issue affecting clarity, not an error.

  • Myth 2: Any use of "to be" is passive. Reality: Passive voice needs "to be" + past participle; "to be" can describe a state of being.

  • Myth 3: Always avoids first person. Reality: Can be used in first person (e.g., "I was hit").

  • Myth 4: Never use it. Reality: Sometimes acceptable and even preferable.

  • Myth 5: Grammar checkers reliably catch it. Reality: Checkers only find a small fraction due to its stylistic nature.

Defining the Passive Voice

  • A passive construction occurs when the object of an action becomes the grammatical subject. The actor is either at the end (in a "by" phrase) or omitted.

  • Example (Passive): "Why was the road crossed by the chicken?" ("the road" is subject, "the chicken" is actor).

  • Example (Active): "Why did the chicken cross the road?" (Actor "the chicken" is subject).

Identifying the Passive Voice

  • Look for a form of "to_be" followed by a past participle.

  • Forms of "to_be": is, are, am, was, were, has been, have been, had been, will be, will have been, being.

  • Past Participles: Often end in '-ed' (e.g., 'scorched'), but can be irregular (e.g., 'paid').

  • Formula: form_of_"to_be"_+_{\tiny past_participle}_=_{\tiny passive_voice}

  • Examples: 'The metropolis has been scorched.' 'Her house was invaded.'

  • Caution: Not all sentences with 'have' or 'be' are passive.

  • How to check:

    1. Is an action occurring?

    2. Is the grammatical subject the actor or the object of the action?

    3. Does it contain a form of 'be' and a past participle?

    4. If the actor appears, is it often at the end in a 'by' phrase?

Changing Passive Constructions to Active Constructions

  • To change passive to active, place the actor (performer of the action) in the subject position at the front of the sentence.

  • Example (Passive): 'The metropolis has been scorched by the dragon’s fiery breath.'

  • Example (Active): 'The dragon has scorched the metropolis with his fiery breath.'

Why Instructors Discourage the Passive Voice: Clarity and Meaning

  • Lack of Explicit Actor: Passive voice often omits the actor, making readers guess who performed the action.

  • Imprecision/Vagueness: Leads to a lack of specific detail about who is responsible for actions.

  • Signals Sloppy Thinking: Overuse can suggest a lack of clear thought; important to use active voice in thesis statements for precision.

  • Weakens Academic Analysis: Obscures the link between authors/sources and their arguments (e.g., instead of 'It is argued,' use 'Anderson argues').

The Passive Voice in Scientific Writing

  • Some scientific writing (especially lab reports) uses passive voice for an "objective tone," avoiding first person (e.g., 'the human genome was sequenced').

  • However, many scientific journals now accept or prefer first-person active voice.

  • Active constructions can still be objective using specific verbs like 'support,' 'indicate,' 'suggest' (e.g., 'These results indicate…').

  • When reporting on scientific topics, active voice is often clearer (e.g., 'Researchers have concluded…' instead of 'Heart disease is considered…').

  • Key takeaway: Always follow your instructor's preference.

"Swindles and Perversions": Hiding Blame and Obscuring Responsibility

  • Passive voice can hide blame by omitting the actor (e.g., 'Mistakes were made'). This is a 'swindle and perversion' of language, according to George Orwell.

When the Passive Voice is Acceptable and Preferable

The passive voice is effective when:

  1. Emphasizing an Object: When the action's recipient is more important than the actor (e.g., 'One hundred votes are required to pass the bill.').

  2. De-emphasizing an Unknown/Unimportant Actor: When the actor is unknown, unimportant, or obvious (e.g., 'Over 120 different contaminants have been dumped into the river.').

  3. Actor's Identity is Irrelevant: When the audience doesn't need to know who performed the action (e.g., 'Baby Sophia was delivered at 3:30 a.m. yesterday.').

Summary of Strategies for Revision
Identify

  • Look for 'to_be' + a past participle.

  • Determine if the subject is the actor or the object of the action.

  • Check for 'by' phrases (a clue, not definitive).

Evaluate

  • Does the actor need to be specified for clarity?

  • Is the passive voice obscuring meaning or being used as a crutch (e.g., in thesis statements, plot summaries)?

  • Do you intentionally want to emphasize the object of the action?

Revise

  • If active voice is clearer, restructure the sentence to put the actor (performer) in the subject position, preceding the verb.

Towards Active Thinking and Writing

  • Clarity often improves during revision, so don't let passive voice concerns hinder initial drafting.

  • The passive voice is not grammatically 'wrong.' Make conscious, informed choices based on context, purpose, audience, and your instructor's preferences.