Active vs Passive Voice | Difference Between Active and Passive Voice

Active and passive voices are a way of expressing the same sentence. The subject performs the verb’s action in the active voice, and the subject receives the verb’s action in the passive voice. Depending on the circumstances, both the active and passive voices have specific uses and can be utilized to express information better way.

Difference Between Active and Passive Voice

Meaning of Active Voice

Active Voice is a type of writing that represents when the subject performs the action indicated by the verb and takes the object directly. The subject is the person or thing about whom we are speaking, and the object is the person or thing towards whom the given action is directed. In an active voice, the subject is expressed as an agent of the main verb as it performs the action indicated by the verb.

Meaning of Passive Voice

Passive Voice is a writing style in which, instead of emphasizing the subject, we emphasized the action, i.e. the verb and its object. Passive voice is also appropriate when the actor is unknown or unimportant, or when you wish to emphasize the person or item on which the action occurred. It can also be used when discussing a universal fact or truth.

Difference between Active and Passive voice

When it comes to writing, understanding the difference between active and passive voice is crucial to learn. The choice between these two can significantly impact the clarity and effectiveness of any sentence. In this composition, we’ll delve into the distinctions between active and passive voice, explore their uses, and give examples to help you grasp these concepts more effectively.

Active Voice
Active voice places the subject of a sentence as the doer of the action. It provides a straightforward and direct way of expressing ideas. Then is an example

Active Voice ” The dog chased the ball.”

In this sentence, the subject ” dog” performs the action ” chased” which gives the judgment a more energetic and engaging tone. Active voice is generally used in different forms of writing, similar to storytelling, persuasive essays, and instructional guides.

Passive Voice
Passive voice, on the other hand, shifts the focus from the doer of the action to the recipient or the affected reality. It frequently involves using a form of the verb” to be” followed by the one participle of the main verb. Consider the following illustration

Passive Voice ” The ball was chased by the dog”.

Then, the subject ” ball” receives the action ” was chased”, and the doer of the action( the dog) is either not mentioned or placed in a prepositional expression(” by the dog”). Passive voice is useful when the doer is unknown, less important, or when you want to emphasize the recipient of the action. It’s often found in scientific papers, formal reports, and when discussing processes or general truths.

Active Voice	Passive Voice
In active voice, the subject performs the action.	In passive voice, the subject receives the action.
The subject comes first in the sentence.	The subject comes after the action or at the end of the sentence.
The sentence is usually shorter and more direct.	The sentence is usually longer and more complex.
The tone is more assertive and straightforward.	The tone is more neutral or passive.
The focus is on the doer of the action.	The focus is on the action itself.

Converting Passive Voice to Active Voice

you can convert a passive voice sentence to an active voice to make it more attractive and direct. To do this, just identify the recipient of the action and make it the subject of the sentence. Let’s revise the previous example

Passive Voice” The ball was chased by the dog.”
Active Voice” The dog chased the ball.”

By changing to active voice, the revised sentence becomes more dynamic and places emphasis on the subject ” dog” as the doer of the action. However, remember that not all passive constructions can be easily converted to active voice, especially when the doer is unknown or intentionally omitted.

Usage of Active Voice 

Active voice is used when the subject is the doer of the action, and the sentence is focused on the subject’s action.

Usage of Passive Voice 

Passive voice is used when the subject is the receiver of the action, and the sentence is focused on the action.

Examples

1. Active Voice: John wrote the book.
   Passive Voice: The book was written by John.
2. Active Voice: She ate the cake.
   Passive Voice: The cake was eaten by her.
3. Active Voice: The dog chased the cat.
   Passive Voice: The cat was chased by the dog.

Rules for Active and passive voice

The placement of the subject, verb, and object determines if a sentence is active or passive.

• Active Voice: subject + verb + object
• Passive Voice: object + to be + past participle verb + subject (optional)

Interchanging the object and subject determines if a sentence is active or passive.

• Active Voice: The dog (subject) jumped over the fence (object).
• Passive Voice: The fence (object) was jumped over by the dog (subject).

The subject does not need to be directly identified when using passive voice.

• Passive Voice: The fire was extinguished in less than an hour.

The verb form can determine if a sentence is active or passive.

• Active Voice: He ate (past tense verb) the entire cake by himself.
• Passive Voice: The entire cake was eaten (past participle) by himself.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the active and passive voices are two different ways of expressing the same sentence, each with its own specific uses. In general, the active voice is more straightforward and assertive, while the passive voice is more neutral and complex. It is essential to use the appropriate voice depending on the context and what information is being conveyed.

FAQs on Active and Passive Voice 

Q1.  How do I identify the passive voice in a sentence?

Answer- Passive voice can be identified by the presence of the verb form “to be” (e.g., is, am, are, was, were, has been, have been) followed by the past participle before the verb. For example, in the sentence” The book was written by the author,” “was written” is the passive construction.

Q2. Is it always wrong to use passive voice?

Answer- No, it is not always wrong to use a passive voice.  Passive voice has its uses and can be effective in specific surrounds. though, it’s generally recommended to use active voice whenever possible, as it frequently makes writing clearer, more direct, and more engaging.

Q3.  Does using passive voice make writing weaker?

Answer- Passive voice can make writing appear weaker or less engaging because it can be wordy and vague. Active voice, on the other hand, is generally more direct and concise, which makes it stronger and more engaging. still, there are cases where passive voice is appropriate and necessary, so it’s important to use both constructions appropriately.