Overview
Active voice is preferred when the agent is important, the writing should be direct and personal, or the sentence would be awkward in passive. Passive voice is preferred when the agent is unknown or irrelevant, in formal or scientific writing, when the focus is on the action or result, or to maintain cohesion by keeping a topic as the sentence subject.
When to Use Active
- agent mattersEinstein discovered the theory of relativity.
- direct writingUse for clear, concise, conversational writing.
- narrativePreferred in storytelling and journalism.
- shorterActive sentences are typically shorter and punchier.
- most writingDefault choice in most writing styles.
When to Use Passive
- unknown agentMy wallet was stolen. (don't know who)
- unimportantThe data were collected over six months.
- formal writingCommon in academic, scientific, legal texts.
- topic focusKeeps the grammatical subject consistent across sentences.
- diplomaticMistakes were made — avoids assigning blame.
Overuse of Passive
- ❌ Passive overuse makes writing wordy and impersonal.
- ❌ The ball was kicked by him → ✅ He kicked the ball.
- ✅ Use passive purposefully — not to avoid naming the agent.
- ✅ Mix active and passive appropriately for varied, effective writing.
When to use
Active: Clarity
The team achieved the target ahead of schedule.
Passive: Scientific
The samples were analysed using spectroscopy.
Passive: Unknown
A new virus has been discovered in the Amazon.
Mix Both
She submitted the report. It was reviewed within 24 hours.