Active vs Passive Voice: When and Why to Use Each

To write better, you need to understand how sentences work. One big choice is using active or passive voice. Both can be good. But knowing when to use each one makes your writing clearer. Before you get to the differences, check out the new live casino with the latest slot games online.

What Is Active Voice?

Active voice means the person or thing in the sentence is doing something. It’s clear, simple, and easy to follow.

Example: The dog chased the ball.

Here, the dog is doing the chasing. That makes it active voice. We use this kind of sentence all the time when we talk. It sounds natural, like regular conversation.

What Is Passive Voice?

In passive voice, the subject isn’t doing anything; it’s the one getting acted on. The person or thing doing the action usually comes at the end of the sentence, or sometimes it’s left out completely.

Example: The ball was chased by the dog.

Here, the sentence is more about the ball than the dog. It sounds more distant or formal. Passive sentences usually use a form of “to be” (like was, were, is, or are) plus a verb in the past tense (like chased, built, or written).

Why Active Voice Is Often Better

Active voice makes writing stronger. It’s bold. It’s clear.

Compare these:

• The report was written by Sarah.
• Sarah wrote the report.

Which one sounds more direct? The second. Readers don’t have to guess who did what. That’s why active voice works well in most writing: essays, blogs, resumes, and emails. It keeps your message sharp.

When Passive Voice Makes Sense

Now, don’t throw passive voice in the trash. It has its place. Here’s why you might use it:

• The person doesn’t matter: The roads are cleaned every morning.
• You want to focus on the result, not the doer: The vaccine was developed in record time.

It’s also common in scientific or formal writing, where the focus is on process or outcome.

How to Spot Passive Voice

Want a quick trick? Look for the word “by” and forms of “to be” (is, was, were, are, etc.). If you see something like “was done by” or “is made by,” you probably have passive voice.

Example: The cake was eaten by the children.

Try switching it to active: The children ate the cake. It’s simply stronger and simpler.

Rewrite Practice: Active or Passive?

Which sounds better?

• The homework was completed by the student.
• The student completed the homework.

The second one feels more alive. That’s active voice working its magic.

• A new policy was introduced by the company last month.
• The company introduced a new policy last month.

Again, the second is clearer and flows better.

A Rule of Thumb

Use active voice unless you have a good reason not to. If you want your writing to feel natural, start with active voice. Then switch to passive only when it adds value, like when the focus should be on the result, not the person.

How It Impacts Your Reader

When you’re giving instructions or telling a story, active voice pulls readers in. It keeps them engaged. Passive voice can create distance. It can make writing feel cold or slow. Too much of it? Your reader might drift off.

• Active voice: She launched her first business at 19.

We admire her.

• Passive voice: The first business was launched by her at age 19.

Feels formal and less exciting.

In School Writing: Mix With Purpose

Teachers often say, “Avoid passive voice.” But really, the key is balance. Use active voice to stay clear. Use passive voice when it fits the tone or goal. Example in an essay: The poem was written in the 1800s. (Passive is fine—it highlights the timeline.) But if you’re explaining the poet’s intent? Emily Dickinson wrote the poem to express solitude. (Active is better here.)

Use Active Voice in Resumes

Want your resume to pop? Stick to active voice.

• Weak: Responsibilities included managing customer accounts.
• Strong: Managed customer accounts and improved satisfaction by 20%.

Action verbs make a big difference. They show ownership and impact.

Passive Voice in News and Headlines

News writers sometimes use passive voice to stay neutral.

Example: A decision was made to close the school.

Why passive? It softens the blame or keeps the subject hidden. But this works only in specific contexts.

A Quick Table to Help You

Active Voice	Passive Voice
The chef cooked dinner	Dinner was cooked by the chef
They fixed the bug	The bug was fixed
She painted the wall	The wall was painted
The team won the match	The match was won by the team