Active and Passive Voice

In sentences written in active voice, the subject performs the action expressed in the verb; the subject acts.

Passive Voice / Active Voice
The boy was bitten by the dog. / The dog bit the boy.
Research will be presented by Maxie at the conference. / Maxiewill present her research at the conference.
Experiments have been conducted to test the hypothesis. (agent performing action is omitted) / Scientists have conducted experiments to test the hypothesis.
I am reminded of watching a movie or TV by watching a framed, mobile world through a car’s windshield. / Watching a framed, mobile world through a car’s windshield reminds me of watching a movie or TV.

Effects of the passive voice:

CONS: Awkwardness, Wordiness, Flat/uninteresting tone

PROS: impersonalappears objective for scientific/historical writing

Passive voice uses forms of “be” in verb phrases: am, is was, were, are, been, being.

Sentences in active voice are generally clearer and more direct than those in passive voice.

Passive Voice—Indirect / Active Voice—Direct
The entrance exam was failed by over one-third of the applicants to the school. / Over one-third of the applicants to the school failed the entrance exam.
The brakes were slammed on by her as the car sped downhill. / She slammed on the brakes as the car sped downhill.
Your bicycle has been damaged.
(agent omitted) / I have damaged your bicycle.

Sentences in active voice are also more concise (less wordy) than those in passive voice.

Passive Voice—More Wordy / Active Voice—More Concise
Action on the bill is being considered by the committee. / The committee is considering action on the bill.
By then, the soundtrack will have been completely remixed by the sound engineers. / By then, the sound engineers will have completely remixed the soundtrack.

Changing Passive to Active Voice

To change from passive to active voice, find the agent or source of action—consider who or what is doing the action expressed in the verb. Make the agent the subject of the sentence, and change the verb to fit the sentence. If there is no explicit agent, you will have to infer the agent from the surrounding sentences.

Passive Voice / Agent (or source) / Changed to Active Voice
The book is being read by most of the class. / Most of the class / Most of the class is reading the book.
Results will be published in the next issue of the journal. / Agent not specified; “the researchers” are likely agents / The researchers will publish their results in the next issue of the journal.
A policy of whitewashing and cover-up has been pursued by the CIA director and his close advisors. / The CIA director and his close advisors / The CIA director and his close advisors have pursued a policy of whitewashing and cover-up.
Mistakes were made. / Agent not specified; “we” could be likely agents / We made mistakes.

Original source: Online Writing Lab—PurdueUniversity

Rewrite these passive sentences into the active voice.

  1. The adult was tackled by the mugger.

______

  1. The puppy was knocked over by the skateboarder.

______

  1. On Thursday, a speech will be given by Michael.

______

  1. The student was totally confused by her Algebra teacher.

______

  1. Great films have been written by actors.

______