What is active voice and how does it differ from passive voice?

Active voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. In other words, the subject is the doer of the action. For example, in the sentence "John ate the apple," the subject "John" is performing the action of eating the apple.

On the other hand, passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of a sentence receives the action expressed by the verb. In passive voice, the subject is not the doer of the action but rather the receiver or the object of the action. For example, in the sentence "The apple was eaten by John," the subject "the apple" is receiving the action of being eaten by John.

The main difference between active and passive voice lies in the focus of the sentence. Active voice emphasizes the doer of the action, while passive voice emphasizes the receiver or the object of the action. Active voice is generally more direct, concise, and preferred in most writing situations as it provides clarity and a stronger sense of responsibility. Passive voice, on the other hand, is often used when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or intentionally being kept hidden.

In terms of sentence structure, active voice follows a subject-verb-object pattern, where the subject is the doer of the action, the verb expresses the action, and the object receives the action. Passive voice, however, follows a different pattern, with the object of the active sentence becoming the subject of the passive sentence, the verb being changed to a form of "be" plus the past participle of the main verb, and the doer of the action (if mentioned) appearing as a prepositional phrase introduced by "by."

It is important to note that while active voice is generally preferred, there are certain situations where passive voice is more appropriate or necessary. These include instances where the doer of the action is unknown, irrelevant, or intentionally being avoided, or when the focus is on the object or the result of the action rather than the doer. However, it is advisable to use passive voice sparingly and only when it serves a specific purpose in the context of the writing.