How can I avoid making errors in using passive voice?

Common Errors Questions Medium



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How can I avoid making errors in using passive voice?

To avoid making errors in using passive voice, there are several strategies you can employ:

1. Understand the active and passive voice: Familiarize yourself with the differences between active and passive voice constructions. Active voice emphasizes the subject performing the action, while passive voice emphasizes the object receiving the action.

2. Identify the subject and object: Clearly identify the subject and object in your sentence. The subject is the doer of the action, while the object is the receiver of the action. This will help you determine whether to use active or passive voice.

3. Use active voice when possible: Active voice is generally preferred as it is more direct and concise. Whenever the subject is known and important, use active voice to clearly attribute the action to the subject.

4. Consider the context: Passive voice is appropriate in certain situations, such as when the subject is unknown, unimportant, or when you want to shift the focus to the object. However, be cautious not to overuse passive voice, as it can make your writing less engaging.

5. Check for "to be" verbs: Passive voice often involves the use of "to be" verbs (e.g., is, are, was, were, has been, have been). Scan your sentences for these verbs and consider whether rephrasing in active voice would improve clarity and readability.

6. Rewrite and revise: After identifying passive voice constructions, rewrite the sentence in active voice whenever possible. This may involve rephrasing the sentence, changing the subject, or rearranging the sentence structure.

7. Seek feedback: Ask for feedback from peers, teachers, or writing tutors to help identify and correct any passive voice errors. Another set of eyes can often catch mistakes that you may have missed.

By following these strategies, you can minimize errors in using passive voice and improve the clarity and effectiveness of your writing.