Friday Feature (on Sunday!): Passive Voice

[supercheesegirl]

What’s So Bad About the Passive Voice, Anyway?

The quick answer: lots.

This feature will explain what passive voice is and give tips and tricks for how to recognize (and change) the passive voice in writing. We’ll also discuss the times when passive voice might actually be a desirable technique to use.

Comments

[orion117]

Very well done. I also understand transitive and intransitive sentences better.

I took a technical writing course about fifteen years ago as part of an engineering major, and the instructor did stress the importance of using the active voice. It is something I still have to work to avoid, though. I think we have all been conditioned to "hear" the passive voice as more official, and more impartial, as you pointed out. It's easier to fall into the trap of "More words must equal smarter."

[deaka]

Very interesting, thanks!