Although we usually speak in active voice, many of us shift into passive voice when writing.  Although not always incorrect, writing in passive voice can cause confusion. Using active voice will keep your message lively and specific.

The technical details

In passive voice, the subject receives the action of a transitive verb. The focus is on the action rather than who performed that action. Consider this witty example from UNC’s The Writing Center:

Why was the road crossed by the chicken?

The object (the road) is the subject of the sentence. The action (crossing of said road) gets more attention than does the chicken. Yet it is the chicken who is doing the action.

But don’t mistake “active voice” to mean either (a) there has to be all kinds of action in the sentence, or (b) active voice is always superior to passive voice.

Voice in Business Writing

In your business communications you want your reader to read and to understand.

Passive voice tends result in long sentences with the main point at the end. This makes your reader have to “work” to find the sense of the sentence.  Readers might either stop reading or not grasp your meaning. If the reader is your customer, the less work they have to do, the better.

Here is a sentence from a technical manual I was asked to edit:

With the exception of copying within fair use principles, the copying and reprinting this manual, either partially or in entirety, or translating it into another language without the consent of Incognito Co. is strictly prohibited.

If I re-write this into active voice, we’ll see the point sooner:

Incognito Co. prohibits copying and reprinting this manual, either partially or in entirety, or translating it into another language without consent, with the exception of copying within fair use principles.

Too often, passive voice doesn’t clarify who is responsible:

These standards appear comparable, but there are differences that should be considered and reconciled before the production process.

Who is to do this considering? Who is to do the reconciling? Do you mean:

….there are differences that Clara and her team must consider and reconcile before the production process.

or do you mean…

….there are differences that Clara and her team must consider and than relay to Tom for reconciliation before the production process.

Passive Isn’t All Bad

Passive voice has its uses, such as:

• When the object is indeed the subject: The buzzer sounds when entry is detected.

In active voice, this would be When someone enters the building, the buzzer sounds. But if your point is that the buzzer sounds, passive voice works best.

• When you are disinclined to reveal the actor, such as when writing an apology to a client:

You could say Pablo forget to get the check to the mail room on time, your active voice throwing Pablo under the proverbial bus.

Instead, use passive voice, The check missed the afternoon mail run, to keep the spotlight off poor guilty Pablo.  You’ve probably already talked to him in a very active voice.