ULiveandLearn.com -

Login    Contact    Home   
November 20, 2008
 
Member Login
Join for Free
Community & Forums
Learning Centers
RSS FEEDS
Bookmark and Share
Google Custom Search
Visit our Business Writing Center at http://www.uliveandlearn.com/writingcenter/index.cfm

Business Writing Tips from The Writing Center


Using active and passive voice (2)
Jujy 19, 2007

What is the difference between active and passive voice?

Example:
Active Voice
: The man and woman deliver the report.
Passive Voice: The report is delivered by the man and woman.

Ask yourself:

  1. What is the action being performed? For example, in the active voice example above, "deliver" is the action.
  2. Who or what is performing the action? In the same example, "The man and woman" deliver.

In active voice, the subject of the sentence is the doer of the action. That's why it's called "active" voice. The subject does the acting.

In passive voice, the subject doesn't do anything; it is acted upon. In the passive example, the report does not deliver.

Or, in other words, active voice puts the doer into the "spotlight" -- in the power position at the beginning of the sentence. Passive voice puts the completed action into the spotlight.

Business writers prefer active voice. How do you change passive voice to active? We'll discuss that next week.


This edition was adapted from our Effective Business Writing Program. Previous editions may be read at http://www.uliveandlearn.com/newsletters/index.cfm.


To receive this free weekly newsletter via e-mail, go to http://www.uliveandlearn.com/userjoin.cfm and select the newsletter option.

Return now to the Business Communications Library

Home |  Help |  Who We Are |  Bookmark and Share

ABOUT SSL CERTIFICATES
Copyright © 2000 - 2008 by ULiveandLearn.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Your use of this site means that you have read and accept our terms of use.