Even in scientific writing, overuse of passive voice or use of passive voice in long and complicated sentences can cause readers to lose interest or to become confused. Sentences in active voice are generally--though not always-- clearer and more direct than those in passive voice. passive (...
Passive voice is also sometimes useful infiction writing. For example, if you were writing a mystery novel and you wanted to highlight missing cookies because they are central to the story, passive voice is the best option. It would make more sense to write, “The cookies were stolen,” i...
People love to tell others what to do with their voice: “Lower your voice,” or “Save your voice.” And one suggestion that causes a lot of confusion is: “When faced with active voice vs. passive voice in your writing, use your active voice when possible.” My active voice? Not m...
Rhodes,S.The Active and Passive Voice are Equally Comprehensible in Scientific Writing. . 1997The Active and Passive Voice are Equally Comprehensible in Scientific Writing. Rhodes,S. . 1997Rhodes, S. (1997). The Active and Passive Voice are Equally Comprehensible in Scientific Writing. UMI, A ...
Although it’s commonly suggested to avoid passive voice in writing in favor of active voice, there are times when passive voice is the best choice. Most times, active voice is optimal. Whether you’re crafting a compelling narrative, presenting scientific findings, or composing a business ...
Scientific papers will often use the passive voice because it is obvious that scientists or researchers are the ones performing actions. When shifting the focus of a sentence: The pyramids were built by the ancient Egyptians vs. The ancient Egyptians built the pyramids. When a subject does ...
Activevs.PassiveVoice •Asentenceiswrittenintheactivevoicewhen:•Thesubjectofthesentenceperformstheaction.•Theperson/thingperformingtheactionisnamedbeforetheverb.EXAMPLE:Mygrandfathertookmetomyfirsthorseshow.NOT:Iwastakentomyfirsthorseshowbymygrandfather.2 Anotherexample •Activevoice:Mymothertaughtmeto...
When is a good time to use the passive voice in scientific writing? Read the article "The Value of the Passive Voice" to learn more. Sources Watson JD, Crick FHC. Molecular structure of nucleic acids.Nature.1953;171:737-738. Iverson C, Christiansen S, Flanagin A, et al.AMA Manual of...
Active vs passive voice: finally understand the difference! It’s not a big secret that passive voice is typically considered bad form. Sentences in the active voice are often stronger, clearer, and more direct; they can make your writing feel — surprise, surprise — more active. But this ...
passive voice still has a place. For example, scientific writing often relies on passive voice to evoke a sense of subjectivity and authority. Also, passive voice allows a writer to emphasize the action rather than the actor. The key to writing with the right style is making deliberate choices...