By Itunu Taiwo | BuildWithWords Academy
If your writing feels weak, unclear, or overly complicated, the problem might not be your vocabulary or your grammar. And no, I’m not referring to your writing style or personality. I’m talking about active voice vs. passive voice, one of the most important (but often misunderstood) concepts in English writing.
Understanding the difference between active and passive voice can transform your writing from confusing and awkward to clear and powerful. And once you learn when to use each one, you’ll immediately notice your essays, emails, and stories becoming sharper and more engaging.
Let me show you how.
What Is Voice in Writing?
In grammar, “voice” refers to the relationship between the subject (who/what is doing the action) and the verb (the action itself).
There are two voices in English:
- Active Voice – The subject performs the action
- Passive Voice – The subject receives the action
Let’s break that down with examples.
Active Voice: The Subject Does the Action
In active voice, the subject of the sentence is the doer of the action.
Formula: Subject + Verb + Object
Examples:
“I wrote the essay.”
- Subject: I
- Verb: wrote
- Object: the essay
- Who did the writing? I did. (Clear!)
“The teacher graded the exams.”
- Subject: The teacher
- Verb: graded
- Object: the exams
- Who graded? The teacher. (Clear!)
“Amara opened the door.”
- Subject: Amara
- Verb: opened
- Object: the door
- Who opened it? Amara. (Clear!)
Notice: In each sentence, we know immediately who did what. The writing is direct, clear, and strong.
Passive Voice: The Subject Receives the Action
In passive voice, the subject of the sentence is the receiver of the action, not the doer.
Formula: Object + form of “to be” + past participle + (by + Subject)
Examples:
❌ “The essay was written by me.”
- Subject: The essay
- Verb: was written
- By whom? Me
- Who did the writing? Me. But the sentence focuses on the essay, not the writer.
❌ “The exams were graded by the teacher.”
- Subject: The exams
- Verb: were graded
- By whom? The teacher
- The focus is on the exams, not the teacher.
❌ “The door was opened by Amara.”
- Subject: The door
- Verb: was opened
- By whom? Amara
- The focus is on the door, not Amara.
Notice: These sentences feel longer, more complicated, and less direct. The reader has to work harder to figure out who’s doing what.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| I wrote the essay. | The essay was written by me. |
| The teacher graded the exams. | The exams were graded by the teacher. |
| Amara opened the door. | The door was opened by Amara. |
| The government approved the policy. | The policy was approved by the government. |
| Students completed the assignment. | The assignment was completed by students. |
Which sounds clearer? Stronger? More direct?
Active voice. Every time.
Why Active Voice Is Stronger
1. It’s More Direct
Active voice tells you immediately who did what.
✅ “The company hired me.” (Clear, confident)
❌ “I was hired by the company.” (Awkward, wordy)
2. It’s More Concise
Active voice uses fewer words to say the same thing.
✅ “She solved the problem.” (4 words)
❌ “The problem was solved by her.” (6 words)
3. It’s More Engaging
Active voice keeps the reader focused on the action and the doer.
✅ “The students protested the decision.” (Dynamic, powerful)
❌ “The decision was protested by the students.” (Flat, distant)
4. It Sounds More Confident
Active voice shows ownership of actions.
✅ “I made a mistake.” (Takes responsibility)
❌ “A mistake was made.” (Avoids responsibility)
How to Spot Passive Voice
Passive voice sentences usually have:
- A form of “to be” (is, are, was, were, been, being) + past participle (verb ending in -ed, -en, etc.)
- “By” + the doer (though sometimes the doer is left out entirely)
Examples:
- The book was written by the author. (passive)
- The report was completed. (passive—doer not even mentioned!)
- The students were taught by the teacher. (passive)
Quick Test: Can you add “by zombies” after the verb and still have a grammatically correct sentence?
- The book was written by zombies. ✅ (Grammatically correct = passive voice!)
- “The author wrote the book by zombies.” ❌ (Doesn’t work = active voice!)
When to Use Passive Voice
I know what you’re thinking: “If active voice is better, why does passive voice even exist?”
Good question. Passive voice does have its place. Use it when:
1. The Doer Is Unknown
✅ “My phone was stolen.”
(You don’t know who stole it, so passive voice works here.)
2. The Doer Is Unimportant
✅ “The bridge was built in 1995.”
(We care about the bridge and when it was built, not necessarily who built it.)
3. You Want to Emphasize the Action, Not the Doer
✅ “The president was elected by a wide margin.”
(Focus is on the president and the election result, not the voters.)
4. You Want to Sound Formal or Objective (Academic/Scientific Writing)
✅ “The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions.”
(Common in scientific writing to sound objective.)
5. You’re Avoiding Blame or Responsibility (Political/Corporate Language)
❌ “Mistakes were made.” (Classic avoidance tactic)
(Notice how this sounds evasive? That’s intentional. Politicians and corporations use passive voice to dodge accountability.)
Common Passive Voice Writers Make
Mistake 1: Overusing Passive Voice in Essays
Many writers write entire essays in passive voice because they think it sounds “more formal” or “more academic.”
❌ “The topic will be discussed by me. Various points will be analyzed. Conclusions will be drawn.”
This is exhausting to read! It’s wordy, impersonal, and boring.
✅ “I will discuss the topic, analyze various points, and draw conclusions.”
Much better! Active, clear, direct.
Mistake 2: Using Passive Voice to Sound Humble
Some students avoid saying “I” because they think it sounds arrogant, so they write everything in passive voice.
❌ “The assignment was completed ahead of schedule.”
✅ “I completed the assignment ahead of schedule.”
Don’t be afraid of “I”! Owning your actions shows confidence, not arrogance.
Mistake 3: Accidentally Creating Passive Voice
Sometimes students don’t even realize they’re writing in passive voice.
❌ “The decision was made to postpone the meeting.”
✅ “We decided to postpone the meeting.”
Always ask: Who did this? Make them the subject!
How to Convert Passive Voice to Active Voice
Step 1: Identify the Doer
Who is performing the action? (Look for “by [person/thing]”)
Passive: “The letter was sent by John.”
Doer: John
Step 2: Make the Doer the Subject
Active: “John sent the letter.”
Step 3: Remove “Was/Were” + Past Participle
Change the verb to simple past, present, or future tense.
Passive: “The food was cooked by my mother.”
Active: “My mother cooked the food.”
Practice Exercises
Convert these passive voice sentences to active voice:
- ❌ “The essay was written by me.”
✅ _______________ - ❌ “The meeting was scheduled by the manager.”
✅ _______________ - ❌ “The book was read by the entire class.”
✅ _______________ - ❌ “The car was repaired by the mechanic.”
✅ _______________ - ❌ “The presentation was delivered by Sarah.”
✅ _______________
Answers:
- I wrote the essay.
- The manager scheduled the meeting.
- The entire class read the book.
- The mechanic repaired the car.
- Sarah delivered the presentation.
Real-World Examples
Job Application Email
❌ Passive (Weak): “A degree in Marketing was obtained from the University of Lagos. Three years of experience have been gained in digital marketing. Strong results were achieved in previous roles.”
✅ Active (Strong): “I earned a degree in Marketing from the University of Lagos. I have gained three years of experience in digital marketing and achieved strong results in previous roles.”
Academic Essay
❌ Passive (Wordy): “It is believed that education is important. Various benefits are provided by education to individuals and society. Economic growth is promoted by educated citizens.”
✅ Active (Clear): “I believe education is important. Education provides various benefits to individuals and society. Educated citizens promote economic growth.”
Creative Writing
❌ Passive (Flat): “The door was opened by Chidi. The room was entered. The light was turned on.”
✅ Active (Dynamic): “Chidi opened the door, entered the room, and turned on the light.”
The 80/20 Rule
Here’s my rule for voice in writing:
Use active voice 80% of the time. Reserve passive voice for the 20% of cases where it genuinely works better.
If you follow this rule, your writing will be:
- Clearer
- Stronger
- More engaging
- Easier to read
Final Thoughts
Active voice isn’t about following rigid grammar rules—it’s about clarity and power.
When you write in active voice, you:
- Take ownership of your ideas
- Communicate more directly
- Keep your readers engaged
- Sound more confident
So the next time you write an essay, email, or story, ask yourself:
Who is doing this action? Put them at the front of the sentence.
Your writing will immediately become stronger.
Quick Reference
Active Voice:
- Subject does the action
- Direct, clear, concise
- Example: “I wrote the essay.”
Passive Voice:
- Subject receives the action
- Often wordier, less direct
- Example: “The essay was written by me.”
When to Use Passive:
- Doer is unknown
- Doer is unimportant
- You want to emphasize the action, not the doer
- Formal/scientific writing
Default Rule: Use active voice unless you have a good reason not to.
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About the Author: Itunu Taiwo is a bestselling Nigerian author, certified TEFL instructor, and founder of BuildWithWords Academy. She helps writers write clearly, confidently, and effectively.
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