Five Reasons you Should Avoid Passive voice sentences

Introduction

When you submit your writing samples to an editor or your teacher, you must have noticed that they tell you to change your passive voice sentences to active voice sentences.

Consider these two sentences and observe their differences.

The teacher advised the students.
The students were advised by the teacher.

Ever wondered why there are such biases against the passive voice since both are considered grammatically correct. Well, I will try to provide some reasons. These can help you become a better writer and score more points in your essay. So, stay with me
To begin with, let us define the two types of sentences.

What are Active and Passive Voice Sentences

An active voice sentence is one that puts the performer of an action before the action and the receiver.
Example:
The hunter shot a bird (where hunter is the performer, shot is the verb and a bird is the receiver of the action).

On the flip side, a passive voice sentence brings the receiver of the action before both the action and the performer. Oftentimes, the performer is omitted.
Example:

The bird was shot (by the hunter).

 

Why Should we Avoid them?

Passive voice sentences are grammatically correct, but they can make writing less clear, less concise, and less engaging. In many cases, passive voice sentences can also make writing sound more formal and less personal, which can negatively impact the reader’s experience.

Here are five reasons why passive voice sentences should be avoided when writing:

Passive voice sentences can make writing unclear:

Passive voice sentences often lack a clear subject, making it difficult for the reader to determine who is performing the action described in the sentence. This can lead to confusion and make it more difficult for the reader to understand the meaning of the sentence.

Passive voice sentences can make writing less concise:

Passive voice sentences tend to be longer and more wordy than active voice sentences. This can make writing less concise and harder to read, especially in cases where brevity is important.

Passive voice sentences can make writing less engaging:

Passive voice sentences can make writing sound more formal and less personal, which can make it less engaging for the reader. Active voice sentences, on the other hand, are more direct and personal, which can help to create a connection with the reader and make the writing more interesting and enjoyable to read.

Passive voice sentences can detract from the writing’s impact: Passive voice sentences can make writing sound weak and indecisive, which can detract from the overall impact of the writing. Active voice sentences, on the other hand, are more confident and assertive, which can help to increase the impact of the writing and make it more persuasive.

Passive voice sentences can make writing more difficult to understand: Passive voice sentences can make writing more difficult to understand, especially for readers who are less familiar with the language or who have difficulty processing complex sentences. This can lead to frustration and make it more difficult for the reader to understand and retain the information presented in the writing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, passive voice sentences should be avoided when writing because they can make writing unclear, less concise, less engaging, less impactful, and more difficult to understand. By using active voice sentences instead, you can make your writing clearer, more concise, more engaging, more impactful, and easier to understand, which can help to improve the reader’s experience and increase the impact of your writing.