One of the most debated aspects of sentence construction is whether to use active or passive voice. These two grammatical voices serve different purposes, and understanding their strengths and weaknesses can help improve your writing.
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.
This article compares passive vs. active voice writing. I’ll explore their definitions, provide examples, and offer practical tips for choosing the right writing voice.
But first, let’s do a quick refresher on the key parts of a sentence in the English language.
The Basic Sentence Structure
Feel free to skim this part if you’re already confident with grammar. But if you find yourself second-guessing your knowledge, this will help.
At its core, every sentence follows a simple formula:
- Subject (the doer of the action).
- Verb (the action itself).
- Object (the thing receiving the action).
However, in its simplest form, a sentence only requires a subject and a verb to stand independently. The object adds more detail, but it isn’t always necessary.
For example:
Daniel sent a letter.
Here, “Daniel” is the subject, “sent” is the verb, and “a letter” is the object. It is clear that Daniel is the focus, and he’s performing an action.
This matters because sentence structuring directly affects clarity, readability, and impact. This is where active and passive voice come in.
Now that we’ve got the basics down, let’s talk more about these grammatical voices.
What is Active Voice?
Active voice refers to a sentence construction that follows the (SVO) subject-verb-object model, creating a direct, clear, and often dynamic tone.
This structure makes your writing more engaging and easier to understand because the sentence’s subject is performing the action.
Here are some active voice examples:
- “Lisa baked a cake.”
- “She loves Korean drama.”
- “The boy kicked the ball.”
- “I wrote a book about my travels across Europe.”
No matter what verb you use, structure your sentence so the subject performs the verb by writing in active voice.
What is Passive Voice?
Passive voice flips the sentence structure so the object comes first, then the verb and subject.
Here, whatever is receiving the action of the sentence becomes the grammatical subject, often making the sentence less direct.
Here are some passive voice examples:
- “The cake was baked by Lisa.”
- “Korean drama is loved by her.”
- “The ball was kicked by the boy.”
- “A book about my travels across Europe was written by me.”
Notice how the recipients of the actions—formerly the direct objects of the sentences—are now the focus, and the pronoun form changes as well (she-her, I-me).
Besides, sentences in the passive voice are often longer than sentences in the active voice simply because they require extra words, such as prepositions and auxiliary verbs.
Active vs. Passive Voice: Which One Should I Use?
To be fair, both active and passive voice have their place in writing. Neither is inherently better than the other, but they serve different purposes depending on what you want to achieve.
The active voice tends to be clearer, more direct, and more engaging—qualities that make it a favorite for storytelling, business communication, and persuasive writing.
When you say, “The team launched the new campaign,” it’s clear who’s taking action. There’s no guessing; readers don’t have to work to unravel your message.
On the other hand, passive voice can feel less direct, sometimes wordy, and even cold or impersonal. But that doesn’t mean it’s useless.
In some cases, the passive voice is the better choice, especially when the focus should be on the action rather than the person performing it.
Consider this scientific writing: “The experiment was conducted using controlled variables.”
Here, the experiment is the focus, not the researcher.
The passive voice, which is common in academic and formal writing, removes unnecessary emphasis on the person conducting the test.
So, should you write in active or passive voice?
It depends on the effect you want to achieve. If you want your writing to be punchy, engaging, and easy to follow, stick with active voice.
But if you need to shift focus away from the subject, create a formal tone, or sound more objective, passive voice can be useful.
Moreover, your choice is often dependent on your industry.
Active voice is the norm in marketing, journalism, and everyday communication, while passive voice is standard in scientific reports, legal documents, and academic papers.
The key is knowing when to use each one intentionally, rather than by accident.
Why Use Active Voice in Your Writing?
The examples of active and passive voice above show that both forms are suitable for different writing scenarios.
However, using the active voice style in content writing is advisable. Why?
1. It is easier to understand
Active voice helps you express your meaning without making people think too hard. This writing style is especially helpful for non-native English speakers who struggle with complex sentence structures.
The direct nature of active voice also makes your content easier to digest—an advantage in a world where people skim more than they read.
When your writing flows naturally, your audience sticks around longer and absorbs more. And let’s be honest, no one has the patience to reread a sentence just to figure out what’s happening.
2. Active sentences are stronger and more engaging
Active voice makes your writing feel energetic and direct because it focuses on the subject and the action being performed. It keeps your reader engaged and prevents your sentences from becoming overly complicated.
Imagine you’re narrating a football game. You wouldn’t say, “The final goal was scored by Alex in the last second.” That feels detached, like the action is happening in slow motion.
Instead, you’d say, “Alex scored the final goal in the last second.” This statement instantly adds urgency and excitement, right?
The same applies to everything you write. Whether it’s a blog post, an ad, or an email, active voice writing makes your words feel more natural and engaging.
3. It helps with conciseness
One of the biggest advantages of the active voice is that it naturally leads to more concise writing.
Unlike passive voice writing, which adds unnecessary words, active writing uses fewer words to reach the point. It forces you to be intentional, cutting through fillers and redundancies and making every word count.
So, if you want clear, efficient communication, the active voice is always the better choice.
4. It is more compelling and gives clear CTAs
In marketing and business writing, every second counts.
Readers don’t want to decode what you’re asking them to do. They just want clarity, and your CTAs become impossible to ignore when your sentences are direct.
Think about the difference between these two CTAs:
- “Your account can be created here.”
- “Create your account now.”
The first one feels passive, almost hesitant. However, the second has an urgency that pushes the reader to act immediately.
You should always write actively to inspire people to take action with your content.
5. It sounds more confident
Active voice writing gives your content a tone of authority and confidence. It shows ownership of ideas and decisions.
Readers are more likely to trust your ideas when your writing feels intentional rather than hesitant.
6. It is easier to read (even for Google)
Readability matters for writers focused on digital content. Active voice makes sentences clearer and more engaging, helping readers absorb information quickly.
This also benefits SEO (search engine optimization). Search engines like Google prioritize content that is easy to understand, and the active voice contributes to clarity and conciseness.
When your content is easier to read, visitors will stay on your page longer, reducing bounce rates and signaling to Google that your content is valuable, positively influencing your search rankings.
Want your posts to go viral and stick in people’s minds? Grab the tips from experts with hands-on experience.
How to Identify Passive Voice in Your Writing
Passive voice is not the enemy of good writing. It has its place in writing, especially in academic or technical writing.
However, keeping your writing active for content writing, email campaigns, or copywriting makes it clearer and engaging.
Here are some quick ways to identify passive voice in your work:
1. Look for “to be” verbs + past participles
A good sign of passive voice is when a sentence includes a form of “to be” (is, was, were, has been) followed by a past participle (written, made, completed, etc.). This structure signals that the sentence focuses on the action rather than the person performing it.
The report was written by John.
This is passive voice. The doer comes after the thing that was done.
John wrote the report.
This is an active voice. The doer comes first.
2. Check if the subject is missing or unclear
One sneaky way passive voice weakens your writing is by hiding or downplaying who is responsible for what (the action).
Passive: The project was completed on time.
Surely, someone completed the project. So, who did?
Active: The team completed the project on time.
Now, we know who’s responsible, and the sentence is much stronger.
3. See if the sentence has “by” followed by a noun
The sentence is passive if the doer appears in a “by” phrase.
Passive: The cake was baked by Sarah.
Sarah’s action (baking) is buried at the end, making the sentence less dynamic.
Active: Sarah baked the cake.
Sarah is front and center here, making the sentence flow more naturally.
4. Try rewording with “Someone/something [verb]”
A simple trick is to insert “someone” or “something” before the verb. If the sentence still makes sense, it’s likely passive.
A mistake was made during the experiment.
Who made the mistake? We don’t know.
Active Voice:
The scientist made a mistake during the experiment.
Now, the sentence is clearer and more informative.
5. Use a grammar checker
Even if you know what to look for, passive voice can sometimes slip into your writing unnoticed.
AI-powered tools like Grammarly, ProWritingAid, or UndetectableAI can help refine your writing by highlighting passive sentences and suggesting active alternatives.
They also analyze tone and readability, ensuring your content is engaging and polished.
Of course, don’t blindly follow every suggestion—know your industry, purpose, and goal for the piece, and then work accordingly.
How to Master the Active Voice Writing Style
For years, we’ve been trained to write in a way that prioritizes formality over clarity. Think back to college essays, research papers, and academic reports—passive voice was everywhere.
And because we spent so much time writing that way, it’s no surprise that we carry those habits into other forms of writing.
So, how do you break free from it and fully embrace the active voice?
- Practice rewriting passive sentences. Take a paragraph you’ve already written and rework any passive constructions.
- Read your work out loud. If a sentence sounds unnatural, overly complex, or clunky, there’s a good chance it’s written in the passive voice.
- Focus on clarity when writing. If you struggle to make a sentence active, ask yourself, “Who is doing what?” Then, build the sentence around that.
- Consciously make it a habit to write in the active voice. The more you practice, the easier it gets. Over time, you’ll instinctively structure your sentences with active verbs and direct phrasing.
- Read like a writer. Actively study active-voice writing examples to see how expert writers construct sentences.
- Always proofread your work to ensure the subject is always performing the action. Use tools like Grammarly to proofread and edit your final drafts.
Final words
In content writing, sentence structure shapes your message’s clarity, engagement, and impact. And using active voice writing can make your piece tick these boxes.
By focusing on the subject and the action being performed, you make your writing clearer, more compelling, and easier to follow.
The passive voice is also useful in certain situations, especially when the action’s doer is unknown or unimportant.
But as a general rule, prioritizing the active voice will help you craft engaging, authoritative, and impactful content.
Need help with professional writing services? Send us a quick email to get started right away.
Who wrote this?
Ugochukwu Ezenduka writes about technology with the flair of a fiction writer for Ronin Point and other companies. He knows his way around JavaScript, ReactJS, and other programming languages. With a Master's Degree in Engineering, Ugochukwu has the chops and experience to break down complex concepts in digestible language. When he is not writing about tech, you can find Ugochukwu kicking a football or traveling with his camera.
Joanna is a versatile content writer with a knack for creating helpful content that resonates with others. When she’s not typing away, she finds solace in quiet moments, music, and cinematography videos. She believes she has an untapped well of creativity inside her and she’s willing to dig deep to fetch it out.
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
- Joanna Ali
