ACTIVE: The boy played the piano.

PASSIVE: The piano was played by the boy.

The debate between using active voice versus passive voice has been around a long time. Choosing which one to use depends on the writer’s intention and context.

In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. For example, “The dog chased the ball.” In this sentence, the dog is the subject, and it’s performing the action of chasing the ball. Active voice is generally considered more direct and engaging, making it the preferred style for most types of writing, such as storytelling, journalism, and advertising.

On the other hand, in passive voice, the subject of the sentence is acted upon. For example, “The ball was chased by the dog.” In this sentence, the ball is the subject, and it’s being acted upon by the dog. Passive voice is often used when the writer wants to focus on the object. Some feel that the passive voice can seem less clear and is therefore less desirable for most types of writing.

Active sentences tend to be more direct and concise, making them easier to read and understand. Active voice is preferred in most types of writing because it makes the writer seem more confident and authoritative. For example, a news article written in passive voice may not be as impactful as an article written in active voice.

Another advantage of active voice is that it allows the writer to create a sense of urgency and action, making it ideal for storytelling, advertising, and other types of persuasive writing. For example, “Our product will help you lose weight” is more engaging than “Weight loss can be achieved with our product.”

However, there are some situations where passive voice is more appropriate. Passive voice is often used when the writer wants to focus on the object of the sentence instead of the subject. For example, “The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci” is more focused on the painting itself than on da Vinci.

Passive voice is also used when the subject is unknown or unimportant. For example, “The car was stolen” is more focused on the fact that the car was stolen rather than who stole it.

Ultimately, the key is to use both styles appropriately and effectively to convey the intended message.

SIDEBAR: Bloggers know that using too much passive voice in writing content for the web is considered ineffective copy by SEO apps like Yoast.