Using Passive Voice Strategically in Your Writing
Following our previous look at the fundamentals of active and passive voice, this article explores the practical application of these essential writing techniques. Understanding when and how to employ each voice can significantly enhance your professional communication.
Converting passive to active voice: A strategic approach
Active voice emphasises the doer of an action, creating clear, direct communication. When restructuring sentences from passive to active voice, identify the actor and position them at the beginning of the sentence. In cases where the actor isn’t immediately apparent, consider incorporating terms such as ‘industry experts’ or ‘researchers’ to maintain clarity and authority.
Consider incorporating citations at the beginning of sentences rather than embedding them mid-text. This approach not only strengthens your argument but also ensures proper attribution of sources.
Example comparison:
Original (Passive):
The quarterly report was reviewed extensively, and several discrepancies were identified. These findings were presented to the board, where significant concerns were raised about internal controls.
Revised (Active):
The audit team reviewed the quarterly report extensively and identified several discrepancies. The financial committee presented these findings to the board, which raised significant concerns about internal controls.
Strategic applications of passive voice
While active voice promotes clarity, passive voice serves several valuable functions in professional writing:
1. Action Emphasis
When the action itself holds more significance than the actor, the passive voice proves particularly effective. For example:
‘The merger agreement was finalised in Q3’.
emphasises completing the merger rather than the participating entities.
2. Careful with ‘naming and shaming’
Passive voice allows for appropriate handling of sensitive information where naming the actor may be unnecessary or confidential:
‘The security protocol was updated to address vulnerabilities’.
3. Strategic ambiguity
In certain professional contexts, passive voice can maintain necessary ambiguity:
‘Market irregularities were detected during the analysis phase’.
4. Structural variety
Being thoughtful about when incorporating passive voice can prevent repetitive sentence structures, particularly in technical or research-focused documents.
5. Professional objectivity
Scientific and technical writing often benefits from passive voice construction:
‘The data was analysed using standard statistical methods’.
‘Results were validated through multiple testing phases’.
When-to-use guidelines
When drafting professional communications, consider these factors:
Document purpose and audience expectations
Required level of detail and attribution
Professional conventions in your field
Balance between clarity and objectivity
The effective writer uses both active and passive voice deliberately, selecting each based on specific communication objectives. Understanding these applications will help you to craft more sophisticated and purposeful professional documents.
