Active and Passive Voice Verbs

"Rules are made to be broken," he said defiantly.

Passive examples

A new experimental liver-transplant operation was performed successfully yesterday.

Passive examples

Police are being notified that three prisoners have escaped.

Passive examples

Fact#6 P

Passive voice makes sense when the agent performing the action is obvious, unimportant, or unknown.

Fact#2 P

Sometimes the use of passive voice can create awkward sentences

Fact#8 P

The passive voice is effective in such circumstances because it highlights the action and what is acted upon rather than the agent performing the action.

Fact#9 A

Because active voice creates sentences with greater clarity, concision and directness, it is preferred in almost every kind of writing.

Fact#11 P

Because passive voice focuses on the action and what is acted upon, rather than on the agent, it is used consistently in scientific writing.

Fact#7 A

In active voice, the subject of the sentence acts, performing the action represented by the verb

Fact#3 A

Active Voice keeps sentences from becoming too complicated or wordy.

"Authorities make rules to be broken," he said defiantly.

Active examples

Surgeons successfully performed a new experimental liver-transplant operation yesterday

Active examples

The dispatcher is notifying police that three prisoners have escaped

Active examples

Fact#5 A

Active voice helps to create clear and direct sentences.

Fact#10 P

In passive voice, the subject of the sentence is acted upon, receiving the action represented by the verb.

Fact#4 P

Over use of passive voice throughout an essay can make it seem flat and uninteresting.

Fact#1 A

Using active voice for sentences makes your meaning clear for readers.