Active and Passive Voice
Summary:
This handout will explain the difference between active and passive voice in writing. It gives examples of both, and shows how to turn a passive sentence into an active one. Also, it explains how to decide when to choose passive voice instead of active.
Contributors:April Toadvine, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli
Last Edited: 2011-07-13 11:14:42
Using Active Versus Passive Voice
In a sentence using active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed in the verb.
Image Caption: The arrow points from the subject performing the action (the dog) to the individual being acted upon (the boy). This is an example of a sentence using the active voice.
Image Caption: Sample active voice sentence with the subject performing the action described by the verb.
Image Caption: The active voice sentence subject (watching a framed, mobile world) performs the action of reminding the speaker of something.
Each example above includes a sentence subject performing the action expressed by the verb.
View examples of verb tenses active voice.
