Active vs Passive Voice: Differences, Examples and When to Use Each
Blog / GRAMMAR
In the active voice, the subject does the action: "The team wrote the report." In the passive voice, the subject receives the action: "The report was written by the team." Both are grammatical; the active is usually clearer and shorter.
How to spot the passive
Passive sentences usually combine a form of "to be" (is, was, were, been) with a past participle (written, made, taken). The doer may appear after "by" or be missing entirely.
A quick trick: if you can add "by zombies" after the verb and the sentence still makes sense, it is probably passive. "Mistakes were made (by zombies)."
Why active is usually better
Active sentences name who is responsible and usually use fewer words. "The manager approved the budget" (5 words) versus "The budget was approved by the manager" (7 words).
If you need to reduce your word count, converting passive sentences is one of the fastest edits.
When passive is the right choice
Use the passive when the doer is unknown, unimportant or obvious: "The museum was built in 1902." Scientific methods sections often use it to focus on the process: "The samples were heated to 80°C."
Style guides such as APA recommend active voice in general but accept the passive where it serves the meaning.
Practice
Rewrite: "The decision was announced by the school on Monday." Active: "The school announced the decision on Monday."
Read your draft and highlight every "was/were + participle". Keep the ones that help and rewrite the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Is passive voice grammatically wrong?
No. It is correct, but often less direct.
Does passive voice increase word count?
Usually yes, because it adds "to be" and often "by".
Should scientific writing use passive voice?
It is common in methods sections, but many journals now encourage active voice too.