Active and passive voices are essential components of English grammar, and both have a significant role in sentence construction. While the active voice emphasizes the subject of the sentence, the passive voice emphasizes the object. In other words, the active voice is used when the subject of the sentence performs the action, while the passive voice is used when the subject of the sentence receives the action. In this article, we will explore the importance of active and passive voices in writing, and how to use them effectively.
The Importance of Active Voice:
Using active voice in writing helps to make sentences more clear, more direct, and more engaging. Active voice sentences are easier to read and understand, and they also create a stronger connection between the subject and the action. For example, consider the following sentence:
Passive: The cake was baked by the chef.
Active: The chef baked the cake.
In the first sentence, the subject is passive and the action is emphasized, whereas in the second sentence, the subject is active and the action is performed by the subject. The second sentence is more engaging and easier to understand than the first one. Therefore, using an active voice helps to create a more lively and interesting tone in writing.
The Importance of Passive Voice:
Passive voice is also an essential component of English grammar, and it has its own set of benefits. Passive voice is used when the object of the sentence is more important than the subject, or when the subject is unknown. Passive voice is also used when the focus is on the action, rather than the subject. For example, consider the following sentence:
Active: The thief stole the purse.
Passive: The purse was stolen by the thief.
In this example, the focus is on the purse, not the thief and the passive voice is used to emphasize this fact. Similarly, passive voice is used when it is necessary to avoid the use of the first person pronoun, “I”. Therefore, passive voice is an important tool for creating more formal or academic writing, where the emphasis is on the object rather than the subject.
Using Active and Passive Voice Effectively:
Using active and passive voice effectively depends on the context of the sentence and the writer’s intentions. Active voice is generally preferred in most types of writing, as it is more direct and engaging. However, passive voice can also be used to create a more formal or academic tone. Therefore, it is important to consider the context of the sentence and the purpose of the writing when deciding whether to use active or passive voice.
It is also important to remember that the subject and the action should be clear in both active and passive voice sentences. For example, consider the following sentence:
Passive: The ball was hit by the bat.
This sentence is technically correct, but it is not clear who hit the ball or what happened after it was hit. A better sentence would be:
Active: The batter hit the ball over the fence.
This sentence is more clear and more engaging, and it creates a stronger connection between the subject and the action.
Conclusion:
Active and passive voices are essential components of English grammar, and they both have their own set of benefits. Active voice is generally preferred in most types of writing, as it is more direct and engaging, while passive voice is used to create a more formal or academic tone. However, it is important to consider the context of the sentence and the purpose of the writing when deciding whether to use active or passive voice. Using active and passive voice effectively can help to create more clear, more direct, and more engaging writing, and it can also help to emphasize the subject or the object of the sentence as needed.