Passive Voice and Active Voice

Section 6.2.1

Passive Voice and Active Voice

Use the active voice whenever the passive voice is not appropriate. Active verbs make for concise prose;sentences with passive verbs use more words. Moreover, passive verbs deemphasizeor even eliminate mention of the performer of the action conveyed by the verb. See Voice.

Weak

In this project, three psychological experiments were performedby the authors so that the technical problems for the auralization ofa sound field could be clarified.

Improved

In this project, the authors performed threepsychological experiments to clarify the technical problemsfor the auralization of a sound field.

Weak

The matter of personnel health hazards associated with airborne freechlorine or other gases apparently has not been considered inthis excavation plan. [Note that the indirect wording has left out themain agent (the excavation planners).]

Improved

Excavation planners apparently have not considered how airborne free chlorine or other gases might cause health hazards to personnel.

## Passive and Active Voice ##

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