Active vs Passive Voice: Definitions and When to Use Each

Ever get feedback like “make this clearer” or “too wordy”? Often the culprit is voice, whether you write “I broke the vase” or “The vase was broken by me.” Same fact, different impact.

This guide explains what active and passive voice are, when each helps, and how to switch between them quickly. You’ll get quick tests, real examples, and simple fixes for papers, emails, and creative work.

<ProTip title="🧠 Quick Insight:" description="Active voice often makes your point sharper and easier to follow, but passive voice has its place too. Knowing when to use each is half the battle." />

What is Active Voice?

Active voice is your writing's best friend for clarity and engagement. When you use active voice, the subject of your sentence performs the action directly. No confusion, no extra words, just straightforward communication. It's like having a conversation where everyone knows exactly who's doing what.

Most writing experts recommend active voice as your default choice because it creates stronger, more readable sentences. Your readers can follow along effortlessly, and your ideas land with maximum impact.

Active voice occurs when the subject of a sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. The structure follows a clear pattern: the doer acts upon the receiver.

The active voice formula is beautifully simple: Subject → Verb → Object. Let's see this in action:

<BulletList items="The student submitted the assignment. (Student performs the action of submitting)|Sarah designed the website. (Sarah performs the action of designing)|The team won the championship. (Team performs the action of winning)" />

Notice how each sentence immediately tells you who's responsible for the action. There's no mystery about the doer; the subject takes center stage and drives the sentence forward.

<ProTip title="🗣️ Pro Tip:" description="Read your sentences aloud. If they sound natural and conversational, you are likely using active voice effectively." />

What is Passive Voice?

Passive voice flips the script by making the receiver of the action the subject of your sentence. While it often gets labeled as "weak" or "bad" writing, passive voice actually serves important purposes in specific contexts. The key is knowing when and why to use it strategically.

Think of passive voice like a spotlight that shifts focus from the performer to the performance itself.

Passive voice occurs when the subject of a sentence receives the action rather than performing it. The emphasis falls on what happened rather than who made it happen.

Passive voice follows this pattern: Object → "to be" verb + Past Participle → (by Subject). Here's how it works:

<BulletList items="The assignment was submitted by the student.|The website was designed by Sarah.|The championship was won by the team." />

Notice that you can often omit the "by" phrase entirely: "The assignment was submitted" or "The website was designed." This omission is actually one of passive voice's strategic advantages in certain contexts.

Active vs Passive Voice: Key Differences

Understanding the core differences helps you choose the right voice for your specific writing goals:

Active Voice: What It Does

Active voice puts the subject up front and keeps sentences tight. It tells readers who did what, fast. “The committee approved the proposal.” That clarity is why it works so well in blogs, reports, and persuasive writing.

Passive Voice: When It Makes Sense

Passive voice shifts attention to the action or result, not the doer. It can sound more formal or objective, which is useful in scientific papers or when the actor is unknown. “The proposal was approved by the committee.” The fact matters more than who did it.

Quick Way to Choose

Ask yourself: 

“Do readers need to know who performed the action?”

If yes, go active. If not, or if you want to highlight the result, passive is fine.

How to Convert Voice

Mastering voice conversion is like having a Swiss Army knife for editing. Whether you're revising for clarity or adapting to academic requirements, knowing how to shift between voices gives you incredible flexibility as a writer.

Active to Passive

Converting active to passive involves three clear steps:

1. Move the object to subject position

2. Add the correct form of "be" + past participle

3. Add "by" + original subject (optional)

Let's practice: "The chef cooked the meal" becomes "The meal was cooked by the chef."

Here's the transformation in action:

<BulletList items=Original object the meal → New subject|Verb cooked → was cooked (be + past participle)|Original subject the chef → by the chef />

Passive to Active

Reversing the process brings energy back to your sentences:

1. Identify the true performer of the action

2. Make that performer your new subject

3. Convert the verb back to active form

Example: "The experiment was conducted by researchers" becomes "Researchers conducted the experiment."

This conversion often cuts unnecessary words and clarifies responsibility, exactly what readers appreciate.

<ProTip title="🧠 Pro Tip:" description="When switching to active voice, ask yourself who or what is really doing the action. That usually reveals your best subject." />

When to Use Each Voice

Strategic voice selection can make or break your writing's effectiveness. Think of it as choosing the right tool for each writing task.

When to Use Active Voice

Active voice shines when you want clarity, engagement, and directness. Use it for:

<BulletList items="Essays and blog posts where you want to connect with readers|Business reports where accountability matters|Instructions and procedures where clarity is essential|Persuasive writing where you need to build trust" />

Example: "You can improve your writing by practicing these techniques daily."

When to Use Passive Voice

Passive voice works best when the action matters more than the actor:

<BulletList items="When the doer is unknown: The window was broken during the storm.|When the doer is unimportant: Votes will be counted tonight.|For diplomatic language: Mistakes were made (rather than assigning blame)|In scientific writing: The solution was heated to 100°C." />

Example: "The data was collected over six months" (focuses on the process, not the researchers).

Active and Passive Voice in Academic Writing

Why Passive Dominated

Academic writing long favored passive voice to sound objective and focus on results, not researchers. You’ll see lines like “It was determined that…” instead of “We determined that…”

The Shift Toward Active

Many style guides now encourage active voice when clarity won’t suffer. Readers process “We analyzed the samples” faster than “The samples were analyzed.” It’s direct and easier to skim.

Mix Them on Purpose

Ask: “Do readers need to know who did it, or just what happened?”

Use active for clear claims and arguments. Reach for passive when the actor is unknown, irrelevant, or you want to spotlight the process or result.

<ProTip title="✍️ Pro Tip:" description="Passive voice is not always wrong. Use it when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context." />

Mastering Voice Choice in Your Writing

Active and passive voice both have a place in strong writing. The key is knowing when to use each for clarity, tone, or focus, especially in academic work.

<CTA title="Control Your Voice Sentence by Sentence" description="Use Jenni to review voice choices, tighten wording, and keep arguments direct." buttonLabel="Try Jenni Free" link="https://app.jenni.ai/register" />

With Jenni, you can spot voice shifts as you write and adjust on the fly. It’s a helpful way to stay polished while keeping your message clear and purposeful.