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36 votes
How do I get rid of passive voice when writing?

User Oyilmaztekin
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2 Answers

20 votes
20 votes

Final answer:

To eliminate passive voice, make the subject of your sentence perform the action. Convert passive constructions by reversing the subject and object, leading to clearer, more direct writing. Use active voice for more concise and compelling sentences, but note occasional use of passive voice may be appropriate when the actor is unknown or less important.

Step-by-step explanation:

To eliminate passive voice and create more dynamic prose, you should ensure the subject of the sentence performs the action. An effective strategy involves recognizing the passive voice, where the subject is acted upon, rather than doing the acting. For example, in the sentence 'That his house was no place for a dance party was argued by Jose', 'Jose' is the subject and should be the one taking action.

To convert this to the active voice, reverse the subject and object, resulting in: 'Jose argued that his house was no place for a dance party.' Remember that action verbs add strength to your sentences, and using active voice usually results in clearer, more concise writing. However, passive voice may be necessary when the actor is unknown or the action on the object is more important.

User Ashif Abdulrahman
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9 votes
9 votes

Answer:

Get rid of “ing” If you look through your passive sentences, chances are you'll see quite a few “was”s and “were”s followed by an “ing” verb.

Move your adjective (describing word) before your noun. ...

Change the order of your sentence...

User Brpaz
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2.9k points