![]() Doe was found to be eligible for this position all of the positions in Boston had already been filled by our personnel office prior to receiving his application. We must consider how to use our resources to deliver quality services.Īlthough Mr. We must consider how our resources will be used to deliver quality services. General Counsel published this proposed rule in the Federal Register.Ĭhange the verb to eliminate the helping verb “to be”: Passive This proposed rule was published by General Counsel in the Federal Register. Turn the clause or sentence around, putting the subject first: Passive How can I start writing in the active voice? However, one caution: If adding the name of the person or organization performing the action would make the document stronger and help our readers, we should try to identify the doer of the action. ![]() When the doer of the action is unimportant.When we do not know who performed the action.Using the cut passive form is appropriate in two situations: Is using the passive voice appropriate in some situations? Passive: Breakfast (subject) was eaten (action) by me this morning.Īctive: I (subject) drove (action) my car (object) to work.Īctive: I (subject) ate (action) breakfast (object) this morning. Passive: My car (subject) was driven (action) to work by me. Our writing should become that automatic. When we speak, we generally use the active voice without thinking. (13 words)Īctive voice more closely resembles spoken language hopefully ideal spoken language. ![]() Doe (object) he would need to provide additional information. The bank official (subject) told (action) Mr. Doe (subject) was told (action) by the bank official that he would need to provide additional information. The Banks Act of 1985 (subject) introduced (action) new requirements (object) to strengthen the banking system.īy eliminating the helping verb, the active voice sentence generally uses fewer words to communicate the same information. New requirements (subject) were introduced (action) to strengthen the banking system. Often, we use a form of the passive called the “cut passive” and never identify the doer of the action. When we avoid showing responsibility, we often don’t give enough information to explain the problem and how to fix it. Why should we use active voice?Īctive voice makes documents stronger by showing responsibility or giving credit for an action. When we write in the passive voice, we add some form of the helping verb “to be” (am, is, are, was, were, being, or been) to an otherwise strong verb that really did not need help. Doe (subject) completed (action) the tax return (object) before the April 15 deadline.Īdditional information (subject) can be obtained (action) by employees from our website.Įmployees (subject) can obtain (action) additional information (object) from our website. The tax return (subject) was completed (action) before the April 15 deadline by Mr. To know whether you are writing in the active or passive voice, identify the subject of the sentence and decide whether the subject is doing the action or being acted upon. Over time, writing in the passive voice simply becomes a habit, one we should all work to change. Unfortunately, much of government writing is in the passive voice, giving documents a wordy, bureaucratic tone. Active voice clearly identifies the action and who is performing that action. Readers prefer active voice sentences, and we should try to use the active voice in most of our business writing to communicate our message most effectively. Mary Dash, Chief of the Congressional Correspondence and Quality Review Branch of the Internal Revenue Service, wrote these excellent writing tips.
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