Eli5 How does passive/active voice work???
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In general active and passive voice change what you want the reader to pay attention to. Do you want them to pay attention to the actor or the act?
*The bill was passed by the senators -* Passive – Attention is on the bill passing.
*Senators passed the bill* – Active – Attention is on the senators.
A lot of my college students write about the past in the passive voice, which is wordy and can make reading tedious. I encourage writing in the active voice which is more clear and direct.
*The teapot dome scandal was when the Secretary of the Interior illegally leased public lands to private investors without bidding in the 1920s.* (Passive – emphasis is on the lease) [edit: it’s been commented this isn’t passive voice. An apology was written for the error.]
*In the 1920s the Secretary of the Interior illegally leased public lands to private investors without bidding.* (Active – emphasis on the Secretary of the interior)
People sometimes use the passive voice on purpose to deemphasize their role in an event.
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