Whether you’re writing an email, preparing a report, or having a conversation, clear communication matters. One simple way to make your writing (and speaking) more effective is to understand when to use active voice vs. passive voice.
Spoiler Alert: In most situations, use active voice.
What’s the Difference?
Active voice: The subject of the sentence performs the action.
Passive voice: The subject of the sentence receives the action.
Here are two examples—one in present tense and one in past tense.
| Passive Voice |
Active Voice
|
|
|
Present Tense
|
The email is sent by John. | John sends the email. |
|
Past Tense
|
The proposal was written by Jane. | Jane wrote the proposal. |
Which Should You Use?
In general, active voice is the better choice. Here’s why:
Clarity
Active voice is typically clearer and more concise than passive voice. With passive constructions, the person or thing performing the action is sometimes unclear—or omitted entirely.
Passive: The document was sent to John.
Who sent the document?
Active: Jane sent the document to John.
The active version immediately answers the question and eliminates ambiguity.
Natural Sentence Structure
Active voice follows the typical English sentence pattern: subject + verb + object. Because this structure feels natural to readers, active sentences are often easier to understand.
A systematic review of nine experimental studies found that passive-voice texts generally resulted in lower readability, slower processing, and poorer comprehension than equivalent active-voice texts.
How Do I Change Passive Voice to Active Voice?
To eliminate passive voice, place the actor—or “doer,” if you will—before the action. Replace weak “to be” verbs (am, is, are, was, were) with action verbs. This direct structure drives clarity, improves pacing, and cuts unnecessary words.
Steps for Direct Writing
- Identify the Actor: Find out exactly who or what performs the action in your sentence.
- Shift to Subject Position: Place the actor at the beginning of the sentence.
- Choose Strong Verbs: Replace static “to be” phrases with precise action verbs.
- Delete Extra Words: Remove “by” phrases and helping verbs.
Here are four examples:
| Passive Voice | Active Voice |
| The report was finished by the team. | The team finished the report. |
| Edits were made by the department. | The department made edits. |
| Graphics are designed by the contractor. | The contractor designs the graphics. |
| Content is provided. | The client provides the content. |
Notice how changing the sentences to active voice makes them more concise and easier to understand.
As noted in the “Clarity” section above, active voice makes it immediately clear who is responsible for each action. This precision is especially important in documents such as scopes of work, quotes, proposals, and legal forms, where ambiguity about roles and responsibilities can lead to misunderstandings or disputes.
In the three examples below, you’ll see how each of the sentences under “Passive Voice” begs the question, “who?”
| Passive Voice | Active Voice |
| Funding will be provided. | Company ABC will provide the funding. |
| Designs are uploaded to the website. | Novak Birch uploads designs to the website. |
| Content is written. | The client writes the content. |
When Passive Voice Makes Sense
Although active voice is generally preferred, passive voice can be useful in certain situations.
The Subject Is Unknown
If you don’t know who performed the action, passive voice could be the most logical choice.
Example: The design was approved.
If the approver is unknown, there’s no need to force an active construction.
The Focus Is the Result
Passive voice can be effective when the outcome of an action is more important than the person performing it. This is common in academic, scientific, and technical writing, where the emphasis is often placed on the findings or results rather than the researcher.
Example: The new marine species was discovered by Dr. Smith.
News headlines also frequently use passive constructions to emphasize the most important information and keep the focus on the event itself.
Example: 2,000 workers hired by local company
Following Disciplinary Conventions
As mentioned above, traditionally, STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) have relied more heavily on passive voice, while the arts and humanities have generally favored active voice. However, these conventions continue to evolve. Today, many STEM writers increasingly use active voice because it improves clarity, conciseness, and reader engagement.
Final Thoughts
Active voice should be your default choice because it tends to be clearer, more concise, and easier to understand. However, passive voice remains a valuable tool when the subject—aka “doer”—is unknown, unimportant, or secondary to the result being discussed. The best writers don’t avoid passive voice altogether—they use it intentionally.
