8a. Active versus passive verbs
In the active voice, the subject does the action; in the passive voice, the subject receives the action (see also 47c). Although both voices are grammatically correct, the active voice is usually more effective because it is clearer and more direct.
| active | Hernando caught the fly ball. |
| passive | The fly ball was caught by Hernando. |
Passive sentences often identify the actor in a by phrase, as in the preceding example. Sometimes, however, that phrase is omitted, and who or what is responsible for the action becomes unclear: The fly ball was caught.
Most of the time, you will want to emphasize the actor, so you should use the active voice. To replace a passive verb with an active one, make the actor the subject of the sentence.
The revision emphasizes the actors (settlers) by naming them in the subject.
Appropriate uses of the passive
The passive voice is appropriate to emphasize the receiver of the action or to minimize the importance of the actor.
| appropriate passive | Many Hawaiians were forced to leave their homes after the earthquake. |
| appropriate passive | Near harvest time, the tobacco plants are sprayed with a chemical to slow the growth of suckers. |
The writer of the first sentence wished to emphasize the receiver of the action, Hawaiians. The writer of the second sentence wished to focus on the tobacco plants, not on the people spraying them.
In much scientific writing, the passive voice properly emphasizes the experiment or process being described, not the researcher. Check with your instructor for the preference in your discipline.