#ACTIVE VOICE DEFINITION HOW TO#
#ACTIVE VOICE DEFINITION FULL#

With the progressive form of a verb, even if in past tense, the sentence can look passive typically because of the presence of the “to be” verb. One way to distinguish passive voice is by spotting a past participle after a form of “to be” (and often followed by the word “by” or no subject at all): This is because there are tell-tale ways to identify passive voice which often look a lot like the progressive voice. It is common to confuse passive voice with the progressive voice. Common passive voice mistakes Common passive voice misconceptions Using this sentence structure can be but another layer of detail that can help bring your story to life. Alternatively, if this character specifically wants to keep something a secret, or does not know information, this would be a time to implement passive voice. If you are creating a character who has trouble accepting responsibility, maybe they only speak in the passive voice. “The car in front of mine was rear-ended.”.Essentially, this could lend itself well to a character trait. Phrasing your action in passive voice can help you tell the action of your story without spoiling the ending.Īnother example of a strategic way to use the passive voice is when a character does not know who performed an action or perhaps does not want to place blame or responsibility on another for performing an action. Perhaps the person performing these action in your story is someone you’d like to revela later. Using passive voice can add intrigue, and allow you to hold a secret until the point in your plot at which you want to reveal it. That being said, maybe you’d like to keep a secret from your reader, as well.

In your lines of action, activ voice is also typically key to efficient reading and commonly associate with stronger scriptwriting. You can use passive voice both in dialogue and, especially if you’re writing a script, used in lines of action. This is to say that you can add mystery or intrigue to everyday actions your characters are performing by making the simple switch to passive voice. This isn’t to say passive voice should only be used in situations where there is a mystery or in specifically in the mystery genre. Passive voice can often read as confusing, but it can also lend itself well to mystery. When to Use Passive Voice When to use passive voice

#ACTIVE VOICE DEFINITION FULL#

What is interesting about passive voice versus active voice is that when you have a full grasp on their key differences, the reasons to speak in the passive voice can be more heavily based in story-telling strategy rather than grammatical norms and efficiency.

The person or object performing the action is a secret.

The person or object performing the action is avoiding responsibility.

The person or object receiving the action is more important.

Passive voice can be useful in a number of scenarios: However, there are definitely benefits to using passive voice. It can also keep sentence structure trim and efficient.

#ACTIVE VOICE DEFINITION HOW TO#

Use Passive Voice How to use Passive Voiceįrom short stories to screenplays, it is widely considered more comfortable for the reader to read in the active voice: the action is clear, as well as the person performing it.

Active voice definition