Write With Active Voice
Definition
Active voice
When the subject of the sentence performs the action.
- In active voice, the subject performs the action.
Active: The author employs irony to mock societal norms.
- In passive voice, the subject receives the action.
Passive: Irony is employed to mock societal norms.
Why Active Voice Matters
- You’re writing analysis, not a police report.
- Active voice helps you:
- Stay clear: The subject (usually the writer) and verb (what they do) are front and center.
- Sound confident: Active writing shows ownership of your point.
- Show intention: Writers make deliberate choices. Examiners want to see you recognise that.
- Avoid vagueness: Passive voice often skips the ‘who’, making your writing feel fuzzy.
Passive voice: The tone is created by the use of repetition
Active voice: The poet creates a mournful tone through repetition.
- In the passive version, who’s doing the action? It’s unclear.
- In the active version, the poet is in control, and you sound like an analyst, not an observer.
