Why Passive voice is not to be Used by you (OR) WHY YOU SHOULD NOT USE PASSIVE VOICE

What does passive voice sound like? It was midday. The bus was being got into by passengers. They were being squashed together. A hat was being worn on the head of a young gentlemen. [. . .] A long neck was one of the characteristics of the young gentlemen. The man standing next to him was being grumbled at by the young gentleman because of the jostling which was being inflicted on him by him. As soon as a vacant seat was espied by the young gentlemen it was made the object of his precipitate movements and it became sat down upon.

Translated into active voice It was midday. As the passengers boarded the bus, they squashed together. A long-necked, young gentleman was wearing a hat. The young gentleman turns and grumbles to the old man standing next to him, “stop jostling me”. (Because a man jostles him, the young man turns and grumbles.) The young gentleman spies a vacant seat and sits down.

Definition of active voice and passive voice Features Advantages Disadvantages Active Subject or agent performs the action Transitive verb and a direct object (The Belle of Amherst wrote poems) -clarity -shorter -precise/direct -reader friendly -you can’t conceal agent Passive Subject or agent is acted upon Auxiliary verb: "to be" and past participle of main verb (ex. "The species are separated." A "by" phrase (present in some passive sentences) (ex. "A lot of money is always spent by the students.) -conceal your agent (Spy novels hide evil villain. Politicians to displace blame.) -defining words Obscures meaning Super lengthy Too many prepositions Tedious for the reader

Rhetorical purposes to consider when Choosing between active & passive voice  Rhetorical Purpose: Concise sentences with fewer words are more accessible and engaging to readers. Their Eyes were Watching God was written by Zora Neale Hurston. (passive voice sentence of 11 words) Zora Neale Hurston wrote Their Eyes were Watching God. (active voice sentence of 9 words) Rhetorical Purpose: Preceding action verbs, the agents are in a recognized position of performing the action. A Thanksgiving meal is being provided for the homeless by the students’ efforts. Students coordinated an effort to provide a Thanksgiving meal for the homeless.

Rhetorical purposes to consider when Choosing between active & passive voice Arguing from a position of emphasis; supports either active or passive voice. Rhetorical purpose:  By placing the brick wall in the position of emphasis, writers can either choose passive or active voice depending on the effect they are trying to achieve. As I backed out of the driveway, a small brick wall encountered my car. As I backed out of the driveway, I hit a brick wall.

Rhetorical purposes to consider when Choosing between active & passive voice Arguing to conceal or reveal the agent; supports either active or passive voice. Rhetorical purpose: To suppress or promote the agent’s responsibility. Concealment: A politician argues, “Mistakes were made.” An usher warns, “If you do not cease talking in the movie theatre, you will be asked to leave.” Revelation: A politician argues, “Our office personnel made mistakes in the accounting.” An usher warns, “If you do not cease talking in the movie theatre, I will ask you to leave.”

Rhetorical purposes to consider when Choosing between active & passive voice Arguing that the agent is unimportant, unknown, or unreported; supports passive voice. In given contexts, passive voice is appropriate in writing or speaking: a. Agent is unimportant        Ex. The poems were collected for the creative writing contest.  b. Agent is unknown Ex. The university buildings were constructed in 1946. c. Agent is better left unsaid Ex. The textbooks were sold to the wrong class.

Revisions Rita Dove’s poetry recitation inspired me to write a few stanzas. In Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, Lt. Cross takes the blame for the death of Ted Lavender, a soldier in his platoon. There are many busts of famous literary figures in Westminster Abbey. Japan occupied Vietnam during World War II. The escalated fighting in the Vietnam War ignited antiprotest movements.