English

Learning the rules of the English Language: Active and Passive Voice

If you want to become a proficient English speaker, you must first become familiar with the rules of the language. One of the biggest challenges in communication is understanding when to use the active or passive voice. Knowing when to use the active voice can help make sentences more direct and easier to understand.

The active voice is the preferred choice for speaking and writing in English. It provides clarity and more straightforward sentences. When using the active voice, the subject is performing the action of the verb and it is usually presented first. For example, "The student wrote the essay". In the sentence, The student is the subject and wrote is the verb.

In contrast, the passive voice is less direct and often used when we don’t know who performed the action of the verb. It reverses the subject and verb of the sentence. The sentence "The essay was written by the student" uses the passive voice. Here, the student is the subject, but written is the verb.

When using the active voice, make sure to use politically correct language and avoid biased language. This means using gender-neutral language when referring to someone of unknown gender, using person-first language when referring to a person with a disability or other condition, and using inclusive language when talking about an inclusive group.

Another important rule to remember is that when a sentence is written in the passive voice, it cannot be written as a question. For example, the sentence, "Was the essay written by the student?" should be reworded as "Did the student write the essay?"

To become a proficient speaker or writer in the English language, you must have a good grasp of the rules of grammar and when to use active and passive voice. Remember, using the active voice can help make sentences more direct and easier to understand. Good luck and Happy Learning!