The Active Voice

When an action verb is in the active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action of the verb and transfers that action to a direct object:

Harry	throws	the ball.
[subject]	[verb]	[direct object]

Verbs express either an action (runs, writes, jumps) or a state of being or appearance (is, seemed). Verbs that express a state of being or appearance are called linking verbs. There are two kinds of verbs that express action. Intransivitive verbs express an action, but do not transfer that action to an object or recipient: "The gross national product rose last year." Transitive verbs, on the other hand, generally transmit the action to a direct object: "The Congress adopted a new budget."

Transitive verbs can take either of two different forms: the active voice, and the passive voice.

In the active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action, and transmits the action to a direct object:

I	love	apples.
[subject]	[verb]	[direct object]

Transitive verbs	take	objects.
[subject]	[verb]	[direct object]

The Titanic	hit	an iceberg.
[subject]	[verb]	[direct object]

In the passive voice the subject of the sentence receives the action. In other words, the term that would be the direct object is made into the subject:

The budget	was passed.
[subject]	[verb]

So the doer of the action, which would be the subject of the sentence in the active voice, need not appear at all in a passive sentence. If it does appear, it will usually be in a prepositional phrase, most often a by phrase:

The budget	was passed	by Congress.
[subject]	[verb]	[prepositional phrase]

In general, you will write more smoothly and clearly if you write in the active voice. The active voice puts things in their natural order: doer > action > object. When you write in the active voice, your writing moves forward. When you write in the passive voice, you are taking things in reverse order: object > action > (doer?) . Scholars studying the way we read have found that it actually takes most people slightly longer to read the same passage written in the passive voice. They believe that when we read a passive sentence, we have to unconsciously "translate" it into the active voice before we fully understand it. Compare these two paragraphs, each saying the same thing, and see which one is easier for you to read and get meaning from:

As your topic is refined, not just what you believe but why it is believed should be thought about, not just what is true but how it is known by you to be true. Where the evidence will be found to support your position should be thought about. Research should be begun, perhaps even before a topic has been finally selected, in order that what's available and how your position can be supported can be found out.

As you refine your topic, think about not just what you believe but why you believe it, not just what is true but how you know it is true. Think about where you will find the evidence to support your position. You should begin to do research, perhaps even before you have finally selected a topic, in order to find out what's available and how you can support your position.

The major difference between these two paragraphs is that the first one uses the passive voice wherever the second one uses the active voice. The second one is not only easier to read, but much clearer and less subject to misunderstanding. Notice that both paragraphs use linking verbs occasionally. This is normal. But the active voice moves your writing forward more clearly and smoothly than either extensive use of linking verbs or the passive voice.

Now review your understanding of the active voice with some quick exercises.

Return to The Thesis Statement.