Dianna Booher

By Dianna Booher

Can passive voice be all bad? Of course not. Continual use of active-voice verbs can be monotonous and at times pompous. Passive-voice sentences can be useful.

Consider using them for reasons such as these:

To Add Variety
We preinsulated the injection string with calcium silicate. Then we insulated a concentric injection string that had been in use earlier. Finally, the production casing was prestressed in all wells. (The last passive-verb sentence changes the pace.)

To Soften Commands
The procedures should be revised. ("Revise the procedures" is a strong command to deliver to a client or peer.)

To Emphasize Results When the Doer Is Unimportant
Eighteen websites have been investigated for fraudulent claims. (Who encountered them is unimportant.)

Unless you have a specific reason for using the passive voice, prefer active voice to make your communication direct, clear, and concise.

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