How AI can help you understand passive vs. active voice

The active voice vs. the passive voice

In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb, directly impacting the object. For example, “The scientist conducts the experiment” uses the active voice. The active voice, being direct and energetic, is often clearer and thus preferred in many writing contexts, though the passive voice has its place.

Conversely, passive voice occurs when the object of an action becomes the subject of the sentence. For instance, “The experiment is conducted by the scientist” uses the passive voice. The passive voice is useful for emphasizing the action or when the subject is unknown or irrelevant. Sentences in the passive voice typically include the auxiliary verb “to be” followed by the past participle of the main verb.

In general, the active voice describes what people or things do, while the passive voice describes what happens to people or things. Here’s a brief guide to using each voice:

• Use active voice to create an assertive, straightforward statement.
• Use the passive voice to emphasize the action itself or when the doer’s identity is unknown or irrelevant.

Achieve the extraordinary with

Copilot in Microsoft 365

Seamlessly tackle your to-dos and track budgets, projects, and calendars with AI-powered features in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more.

Learn more

How to practice active vs. passive voice with AI

Mastering the active and passive voice is essential for enhancing your writing, and AI technology offers a powerful toolset to achieve this. AI assists in identifying and refining voice usage, provides instant feedback, and customizes quizzes and games for practice. Here are a few ways AI simplifies learning and makes it more effective and engaging for writers to improve their craft.

Writing assistance

AI-powered writing assistants can accurately identify the use of passive or active voice in your text. In addition to their ability to highlight instances of passive voice (which is less desirable in certain contexts), they can also give suggestions on changing to the active voice to make your writing more dynamic and engaging. AI can also do the opposite: convert active sentences into passive ones where the passive voice is preferred.

Immediate feedback

One of the biggest advantages of using AI for writing is its ability to generate immediate feedback. AI can provide feedback if you’re unsure about the voice you’re using by highlighting the places in your writing where you’re using the active vs. the passive voice. This immediate feedback is crucial for understanding how voice choice affects your writing’s and effectiveness and impacts the overall clarity of your writing.

Customized quizzes and games

AI can generate quizzes and educational games tailored to your current level of understanding and adjust the difficulty of the questions as you improve. This approach keeps you engaged while gently challenging you just enough to facilitate growth without causing frustration.

Whether you’re a beginner eager to grasp the basics or an advanced writer polishing your skills, AI tools offer invaluable practice. Learning the nuances of active and passive voice through these tools can significantly enhance your writing.