Active vs. Passive Voice

Transitive verbs appear in either the active or passive voice. In the active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action; in the passive voice, the subject receives the action.

Active:
The committee reached a decision.

Passive:
A decision was reached by the committee.

The problem? Although both voices are grammatically correct, the active voice is usually more effective because it is simpler and more direct. Consider a familiar phrase as evidence:

She sells seashells by the seashore.

Seashells are sold by her at the seashore.

To transform a sentence from the passive voice to the active voice, make the actor the subject of the sentence. Do so with the following sentence.

For the opening flag ceremony, a dance was choreographed by Mr. Martins to the song “Two Hundred Years and Still a Baby.”

Although this rule is generally true, there are a few situations where the passive voice is particularly useful. First, use the passive voice to express an action where the actor is unknown.

An error has been found in your bank statement.

Second, use the passive voice to express an action in which it is desirable not to disclose the actor.

The jewels were stolen last night.

Third, if the action rather than the actor is to be emphasized, the passive voice is appropriate.

The actress was celebrated and applauded by the audience.