Tip #4: The passive voice should never be used.

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Tips for Writers: Archives (Tip #4)

In William Safire’s How Not to Write (Norton & Co., 1990), the award-winning columnist states his rules for writers by breaking them—a bit of humorous instruction he calls a “fumblerule.” Rule #24 addresses a problem that bedevils many writers who are looking to create intensity and power with their writing: “The passive voice should never be used.”

Passive voice is created when the subject of the sentence is not actually performing the action of the main verb. The effect is a marked weakening of the sentence, because the action isn’t active. (Both Saffire’s rule, above, and the first sentence of this paragraph use passive voice. Did you notice?) Consider the different feel of these two sentences:

· The bully punched the locker by the crying boy’s head. (Active)

· The locker by the crying boy’s head was punched by the bully. (Passive)

Although they say essentially the same thing, the first sentence packs a more powerful punch (in this case, literally) because the verb is active—the subject of the sentence, “bully,” is performing the action. The second sentence is weakened by the passive construction that puts the puncher way at the end of the sentence.

Writers who avoid passive voice as a general rule will find that their writing has more energy, movement, and color. However, there are instances in which passive voice is not only correct but desirable. Technical and science writers use passive voice in documenting procedures or describing results of their studies. Journalists, too, find themselves relying on passive voice when the actual “doer” of a particular deed is either unknown or not being identified. In other words, “Options were considered, alternatives were discarded, and passive voice was used.”

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