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Active Voice
Take the Passive Voice Test
by, Jill Swenson
January 20, 2015

Passive voice weakens your writing. It obscures responsibility for action. Those who learn English as a second language struggle to make sense of the many ways in which Americans use passive verb constructions in everyday speech. It often finds its way into our writing. Rarely is the writer conscious of this problem in their writing. Passive voice is used by victims. Instead of actors, they… [Read More]

Filed Under: Active Voice, actor, Passive voice, recipient of action, subject-verb-object, victim
8 Comments
Eliminate Passive Voice: How?
by, Jill Swenson
June 12, 2012

As an editor, I see the use of passive voice as a red flag in a manuscript. It strips out all the action and agency. Makes the text boring. Passive voice frequently appears in academic writing. The stuff no one wants to read. You can edit your own book manuscript for passive voice and hone your talents as a powerful writer with a few simple… [Read More]

Filed Under: action, Active Voice, agency, Passive voice, reader comprehension, Verb tenses, voice of victims
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