The difference between active and passive voice lies in who performs the action and how the sentence is structured.
🔹 Active Voice
In active voice, the subject performs the action of the verb.
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Structure: Subject + Verb + Object
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Example:
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The dog (subject) chased (verb) the cat (object).
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✅ Active voice is clearer, more direct, and usually preferred in writing.
🔹 Passive Voice
In passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb. The doer of the action may be omitted or added at the end with “by.”
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Structure: Object + Form of “to be” + Past Participle (+ by + Subject)
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Example:
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The cat (subject) was chased (verb) by the dog (agent).
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⚠️ Passive voice can be less direct or used when the doer is unknown, irrelevant, or less important.
✅ When to Use Each
| Use Active Voice When… | Use Passive Voice When… |
|---|---|
| You want clear, concise, and direct statements. | The actor is unknown or unimportant. |
| Emphasizing who is doing the action. | Emphasizing the action or recipient of the action. |
| Writing in business, academic, or creative style. | Writing scientific reports or formal legal documents. |
🔁 Quick Comparison
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| The chef cooked the meal. | The meal was cooked by the chef. |
| She completed the report. | The report was completed by her. |
| They will announce the winner. | The winner will be announced. |