- The cat scratched the woman.
- The woman was scratched by the cat.
The first sentence is written in the active voice. It's clear and direct. The second sentence is passive.
In an active sentence, the subject performs the action of the verb. In a passive sentence, the subject is letting the action happen to them. Here's another simple example:
In the first sentence, the subject (the golfer) performs the action (hit the ball). In the second sentence, the subject (the golfer) comes after the verb; it's receiving the action.
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Use active sentences
They are direct, bold and more interesting than passive ones. In an active sentence, the subject performs the action of the verb. In a passive sentence, the subject is letting the action happen to them.
Example: The golfer hit the ball Vs. The ball was hit by the gol...
Passive writing is written by zombies.
One of the most popular ways to identify passive voice is by adding “by zombies” after the action. If the sentence still makes sense, it’s passive. Here...
Common errors
Most writing mistakes are widespread, but good writers just get better at spotting them. Some things you'll learn to watch for are:
- Overuse of jargon and business-speak, like "utilize" or "endeavor" instead of "use" or "try."
- Clichés are stale phrase...
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