PASSIVE VOICE:  Continued

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Should I use Passive Voice or Active Voice?

 

For the following pairs of sentences, which sounds better: the active voice version or the passive voice version?

ACTIVE VOICE SENTENCE: PASSIVE VOICE SENTENCE:
 
Firemen put out the fire at 8:10 p.m. The fire was put out at 8:10 p.m.
Which sounds better, and why?

The passive voice sentence is preferable. Typically it is firemen who put out fires; that is their job, so including the agent here is duplicative. Also, in the active voice sentence we are using the word "fire" twice: once in firemen and once in the fire.
Dad is making dinner tonight. Dinner is being made by Dad tonight.
Which sounds better, and why?
This is an informal situation; the focus is also on Dad. Use the active voice sentence, and give Dad some credit!
I wrote to you, don't you remember? You were written to by me, don't you remember?
Which sounds better, and why?

It's fairly certain that the speaker or writer here wants to put some emphasis on the fact that he or she wrote.  Active voice helps the writer make that point.
Who locked the door By whom was the door locked?
Which sounds better, and why?

Here the emphasis is on the agent: WHO? We're going with active voice.
The builders completed this building in 1847. This building was completed in 1847.
Which sounds better, and why?

Choose passive voice here. Clearly builders build buildings, so that piece of information is not necessary.
The earthquake killed thousands of people. Thousands of people were killed in the earthquake.
Which sounds better, and why?

The most important piece of information is probably the number of people killed by the earthquake, or in its aftermath; use the passive voice construction and emphasize the extent of the human tragedy. In a different context, it might be advisable to use the passive voice sentence if you want to specify which earthquake.
 

Next..  How Do I Form Passive Voice?

In our next unit...

Next: How Do I Form Passive Voice?

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