Passive voice, a term that elicits mixed emotions in any writing enthusiast. Some regard passive voice as a crucial tool in writing, while others see it as a crutch that takes away from the writer’s responsibility. However, the passive voice isn’t always bad. In this article, we’ll explore the intricacies of passive voice, its uses, and its place in modern writing.

Passive voice is a grammatical concept in which the object of an action becomes the subject of the sentence while the actor or subject, responsible for the action, is relegated to a prepositional phrase. For instance, “The cat was chased by the dog.” Here, the subject, the cat, is receiving the action of being chased, while the dog is the actor.

Passive voice is often frowned upon because it can make a sentence sound awkward and convoluted. For example, the sentence, “The report was written by me,” can be rewritten as “I wrote the report,” making it sound simpler and more natural.

However, there are instances where passive voice can be useful. For example, suppose the actor is unknown, unimportant, or deemphasized. In that case, passive voice can come in handy. “The Mona Lisa was painted in the 16th century” is a good example. Here, the focus is on the artwork and its historical significance, not on who painted it.

Passive voice is also common in scientific and academic writing as it allows the writer to maintain an indifferent tone and steer clear of personal opinions. Instead of saying, “We observed a significant decline in the population,” one could say, “A significant decline in the population was observed.” The passive voice conveys the outcome in a neutral and objective manner without bringing in any personal biases.

Another instance where passive voice is appropriate is in telling a story from a character’s perspective. The character is likely to describe the action happening to them rather than taking responsibility for it. For example, “I was hit by a car” sounds more like a first-person recounting of events than “a car hit me,” which sounds more like a news story.

The passive voice can also be used to create a sense of mystery or suspense. For instance, “The door was opened,” is more intriguing than “he opened the door.” It creates suspense because we don’t know who opened the door or what may lay behind it.

However, passive voice can also be used for less honorable reasons. Some writers use passive voice to avoid taking responsibility for their words or evading the blame. For instance, “Mistakes were made” is a classic example of a writer avoiding accountability. This is why it’s essential to use passive voice thoughtfully and sparingly.

In conclusion, while the passive voice isn’t always welcome in writing, it has its place. When used suitably, it can bring out suspense, objectivity, and emphasis on the necessary things. On the other hand, overuse of passive voice can make writing sound awkward, clunky, and vague. As such, writers need to be aware of when to use and when to avoid passive voice. It’s worth remembering that the essential aspect of writing is communication, and anything that hinders communication should be avoided.

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