How to Avoid Passive Voice in Writing: Examples & Tips

If your writing seems wordy, unclear, or not as interesting as it could be, passive voice is one of the elements that may be making your work weak.

The positive thing about passive voice is that it is easy to detect after you get to know how to recognize it. Through a few straightforward editing strategies, you can transform a number of passive sentences into more effective active sentences.

In this article, you will learn what passive voice is, how to detect it, how to rewrite it, and how passive voice can be better than active voice.

What Is Passive Voice?

Passive voice refers to the construction of sentences in which the subject does not do the action but instead receives the action.

For instance:

Passive: The report was prepared by Sarah.
Active: Sarah prepared the report.

In the above example, despite the report receiving the action, it is the subject. In the latter sentence, Sarah becomes the subject since she is the one doing the action.

The difference is that:

Active voice: Subject performs the action.
Passive voice: Subject receives the action.

The active voice normally emphasizes the person or the thing behind the action in the sentence.

How to Spot Passive Voice

Before you can avoid passive voice, you need to recognize it. Look for these common clues.

1. Look for a Form of “To Be”

Passive constructions often use a form of the verb to be, such as:

is
am
are
was
were
be
been
being

These are often followed by a past participle:

was completed
is reviewed
were damaged
has been approved
is being repaired

However, don’t assume that every sentence containing a form of to be is passive. For example, “She is tired” is not passive. The verb is connects the subject to an adjective rather than showing that an action is being performed on the subject.

2. Look for a “By” Phrase

A by phrase often identifies the person or thing performing the action.

The novel was written by Maya.

Here, by Maya tells us who wrote the novel.

But passive voice doesn’t always include a by phrase:

Mistakes were made.

The budget was reduced.

The documents were lost.

In these examples, the person responsible for the action isn’t mentioned.

3. Try the “By Zombies” Test

The famous “zombie test” can help you spot passive constructions quickly.

Try adding “by zombies” after the verb.

The cake was eaten by zombies.
This works, so the sentence is passive.

Sarah ate the cake by zombies.
This doesn’t make grammatical sense, so the sentence is active.

The test isn’t perfect, but it’s a useful shortcut when you’re editing quickly.

Why Can Passive Voice Weaken Your Writing?

Passive voice isn’t a grammar mistake. The problem comes from using it when active voice would be clearer and more direct.

It Can Hide the Doer

Passive voice can leave readers wondering who performed an action.

Weak: Errors were made during the project.

Clearer: The development team made several errors during the project.

The second sentence tells readers exactly who was responsible.

It Can Add Unnecessary Words

Passive constructions often require extra words.

Passive: The report was completed by the marketing team.

Active: The marketing team completed the report.

The active version is shorter and gets to the point faster.

It Can Make Writing Feel Less Direct

Compare these sentences:

Passive: The decision was made to postpone the meeting.

Active: The manager postponed the meeting.

The second sentence is more direct because it identifies the person responsible and uses a stronger verb.

It Can Reduce Energy

Active voice often gives writing a stronger sense of movement.

Passive: The ball was kicked across the field by James.

Active: James kicked the ball across the field.

The active version feels more immediate because the reader encounters the doer and action right away.

How to Change Passive Voice to Active Voice

Rewriting passive sentences doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow these steps.

Step 1: Find the Action

First, identify what is happening in the sentence.

The proposal was approved by the committee.

The action is approved.

Step 2: Find the Doer

Ask yourself:

Who performed the action?

In this example, the answer is the committee.

Step 3: Put the Doer First

Move the person or thing performing the action into the subject position.

Passive: The proposal was approved by the committee.

Active: The committee approved the proposal.

Step 4: Use a Strong, Direct Verb

Look for opportunities to replace vague phrases with precise verbs.

Passive: A decision was made to cancel the event.

Active: The committee canceled the event.

The active sentence removes unnecessary wording and uses canceled as the main verb.

Step 5: Add the Doer When Necessary

Sometimes passive sentences don’t tell you who performed the action.

Passive: The deadline was missed.

If you know who missed it, name them:

Active: The design team missed the deadline.

But don’t invent a subject simply to avoid passive voice. If the doer is genuinely unknown, passive voice may be the better choice.

Passive vs. Active Voice: Examples

Here are some common examples of passive sentences rewritten in active voice:

Passive Voice	Active Voice
The report was written by Sarah.	Sarah wrote the report.
The window was broken by the child.	The child broke the window.
The proposal was reviewed by the committee.	The committee reviewed the proposal.
The email was sent by John.	John sent the email.
The road was repaired by the city.	The city repaired the road.
The project was completed by our team.	Our team completed the project.
The package was delivered this morning.	The courier delivered the package this morning.
The mistake was discovered during the review.	The editor discovered the mistake during the review.

Notice that active voice doesn’t simply mean making a sentence shorter. Its main advantage is that it makes the relationship between the doer and the action easier to understand.

Active and Passive Voice Across Different Tenses

Passive voice can appear in several verb tenses. Here’s how the structures compare:

Tense	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Simple present	She writes the report.	The report is written by her.
Simple past	She wrote the report.	The report was written by her.
Simple future	She will write the report.	The report will be written by her.
Present continuous	She is writing the report.	The report is being written by her.
Present perfect	She has written the report.	The report has been written by her.
Past perfect	She had written the report.	The report had been written by her.

A useful rule to remember is that passive voice generally requires a transitive verb—a verb that can take a direct object.

For example:

Active: The chef cooked the meal.

The verb cooked has an object: the meal. That object can become the subject of a passive sentence:

Passive: The meal was cooked by the chef.

By contrast, verbs such as arrive, cry, swim, and sleep generally don’t take direct objects, so they can’t normally be converted into passive voice.

Active: She arrived early.

There is no natural passive equivalent because there is no object receiving the action.

When Is Passive Voice the Better Choice?

Avoiding passive voice doesn’t mean eliminating it completely. Sometimes passive voice is more appropriate because the action, result, or recipient matters more than the person performing it.

When the Doer Is Unknown

If you don’t know who performed the action, passive voice can be useful.

The window was broken overnight.

If nobody knows who broke it, there’s no need to invent a subject.

When the Doer Isn’t Important

Sometimes the result matters more than who performed the action.

The bridge was completed in 1998.

The sentence focuses on the bridge and its completion date rather than the construction company.

In Scientific or Technical Writing

Passive voice can be useful when the process or result matters more than the researcher.

The sample was heated to 100°C and observed for changes.

In technical writing, this construction can keep attention on the procedure rather than the person conducting it.

That said, modern scientific writing doesn’t require passive voice in every sentence. Active voice can often make technical writing clearer:

We heated the sample to 100°C and observed the changes.

The best choice depends on the publication, field, and purpose.

When You Want to Avoid Assigning Blame

Passive voice can sometimes soften a statement or keep the focus on the problem rather than the person responsible.

Mistakes were made during the rollout.

This may be appropriate in a diplomatic context, although it can also sound evasive if readers expect accountability.

When the Action or Recipient Is More Important

Sometimes the person performing the action is obvious or irrelevant.

Two vehicles were stolen from the parking lot last night.

The important information is what happened, not necessarily who stole the vehicles.

The goal isn’t to eliminate passive voice. It’s to make a deliberate choice between active and passive voice based on what you want the reader to notice.

A Quick Way to Edit Passive Voice

You don’t need to analyze every sentence in detail. During your final edit, use this quick process:

Look for forms of “to be.” Check for words such as is, are, was, were, been, and being.
Ask who is performing the action.
Check whether the subject receives the action.
Move the doer to the beginning when active voice would be clearer.
Replace weak verb phrases with stronger verbs where possible.
Keep passive voice when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or intentionally left out.
Read the sentence aloud. If the active version sounds clearer and more natural, use it.

Example of a Quick Edit

Original: The final report was reviewed by the manager before it was submitted.

Ask: Who reviewed the report?

The manager.

Then rewrite:

Active: The manager reviewed the final report before submitting it.

The revised sentence is shorter, more direct, and easier to follow.

Common Mistakes When Avoiding Passive Voice

Trying too hard to eliminate passive voice can create new problems.

Don’t Force Every Sentence Into Active Voice

Passive voice isn’t automatically bad. Changing a perfectly natural passive sentence can make your writing awkward.

The suspect was arrested yesterday.

If the identity of the police officers isn’t important, this sentence is perfectly reasonable.

Don’t Add an Unknown Doer

If you don’t know who performed the action, don’t make someone up just to create an active sentence.

The documents were stolen.

You shouldn’t rewrite this as:

Someone stole the documents.

unless you actually know or reasonably mean that someone did.

Don’t Confuse “To Be” With Passive Voice

A sentence containing is, was, or were isn’t automatically passive.

She was happy.

This is not passive voice.

She was invited to the party.

This is passive because she receives the action of invited.

Learning to distinguish these structures will prevent you from making unnecessary changes.

Active Voice vs. Passive Voice: Which Should You Use?

In general, you should use the active voice in cases where:

The actor is relevant to the sentence.
There is a need for clarity and straightforwardness.
It is necessary to maintain brevity.
You provide instructions or describe a process.
Your intention is to write in an energetic manner.

Use the passive voice in situations where:

The actor is not known.
The actor is not relevant.
The outcome is more important than the person behind it.
Your writing style is formal and technical.
Your purpose is to deliberately avoid emphasizing responsibility.

The proper question is not “How can I get rid of passive voice?”

The proper question is “Which voice will best convey my intended message?”

Final Thoughts

The use of passive voice is not bad grammar, nor does it require removal from all writing. The issue is overreliance on passive voice when active voice would have been preferable.

During the process of revision, identify passive constructions, determine who or what the true actor is, and place the actor in the subject position if possible. Use specific verbs to replace vague language, but do not force active construction where passive would be more appropriate.

With enough practice, you will find yourself naturally identifying examples of passive voice. Use the active voice to create clear, forceful writing with accountability and passive voice where emphasis is placed on the action, the result, or the receiver of the action.

How to Avoid Passive Voice in Writing (With Examples)