JS Tip 624: Rewriting Passive

From the Writing Workshops: Active and Passive Voice III

We explored this topic five years ago. We’ve had recent inquiries, so we’ll explore the topic again in a series of tips. This is the third in the series. 

Rewriting Passive Voice

You can rewrite passive into active in four steps: 

  1. Identify the action going on in the sentence: “The report was written by Sarah.” Writing. Yup. That's what's going on. 

  2. Identify the do-er of the action: “The report was written by Sarah.” Sarah. She's doing the writing. 

  3. Move the do-er of the action to the beginning of the sentence: Sarah . . . . 

  4. Let the action of the sentence flow from the do-er of the action: “Sarah wrote the report.”

Bingo. 

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“The report was approved by the audit committee.” 

(Let's see: approving . . . audit committee . . . The audit committee . . . .)

“The audit committee approved the report.” (Eight words down to six. A twenty-five percent weight loss.) 

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“Applications must be turned in by Friday.” (A tough one.) 

(Turning in . . . . whoa. No actor. No do-er. You? Implied?)

“Turn in your applications by Friday.” 

(This is called “imperative mode” or “command mode.” The “you” is implied or assumed: “Hey, YOU!” “What?” “Turn in your application by Friday!” “Okay!” Seven words down to six. Fourteen percent.) 

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Remember this applies only to sentences in which there's action. 

Not all sentences include action. “Sarah’s report was excellent” is description, not action.

Howzat? 

Kurt Weiland