I would have thought there was only one thing to say about passive voice — avoid it — but on the writers’ forum I belong to one thread on the passive has grown to 134 comments. The commenters were divided over whether there was a place for the passive or not, and more interestingly, the division quite clearly fell in the Atlantic Ocean. US writers are furiously against the passive, seeing it as an indication of weak writing, while British writers believe the passive has its place. Now writers are passionate and opinionated, but who knew that opinions could be so divided?
The writers I’m talking about here are creative writers who have much more leeway than business writers. Creative writers have the freedom to make language their tool, to forge and form it according to the needs of their narrative. However in business writing, my simple rule applies. Avoid the passive.
In business writing it is essential to know who does what. Business is all about tasks — who decides what the tasks are, who performs the tasks, who reports on the tasks, who collates the results of the tasks and who decides what further tasks should take place on the basis of those results. Business writing should be black and white, not interesting shades of grey. The passive introduces grey. As one commenter on the thread said, ‘Passive lacks clarity and precision.’
I find it odd that German, which is spoken by people who are world-renowned for their precision, is a language that embraces the passive. This is fine for the German language, but horrible for English translations. Two years ago, I edited a technical book written by Germans in English. It was filled with long-winded passive constructions that hurt my English soul. I had to address each sentence, ask myself what or who the agent was and rewrite. When a sentence lasts for a paragraph, this is not necessarily easy or fun.
Let’s not talk about my pain any longer. Let’s talk about the passive. Via the writer’s forum, I found this handy worksheet, which you can peruse at your leisure. It has an excellent section on common myths about the passive.
The standard English language sentence is Subject – Verb – Object. Passive voice is where the subject which begins the sentence is actually the object of the verb, so the sentence is Object – Verb – Subject. Here are some examples:
First, the new software package is installed. This is passive and begging the question ‘who should install the software package?’ In business, and in business writing, we always need to know who must do what. The software package is the object and not the subject of the sentence.
First, install the new software package. This is active voice with an implied ‘you’ who is the object of the sentence and must do the installing.
A report was set up to capture payroll data. This is passive.
The Finance Department set up a report to capture payroll data. This is active, with the FD as the subject of the sentence.
Training is conducted in fifteen locations globally. This is passive.
The company conducts training in fifteen locations globally. This is active.
The sentences using the active voice are clear and precise, while those using the passive are confusing and open to interpretation. So here’s my manifesto: English-language business writers embrace the active voice. You have nothing to lose but your opaqueness.
March 28th, 2010 at 6:44 am
Great post. I am often guilty of not practicing what I preach. Though I applaud the use of active language, I unintentionally slip into the passive. That is what happens if you live in Germany for almost 30 years. I’ll make sure to pass on the worksheet to my passivites.
March 28th, 2010 at 9:47 am
Hi Charlotte. I’m enjoying reading your blog which I came to via Ben Warsop’s.
Sticking with my fellow Brits, I would argue that the passive voice still has a place. I do always go through my writing and locate passivity which needs activating but sometimes I think it’s important to let the passive lie … or ’stand’, if you’re the kind of editor who writes ’stet’ in the margin.
This is firstly because, sometimes, I think it just sounds better. When in doubt, I try reconfiguring the sentence in the active, read both options aloud and follow my ear. I would agree that the majority should be active but I think it’s foolish to refuse part of the language arbitrarily as a matter of course (though experimentation can be fun and reveal exciting surprises). Active and passive complement each other and, if not used together, they lose some of their impact (just like light and dark). While a document written completely in the active may be shorter than one written in only the passive, it can be just as tiresome to a reader.
March 28th, 2010 at 10:46 am
Lia, it’s something to be alert for, especially as second-language speakers of German.
Jon, I do agree with you. There is a place for the passive, but not in business writing where it needs to be acutely clear who does what. I’m relieved I have the creative writing outlet where I can indulge my need to use the passive now and again. Thanks for visiting!
March 28th, 2010 at 11:27 am
*Waves to Jon* – Jon, you are right that the ear is the best test of all.
Charlotte, I totally agree with you about the passive voice in business writing, and have written as much in my own blog. The one place I have found where it has its uses is in the early stages of defining a process. Early on in that analysis it’s enough to say “the widget is polished” or “the application form is reviewed”. However, disaster ensues if you don’t take it to the next stage and say WHO polishes the widgets or reviews the application form.
How very interesting, and curious, about the Great Atlantic Divide. (It should be the Pacific Divide, really).
Ben
March 28th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Good post. I was definitely taught, no, it was beat into me that there is almost no place for passive voice. I always had to ask myself, though, if there is no place for it, then why does it exist?
Like Lilalia, I’ve been tainted after countless years living and working in Germany. I am sometimes obstructed in my native English language writing. I’ve submitted enough articles that have been slashed and dashed by native North Americans for me to become brutally aware of the language differences.
I would have to agree that business english should be void of passive voice. Thank goodness business writing isn’t the only writing there is! I allow myself more flexibility when doing creative writing.
Looking forward to the next writing installation!
May 26th, 2010 at 12:46 am
This is firstly because, sometimes, I think it just sounds better. When in doubt, I try reconfiguring the sentence in the active, read both options aloud and follow my ear. I would agree that the majority should be active but I think it’s foolish to refuse part of the language arbitrarily as a matter of course (though experimentation can be fun and reveal exciting surprises). Active and passive complement each other and, if not used together, they lose some of their impact (just like light and dark). While a document written completely in the active may be shorter than one written in only the passive, it can be just as tiresome to a reader.
+1