Passive Voice
A sentence structure where the subject receives the action rather than performing it.
Definition
Passive voice is a grammatical construction in which the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb, rather than performing it. In passive voice, the agent (doer) is either implied or introduced using 'by'. For example: 'The report was written by Sarah' (passive) vs. 'Sarah wrote the report' (active). Passive constructions typically use a form of 'to be' plus a past participle.
Why It Matters
Active voice is generally preferred in modern writing because it is clearer, more direct, and more engaging. Passive voice can obscure who is responsible for an action and often produces longer, harder-to-read sentences. For SEO content, readability tools and style guides flag passive voice as a readability concern. However, passive voice has legitimate uses — particularly in scientific writing, formal reports, and when the agent is unknown or irrelevant.