2. Learning Objectives
● To learn the differences between active and
passive voice
● To vary active and passive voices for a variety of
sentence structures
3. Active Voice and Passive Voice
The famous story about Roger Bannister is well-
known. Roger went against all odds and popular
sentiments about his goal – running a mile under 4
minutes – and achieved the impossible!
If you were the sports announcer on this
momentous achievement in sporting history, how
would you report this piece of news?
As a sports announcer, you primary goal is to
entertain your audience so you need to inject
excitement in your tone!
4. Active Voice or not?
Compare the two historic announcements below:
1) “Roger Bannister has done it! Roger is now the
first man in history to run the sub 4-minute mile!”
2) “ The sub 4-minute mile has finally been
achieved! It has been completed by Roger
Bannister!”
Q: Which one do you prefer?
5. Active Voice Defined
No doubt you would have chosen the first option
because that is communicating in active voice!
In active voice, the main subjects / hero /
characters take centrestage!
In our example, Roger Bannister was the hero;
putting the most important subject in front of the
sentence, not behind - “Roger Bannister has done
it!” - made the sentence come alive hence, active!
Further examples . . .
7. Passive Voice Defined plus examples
● In passive voice, the subject is no longer active,
but is, instead, being acted upon by the verb.
8. Active Voice vs. Passive Voice
● Active voice is a shorter sentence.
● It gives the reader what the subject is doing
(action) and to what (object) directly .
● Passive voice emphasises on the action or the
object as the subject does not appear first.
● In general, always aim for an active voice when
you write your stories or situational essays.
● However, exceptions apply.
9. Exceptions
There are exceptions to the rule when active voice is
not used:
● the doer of the action is unknown, unwanted, or
unneeded in the sentence.
“The wallet was never found.”
● the writer wishes to emphasize the action of the
sentence rather than the doer of the action.
“It is extremely difficult to climb Mount Everest.”
● the writer wishes to use passive voice for sentence
variety.
10. Learning Activity
● Convert these sentences to active ones. You may
add details.
1) The answer was obtained secretly.
2) This needs to be done, by hook or by crook.
3) The project was completed without breaking a
sweat.
4) He was struck down over a petty incident.
5) He was being beaten.
6) It was not submitted on time.
11. Learning Activity Suggested Answers
● Some suggested sentences with active voices are:
1) The students obtained the answers secretly.
2) We need to do this by hook or by crook.
3) The team completed the project without breaking
a sweat.
4) The gangster struck him down over a petty
incident.
5) The big bully beat the living daylights out of him.
6) The team did not submit the proposal on time.
12. In Summary
● What's active voice?
● What's the benefit of active voice?
13. In Summary
● Active voice tells your message directly, as it
is. (as this sentence is doing now) .
● It is shorter and thus communicate actions or
ideas best.
