Exercise
Each of the following sentences contains two verbs. Categorize each of the verbs in the following sentences as either active or passive. For example, if the first verb is active and the second is passive, write Active, Passive.
- The QA team loves ice cream, but the writers prefer sorbet.
- Performance metrics are required by the team, though I prefer wild guesses.
- When software engineers attempt something new and innovative, a reward should be given.
- Click the icon to see the answer.
Prefer active voice to passive voice
Use the active voice most of the time. Use the passive voice sparingly. Active voice provides the following advantages:
- Most readers mentally convert passive voice to active voice. Why subject your readers to extra processing time? By sticking to active voice, you enable readers to skip the preprocessor stage and go straight to compilation.
- Passive voice obfuscates your ideas, turning sentences on their head. Passive voice reports action indirectly.
- Some passive voice sentences omit an actor altogether, which forces the reader to guess the actor's identity.
- Active voice is generally shorter than passive voice.
Be bold—be active.\