Writing in the active voice makes the meaning clear while keeping sentences from becoming complicated and wordy. Sentences using passive voice are not necessarily wrong, just less effective than ...

Tapping a pen, shaking a leg, twirling hair—we have all been in a classroom, meeting, or a public place where we find ...

In the Strunk example above, the leaves aren’t exactly juggling chainsaws, but it’s a mistake to equate physical passivity with the passive voice: I slept is an active sentence, while I was ...

When dealing with passive-aggressive behavior, it’s important to understand that beneath all of those snide remarks lies a deep unhappiness and sadness. What are some examples of passive ...

However, in each pair one sentence uses the active voice and one uses the passive voice ... is closer to the beginning of the sentence. For example:‘The exam was passed by the pupil’ would ...