Sometimes writers allow the passive voice to creep into their work, weakening their writing as a result. For a first-time author looking to get published, this could be enough for your article to end up in the rejection pile. For a student, this could rob you of that A+ your content would otherwise have earned.
These are just some of the problems you will face if you use the passive voice in your writing. Today, we’re going to show you some tips on how to fix this so you can create an eraser that’s cleaner and more impactful.
The truth about the passive voice
Why all this talk about the passive voice? How bad is it really? To be honest, it’s not that bad, but it’s not that good either. The passive voice can make sentences sound mediocre and prevent the overall work from living up to its true potential; not exactly a combination that will earn you editors’ approval.
This is why writers looking to buy and publish their stuff should employ the best passive voice checkers. This means using online editing tools, working with experienced editors, and arming yourself with a good pair of eyes to spot passive voice misuse.
When editing your article, pay special attention to the mood or linking verbs. This is where you spot the misuse of the passive voice. The word “by” is often also indicative of the error.
Correction of the passive voice and other common errors
Publishers cannot be expected to do everything. Foolproofing a paper also requires effort on your part to catch passive voice and other stylistic and grammar errors.
1. Get rid of weak verbs.
Knowing how to fix the passive voice helps you write sentences that have more impact. You can start by replacing weak and definite verbs with more expressive and nuanced ones. An indication of the misuse of verbs is the application of the word “very”. Certainly, there are more descriptive and concise verbal alternatives than those modified by this adverb.
2. Edit the unwanted redundancy.
Yes, repetition is sometimes necessary when you’re trying to make a point. However, the problem here, specifically, is a tautology, or unnecessary repetition.
The more you practice writing brevity, the more tautology avoidance becomes second nature to you. It will simply be connected to build sentences in the most direct way where no word is decorative.
3. Avoid using fake tips.
The pressure to amplify the number of words does not justify the presence of false extremities. Unless you’re writing an academic paper, you’ll want to keep these laconic phrases to a minimum.
Phrases like “at this point in history” or “regarding” may sound nice when spoken, but they hardly do anything in writing except make sentences a mouthful. Keep your sentences short and to the point by refusing to incorporate false members into them.
4. Put the adjective before your noun.
You’re probably no stranger to writing this type of sentence: “He was handsome, cold, and blind to his affections.” Needless to say, this was neither the first nor the last time you wrote a dead verb as a precursor to an adjective or even a group of adjectives. The temptation to do so can be too strong at times.
However, it would be better to structure the sentence in this way: “The gallant, cold and little observant young man did not notice the affection of the young woman.”
5. Change the order of the words in your sentence.
Switching from passive to active is sometimes all in the order of a sentence. Just restructure your sentence so that the subject is addressed at the beginning of the sentence. That should rid you of the annoying passive voice.
6. Cut unused passive voice for effect.
Remember how we said that using the passive voice when writing isn’t so bad? Well, using them for “effect” is one of those times.
Each of us has a unique writing style that affects the way we tell stories and structure sentences. So as an odd choice, is to use the passive form in some sentences, it might just be what a writer’s particular style of storytelling requires.
Outside of this though, you want to stick to the active voice. This style of writing allows you to recount scenes or events in more detail and with more emotion.
7. Cut out the verbiage.
There are several styles, apart from the fake limbs, that contribute to the verbiage. Verbiage or verbiage often confuses the meaning of sentences and leaves them open to interpretation.
Generally, writers don’t want readers to confuse their message with something else. So while wordiness isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can make a piece less impactful. Of course, intentional verbiage is another story. Writers can use that to inject certain captivating elements into their prose.
Why fix the passive voice?
Clear and specific writing is what resonates with readers. Take your writing to this level by filtering out dead verbs during revision. These seven tips should eliminate almost all of them.
Also Read: Tips for Writing an A-Grade Essay
Zayn Tindall
Zayn currently works as an English teacher at one of the reputed universities in New York. He has even worked as a career counselor for the last 5 years. Zayn loves to spend his spare time reading educational books, novels, and writing educational blogs and articles. Expertise
Read more
Categories: How to
Source: vtt.edu.vn