Understanding what is a passive and active voice is essential for helping your child improve their writing clarity and confidence. These two sentence structures influence how clearly ideas are expressed, how naturally a sentence flows, and how easy it is for readers to follow the meaning.
In this article, we break down the difference between active and passive voice in a simple, practical way so you can better support your child’s learning.
You’ll discover when each voice should be used, how to spot them, and common mistakes students make. By the end, you’ll feel more equipped to guide your child’s writing at home.
What Is Active And Passive Voice?
Active and passive voice are two different ways of structuring a sentence, and understanding them can make a noticeable difference to your child’s writing clarity.
Both voices use the same basic parts of a sentence, the subject, verb, and object, but the order in which these parts appear changes the focus of the sentence. This small shift affects how clearly the idea comes across and how easily a reader can follow the message.
In an active voice sentence, the subject takes the lead. The sentence highlights who is doing the action, which naturally creates a straightforward, confident tone. This structure helps readers understand the main point quickly, making it especially useful in school writing, compositions, and exam responses.
Passive voice, on the other hand, places the spotlight on the action itself or the person or thing receiving the action. Here, the subject becomes less important or is sometimes left out completely.
This structure can make a sentence sound more formal or more neutral, which is why it often appears in scientific or factual writing. It’s also helpful when the doer of the action is unknown or not the main focus.
For your child, recognising the difference is an important step towards stronger writing. By understanding how the subject, verb, and object move around in each voice, they gain better control over how their ideas are presented.
How To Differentiate Passive And Active Voice? With Examples
Telling the difference between active and passive voice becomes much easier once you know what to look out for. Both voices use the same basic parts of a sentence, but the way these parts are arranged changes the meaning and clarity. In this section, we’ll walk through practical ways to identify each voice quickly.
Check Who Performs The Action (Subject Focus)
One of the simplest ways to understand sentence voice is to look at who is doing the action. In an active voice, the subject performs the action directly.
This creates a clear and straightforward sentence because the reader immediately knows who is responsible for the action. It mirrors how we naturally speak, making it easier for your child to express ideas with confidence.
In passive voice, the subject does not perform the action. Instead, the action is being done to the subject. Sometimes the sentence even hides who performed the action, shifting the focus entirely to the result.
This structure can be useful in certain types of writing, but it can also make sentences longer or harder to follow if overused.
Examples:
Active: The teacher explained the topic.
Passive: The topic was explained by the teacher.
Active: The cat chased the bird.
Passive: The bird was chased by the cat.
Active: The students completed the project.
Passive: The project was completed by the students.
Look For “Be” Verbs + Past Participle
Another reliable method is to check for a combination of the “be” verb and a past participle. This pairing is a strong indicator of passive construction. The “be” verb may appear in different forms, is, am, are, was, were, be, been, or being, but the structure remains the same.
When these verbs are followed by a past participle (such as written, eaten, made, taken, or built), there’s a good chance the sentence is passive.
Understanding this pattern is especially helpful for children who struggle with identifying voice by meaning alone. Teaching them to spot these grammar markers gives them a simple and dependable technique to use during writing and editing exercises.
Examples:
Passive: The letter was written by Anna.
(“was” + “written”)
Passive: The food is prepared in the school kitchen.
(“is” + “prepared”)
Passive: The trophies were awarded to the winners.
(“were” + “awarded”)
Compare these with active voice, which does not use the “be + past participle” pattern:
Active: Anna wrote the letter.
Active: The school kitchen prepares the food.
Active: The organisers awarded the trophies.
Check If The “Doer” Is Missing Or Added At The End
Another helpful way to identify passive voice is to look at where the “doer” of the action appears in the sentence. In an active voice, the person or thing performing the action comes first, making the meaning clear immediately.
Passive voice, however, often delays the doer or leaves them out completely. This shift can make a sentence sound less direct and sometimes less engaging for the reader.
In many passive sentences, you’ll notice the phrase “by…”, which introduces the doer at the end. This is a strong sign that the sentence is passive.
When the doer is added only after the action has been described, the focus moves away from the person performing the action and towards the action itself. This isn’t wrong asit simply changes what the sentence emphasises.
There are also cases where the doer is not mentioned at all. This commonly happens when the writer either does not know who performed the action or feels that it isn’t important. Your child will often encounter this structure in news reports, scientific explanations, and formal notices.
Examples:
Passive: The window was broken by the ball.
The doer appears at the end, introduced with “by”.
Passive: The rules were updated by the school.
Again, the doer is mentioned, but only after the action.
Passive: The homework was submitted.
Here, the doer is missing entirely.
Focus Of The Sentence (Action Vs. Actor)
A key difference between active and passive voice lies in what the sentence chooses to highlight. In an active voice, the focus is on the actor, or the person or thing doing the action.
This gives the sentence energy and purpose, making it easier for the reader to understand who is responsible. Active voice naturally guides the reader’s attention to the main participant in the sentence.
Passive voice shifts that focus on the action or result instead of the actor. This structure is especially useful when the action matters more than who performed it.
For example, in scientific descriptions or factual writing, the process or outcome may be the main point, so the actor becomes less relevant. This shift in focus can also create a more formal or neutral tone, which is why passive voice appears often in textbooks and reports.
Help your child notice what the sentence is spotlighting. If the sentence highlights the person or thing doing the action, it’s likely active. If the sentence highlights the event, result, or action itself, it’s usually passive.
Examples:
Active focus: The researcher recorded the results.
Focus is on the person doing the action.
Passive focus: The results were recorded.
Focus moves to the action and outcome.
Active focus: The pupil solved the problem.
Passive focus: The problem was solved.
Sentence Flow And Directness
Another strong clue lies in the overall flow of the sentence. Active voice tends to produce sentences that are clear, direct, and concise.
Because the subject performs the action, the sentence moves smoothly from beginning to end. This makes active voice particularly helpful in compositions, narratives, and exam writing, where clarity plays a major role in scoring well.
Passive voice, by contrast, often results in longer and more complex sentences. This is because passive structures may contain extra words, such as “was,” “were,” and “by,” to express the same idea.
Although passive voice is useful in many contexts, using it too often can lead to writing that feels heavy or distant. Your child may unintentionally weaken their message if they rely too heavily on this structure.
By comparing the rhythm of active and passive sentences, your child can quickly feel the difference in flow and directness. This skill becomes especially important during editing tasks, where they must identify and improve unclear or wordy sentences.
Examples:
Active: The coach praised the team.
Short, direct, and easy to follow.
Passive: The team was praised by the coach.
Longer and more formal in tone.
Active: The cleaner locked the classroom.
Passive: The classroom was locked by the cleaner.
When To Use Active Voice And Passive Voice In Writing?
Choosing the right voice is an important part of effective writing. Both active and passive voices have their strengths, and good writers switch between them depending on what they want to emphasise.
Your child doesn’t need to avoid one or rely solely on the other. Instead, they should understand when each voice serves their purpose best.
Use Active Voice When You Want Clear, Direct Writing
Active voice is the best choice when your child needs to communicate an idea quickly and clearly. Because the subject comes first and performs the action, the sentence flows naturally, making it easier for readers to understand the main point.
This directness is especially valuable in school compositions, exam answers, and everyday communication such as emails or short responses.
Active voice also tends to use fewer words, which helps keep writing concise. Examiners appreciate this because it shows that the student can convey meaning without unnecessary complexity.
For younger writers, using active voice consistently allows them to build strong habits that will serve them well as they progress to more advanced writing tasks.
Use Active Voice To Highlight The Doer (Who Is Responsible)
Active voice is the clearest way to show who is doing the action. This transparency is important in many types of writing, such as instructions, recounts, school reports, and narrative compositions.
When the doer of the action is placed upfront, readers immediately understand who is responsible, making the message stronger and easier to follow.
In storytelling, active voice brings energy and momentum to the scenes. Characters feel more alive because the writing focuses on their actions. In factual or procedural writing, such as explaining steps or giving guidance, active voice removes confusion by making responsibilities explicit.
Use Passive Voice When The Doer Is Unknown Or Irrelevant
Sometimes the writer doesn’t know who performed the action, or the doer isn’t important to the point being made.
In these situations, passive voice becomes useful because it allows the sentence to focus on the event or outcome instead of the person responsible. This approach is common in news reports, science explanations, and formal notices.
When the doer is unknown,for instance, in mystery writing or real-life situations where information is incomplete, passive voice helps maintain clarity without guessing or adding unnecessary detail.
Similarly, if the doer is obvious from context or not essential to the meaning, passive voice keeps the sentence clean and focused.
Use Passive Voice To Emphasise The Action Or Recipient
Passive voice shifts the spotlight from the doer to the action itself or the person or thing receiving the action. This makes it particularly effective in formal, academic, and technical writing, where the process or result matters more than who carried it out. In these contexts, passive voice helps create a neutral and objective tone, which is often preferred.
It also allows the writer to rearrange information strategically. For example, if the writer wants to start a sentence with the most important idea, passive voice makes that possible. This flexibility gives students more control over their writing, especially when they need to highlight certain details for emphasis or clarity.
Use Passive Voice For Objectivity And Neutral Tone
Passive voice is often chosen when the writer wants to present information in a neutral, unbiased way. By placing the focus on the action rather than the person performing it, the sentence naturally takes on a more formal and objective tone.
It appears frequently in journalism, academic writing, and official reports because it helps maintain professionalism and distance.
When your child uses passive voice in these contexts, their writing sounds more factual and less personal. This is especially important in schoolwork that requires precision or careful reporting of information.
It allows them to describe methods, convey results, or summarise events without sounding subjective or emotional. Understanding this purpose helps them make intentional choices that match the expectations of each subject.
Use Active Voice For Strong, Engaging Narratives
Active voice brings stories to life by showing characters taking action. It creates movement, emotion, and immediacy, which are important ingredients in both creative writing and oral presentations.
Because the subject leads the sentence, active voice naturally strengthens the impact of each event. This is why stories written in the active voice tend to feel vivid, lively, and easier to imagine.
For school compositions, using the active voice helps your child build tension, develop character actions clearly, and create scenes that hold the reader’s attention.
In speeches or presentations, it adds clarity and confidence, making the message more persuasive and memorable. When your child wants their writing to feel energetic and expressive, the active voice is the most effective choice.
Use Passive Voice To Avoid Blame Or Soften The Tone
Passive voice is also useful in situations where the writer wants to sound diplomatic or gentle. By shifting the focus away from the person who performed the action, the tone becomes less confrontational.
This can help diffuse tension, especially in situations involving mistakes or sensitive topics. Instead of pointing directly at someone, passive voice allows the writer to describe what happened without assigning blame.
This approach is helpful in school notices, classroom communication, and even at home when children need to phrase something carefully. It teaches them that language can be used not only to inform but also to maintain harmony and respect.
3 Common Mistakes Students Make With Active And Passive Voice
As students begin to use both active and passive voice in their writing, it’s natural for them to make mistakes. These errors usually come from misunderstanding sentence structure, switching voice without intention, or trying too hard to sound “formal.”
Below are three of the mistakes teachers see most often, along with explanations and examples to help you understand what they look like and how to correct them.
1. Mixing Active and Passive Voice in the Same Sentence
One of the most frequent issues students face is combining active and passive voice within a single sentence. This usually happens because they begin writing in one voice, then unintentionally switch halfway through.
The result is an awkward sentence that feels unbalanced and confusing for the reader. The sudden shift disrupts the flow and makes it harder to follow the meaning.
When a sentence starts actively, the reader expects the remainder to follow the same structure. If it suddenly switches to passive, the focus changes from the doer to the action, causing inconsistency.
Teaching your child to keep the voice consistent within a sentence,unless there is a very specific reason to change,helps strengthen clarity and readability.
Examples:
❌The teacher explained the experiment, and the steps were then recorded by the students.
(Starts active, ends passive.)
✔️The teacher explained the experiment, and the students recorded the steps.
(Active throughout.)
✔️The experiment was explained, and the steps were recorded.
(Passive throughout.)
2. Overusing Passive Voice, Making Sentences Wordy or Confusing
Some students believe passive voice sounds more sophisticated or formal, so they use it far more than necessary.
While passive voice has its place, overusing it leads to long, unclear sentences that lack impact. Because passive structures often require extra words, they can make writing feel heavy and difficult to understand, something teachers often point out in compositions.
Using active voice helps streamline sentences by showing the doer first and reducing extra wording. This makes the message clearer and more engaging, which is especially important in exam writing, where clarity directly influences scores.
Examples:
❌The homework was completed by the pupils before the bell was rung.
(Wordy and indirect.)
✔️The pupils completed the homework before the bell rang.
(Clear, direct, and concise.)
❌The decorations were arranged by the committee for the event.
✔️The committee arranged the decorations for the event.
3. Incorrectly Forming Passive Voice (Misusing “Be” Verbs or Past Participles)
Another common mistake occurs when students try to form passive voice but use the wrong verb structure. Passive voice requires a “be” verb (is, am, are, was, were, be, been, being) followed by a past participle (written, eaten, taken, built, etc.).
When students mix up these forms, leave out the “be” verb, or use the simple past instead of a past participle, the sentence becomes grammatically incorrect.
Understanding how verbs change form is essential for writing accurate passive sentences. Once your child learns the pattern, identifying and correcting mistakes becomes much easier.
Examples:
❌The letter written by Sarah.
(Missing “was.”)
✔️The letter was written by Sarah.
❌The cake was eat by my brother.
(Incorrect past participle.)
✔️The cake was eaten by my brother.
❌The bags were carry by the pupils.
✔️The bags were carried by the pupils.
Conclusion About The Difference Between Passive And Active Voice
Understanding passive and active voice gives your child a real advantage in writing. Both voices serve a purpose: active voice brings clarity and energy to a sentence, while passive voice shifts focus to the action when the doer is unknown or unimportant.
Knowing when to use each helps your child express ideas precisely, write with intention, and produce stronger work across subjects. With these tools, your child can approach every piece of writing, be it a composition, report, or exam, with far greater confidence.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Difference Between Passive And Active Voice
Does Using Passive Voice Make My Child’s Writing Sound Less Confident?
Sometimes, yes. Passive voice can sound indirect or uncertain, while active voice creates a stronger, more assured tone.
Are Active And Passive Voices Tested Directly In School English Exams?
Not usually as a standalone question, but students must use both correctly in compositions, situational writing, and comprehension editing.
Is Passive Voice Acceptable In Narrative Writing For Primary And Secondary Students?
Yes, but only in moderation. Passive voice can be used for suspense or to hide the doer, but too much weakens impact.
Can Passive Voice Help My Child Avoid Sounding Repetitive?
It can. Switching between active and passive voice allows more variety in sentence structure, keeping writing fresh.
Should My Child Avoid Passive Voice Completely In Their Writing?
No. Passive voice has valid uses. The goal is balance—using each voice intentionally to match the purpose of the sentence.
Do Teachers Penalise Students For Using Passive Voice In Compositions?
Not if used correctly. Marks are lost only when passive voice makes the writing unclear, wordy, or grammatically incorrect.
