When is it appropriate to use passive voice in writing?

When is it appropriate to use passive voice in writing?

• A. When emphasizing the doer of the action
• B. When the focus is on the action itself
• C. When writing informal content
• D. When aiming for brevity

Answer: (B)

Using passive voice is particularly effective when you want to emphasize the action itself rather than the subject performing the action. In situations where the action is more important than who is completing it, passive voice shifts the focus accordingly. For instance, in a scientific report or when discussing results in research, the outcome is often more significant than the individual who performed the action. This allows for a more objective tone and presents the information in a way that highlights the results or actions taken, rather than the people involved. While the other options address different aspects of writing, they don’t correctly reflect the primary function of passive voice. Emphasizing the doer of the action is more aligned with active voice. Informal content typically benefits from a more conversational tone, which often employs active voice. Aiming for brevity generally favors straightforward and concise expression, which is also more effectively achieved using active voice.

Using passive voice is particularly effective when you want to emphasize the action itself rather than the subject performing the action. In situations where the action is more important than who is completing it, passive voice shifts the focus accordingly. For instance, in a scientific report or when discussing results in research, the outcome is often more significant than the individual who performed the action. This allows for a more objective tone and presents the information in a way that highlights the results or actions taken, rather than the people involved.

While the other options address different aspects of writing, they don’t correctly reflect the primary function of passive voice. Emphasizing the doer of the action is more aligned with active voice. Informal content typically benefits from a more conversational tone, which often employs active voice. Aiming for brevity generally favors straightforward and concise expression, which is also more effectively achieved using active voice.