The Active and The Passive Voice

By georgelthomas on 24 Jun 2025 • ( 0 )

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today I’m delving into the murky depths of whether to use the active or the passive voice to hopefully clarify things for those like me, who are often tangled in the weeds of wanting to be grammatically correct while still telling a great story.

The Active and The Passive Voice

Writing fiction is as much about what you say as it is how you say it. One of the many frustrating choices writers face is deciding whether to write in the active or the passive voice. If you struggle with the voices, you’re not alone. Understanding when to use each can inject energy, tension, or nuance into your storytelling.

What Is the Active Voice?

The active voice is when the subject of your sentence is being active—or rather, performing an action. It’s direct, immediate, and often more engaging for your reader.

Examples of the active voice in action:

“The king drew his sword and stepped forward.”
“The rabbit chased the fluttering leaves across the forest floor.”
“Emma solved the mystery before the police officer arrived.”

Doesn’t the active voice have a lovely sense of movement and immediacy?

What Is the Passive Voice?

On the other hand, the passive voice flips the structure of the sentence. Here, the sentence’s subject is being acted upon—it’s receiving the action, not performing it.

Examples of the passive voice in action:

“The sword was drawn by the king as he stepped forward.”
“The fluttering leaves were chased by the rabbit across the forest floor.”
“The mystery was solved by Emma before the police officer arrived.”

It’s worth noting that the passive voice isn’t inherently bad. It’s like a tool sitting in your writer’s toolbox—useful when needed but not something you want to overuse. While the passive voice can be handy for specific situations, too much of it can make your story feel sluggish.

When the Passive Voice Works (Yes, It Does Work!)

Many how-to guides warn writers away from the passive voice. But here’s a secret: sometimes, the passive voice is exactly what your scene needs.

Shifting Focus

The passive voice lets you shift the reader’s focus from the character performing an action to the action itself or its consequences.

Passive: The wine glass was shattered on the floor, shards glinting in the moonlight.

Notice how the sentence draws attention to the shattered wine glass and its aftermath rather than who broke it? This can be especially useful in reflective or atmospheric moments.

Adding Mystery or Ambiguity

There’s a certain air of mystery in using the passive voice. When the subject is intentionally left out, readers are kept guessing.

Passive: The bag was moved.

Who moved the bag? Why? This single sentence immediately raises questions and sets a suspenseful tone.

This technique is often used in crime and thriller genres to plant seeds of intrigue without giving too much away at once.

Slowing Down

If you want to slow the pacing of your story, the passive voice can add a sense of deliberation or calm.

Passive: The letters were written carefully; every word was measured before it was laid on the page.

This slower rhythm can provide moments of reflection or contrast amid fast-paced scenes.

The Active vs. The Passive Voice in Practice

The beauty of fiction writing lies in its versatility, including your choice of voice. But sometimes, it’s better to look at these tools in action rather than just talking about them. Here are a few examples to demonstrate which voice fits different scenarios:

Action Scene

Active: The van swerved sharply, narrowly missing the overturned lorry.
Passive: The lorry was narrowly missed by the swerving van.

Verdict: using the active voice wins out here. The directness keeps things intense and immediate, while the passive voice feels sluggish for such a high-energy moment.

Reflective Scene

Active: She stitched the torn fabric slowly, her hands shaking with the effort.
Passive: The torn fabric was stitched slowly, the needle trembling between her fingers.

Verdict: both work, depending on your goal. The active voice draws us closer to the character’s emotions—while the passive voice lets the fabric and its symbolism take centre stage.

Mystery Scene

Active: Someone had painted the message across the wall in thick and hurried strokes of red.
Passive: The message had been painted across the wall in thick and hurried strokes of red.

Verdict: the passive voice creates more intrigue here, subtly highlighting the message over the “someone” who painted it.

Finding Your Balance

You may be tempted to stick with the active voice because of its energy, but leaning too heavily on one style can make your writing feel monotonous. On the other hand, overusing the passive voice risks dulling your prose.

The trick? Experiment. Read your work aloud to see which voice best fits the tone you’re trying to create. Ask yourself the following three things:

What do I want the reader to focus on in this sentence or scene?
Does this moment call for speed and action or reflection and atmosphere?
Will this choice bring me nearer to (or farther from) my character’s perspective?

Remember, using the active or passive voice isn’t about adhering to strict rules. It’s more like composing music—you play with pacing, tone, and atmosphere to bring your story to life.

Thank you, as ever, for stopping by!

Until next time,

George