🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 128 (from laksa134)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa128.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://clarifynow.co.uk/check-passive-verbs-with-word-and-outlook/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://clarifynow.co.uk/check-passive-verbs-with-word-and-outlook/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/check-passive-verbs-with-word-and-outlook\/","crawl_time":1771517443,"first_indexed_time":1534593692,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"uk,co,clarifynow!\/check-passive-verbs-with-word-and-outlook\/ s443","src_root_hash":"13585137265706356528","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Check passive verbs with Word and Outlook - ClarifyNow","meta_descriptions":["For concise writing, prefer the active voice. Follow these step-by-step instructions to get Outlook and Word to identify some passive verbs for you."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Word and Outlook detect some passive verbs\nWord and Outlook are normally right when they identify a passive verb. But they miss plenty. In this text, for example:\nWord 2010 has underlined a passive verb (can be found).\nIf you edit that out, it shows you another (will be sent).\nIt won’t detect the other two (were set out, will be provided).\nOutlook 2010 does the same.\nStill, it’s a start. If you want to\nwrite in the active voice\n, use what help Outlook and Word can give, especially the feature that underlines passive verbs in green as you type.\nThe readability statistics are less useful. You can only reach them after you finish a spelling and grammar check on the whole document. Re-checking text is not simple. And the statistics don’t show how many passive verbs there are in the document. They may not even show how many passive verbs the program has found.\nIf you use both Word and Outlook, try setting one program to detect passive verbs, then close both and re-open them. You may find that the other has picked up the same settings. Failing that, follow both sets of instructions below.\nDetect passive verbs in Word 2010\nSet the Proofing options\nGo to File – Options – Proofing\n.\nUnder “When connecting spelling and grammar in Word”, tick these boxes:\nMark grammar errors as you type\n(This is the really useful option. Passive verbs are not a grammar error. It’s just the label Microsoft have used for this function).\nCheck grammar with spelling\nShow readability statistics\nSet Writing Style to Grammar Only.\nGo deeper into the Settings.\nClick Settings.\nTick Passive Sentences.\nUntick everything else.\nClick OK to confirm the settings.\nClick OK to confirm the proofing options.\nStart typing a document.\nAs you finish a sentence, Word may underline a passive verb in green.\nIf you edit out that passive verb, Word may then highlight another.\nRun a spelling and grammar check\nIn an open document, click the Review tab.\nClick the Spelling and Grammar button (top left of the screen).\nGo through the spelling and grammar check. Word will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active.\nIf you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Word may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Word can detect it.\nLook at your score for Passive Sentences.\nAt the end of the spelling and grammar check, you get the Readability Statistics.\nLook at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less.\nDetect passive verbs in Outlook 2010\nSet the Spelling and Autocorrect options.\nSet Writing Style to Grammar Only.\nGo deeper into the Settings.\nClick Settings.\nTick Passive Sentences.\nUntick everything else.\nClick OK to confirm the settings.\nClick OK to confirm the spelling and autocorrect options.\nWrite your email.\nAs you finish each sentence, Outlook may underline a passive verb.\nIf you correct a passive verb, Outlook may underline another in the same sentence.\n(For example, in this test sentence Outlook detected the first passive verb but not the second, even after the first was corrected.)\nRun a spelling and grammar check.\nIn an open document, click the Review tab.\nClick the Spelling & Grammar button (top left of the screen).\nGo through the spelling and grammar check. Outlook will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active.\nIf you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Outlook may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Outlook can detect it.\nLook at your score for Passive Sentences.\nAt the end of the spelling and grammar check, click OK to get the Readability Statistics.\nLook at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less.\nWhat does the Passive Sentences score mean?\nThe score for Passive Sentences in the readability statistics should tell you in how many sentences out of 100 the program detected a passive verb. However, I don’t think it does, because:\nClicking on Ignore Once in the spelling and grammar check reduces this score, even if all passive verbs remain in the text.\nEditing out a passive verb reduces the score, even if the program detected a second passive verb in the same sentence.\nTo get the most value out of this Passive Sentences statistic, I suggest:\nWrite in short sentences (aim for a Words per Sentence score of no more than 20).\nIn the spelling and grammar check, click on Next Sentence, not Ignore Once, to skip a passive verb.\nAim for a Passive Sentences score of no more than 10%.\nAction\nRead\nHow and why to avoid passive verbs\n.\nWrite in the active voice whenever you can.\nGet the book,\nClarity for Lawyers\n, for more ways to achieve clear legal writing.\nFollow the blog\n.","attrs_markdown":"07963 618 542\n\n[\\*protected email\\*]()\n\n- [Home](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/)\n- [Services](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/services\/)\n- [Recommendations](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/client-recommendations\/)\n- [Publications](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/clear-legal-writing-publications\/)\n- [Blog](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/plain-legal-english-clarity-blog\/)\n- [About](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/clarifynow-people-origin\/)\n- [Contact](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/contact\/)\n\n[![ClarifyNow](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/logo2-1.png)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/)\n\n- [Home](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/)\n- [Services](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/services\/)\n- [Recommendations](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/client-recommendations\/)\n- [Publications](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/clear-legal-writing-publications\/)\n- [Blog](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/plain-legal-english-clarity-blog\/)\n- [About](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/clarifynow-people-origin\/)\n- [Contact](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/contact\/)\n\nSelect Page\n\n# Check passive verbs with Word and Outlook\n[Active voice](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/category\/writing-habits\/active-voice\/), [Grammar](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/category\/writing-habits\/grammar\/), [Software](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/category\/software\/) \\| [1 comment](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/check-passive-verbs-with-word-and-outlook\/#respond)\n\n### [![4 passive verbs in text, corrected by hand](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Edit-out-passive-verbs.jpg)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Edit-out-passive-verbs.jpg)\n###\n###\n###\n### Word and Outlook detect some passive verbs\nWord and Outlook are normally right when they identify a passive verb. But they miss plenty. In this text, for example:[![Passive verb highlighted: Word 2010 and Outlook 2010](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Word-misses-passive-verbs-July-2018-300x209.jpg)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Word-misses-passive-verbs-July-2018.jpg)\n\n- Word 2010 has underlined a passive verb (can be found).\n- If you edit that out, it shows you another (will be sent).\n- It won’t detect the other two (were set out, will be provided).\n\nOutlook 2010 does the same.\n\nStill, it’s a start. If you want to [write in the active voice](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/how-and-why-to-avoid-passive-verbs\/), use what help Outlook and Word can give, especially the feature that underlines passive verbs in green as you type.\n\nThe readability statistics are less useful. You can only reach them after you finish a spelling and grammar check on the whole document. Re-checking text is not simple. And the statistics don’t show how many passive verbs there are in the document. They may not even show how many passive verbs the program has found.\n\nIf you use both Word and Outlook, try setting one program to detect passive verbs, then close both and re-open them. You may find that the other has picked up the same settings. Failing that, follow both sets of instructions below.\n\n### Detect passive verbs in Word 2010\n1. **Set the Proofing options**\n   - Go to File – Options – Proofing[![When correcting spelling and grammar in Word: settings](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Check-passive-verbs-in-Word-300x156.jpg)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Check-passive-verbs-in-Word.jpg).\n   - Under “When connecting spelling and grammar in Word”, tick these boxes:\n     - Mark grammar errors as you type  \n        (This is the really useful option. Passive verbs are not a grammar error. It’s just the label Microsoft have used for this function).\n     - Check grammar with spelling\n     - Show readability statistics\n   - Set Writing Style to Grammar Only.\n2. **Go deeper into the Settings.**\n   - Click Settings.\n   - Tick Passive Sentences.\n   - Untick everything else.\n   - Click OK to confirm the settings.\n   - Click OK to confirm the proofing options.\n3. **Start typing a document.**\n   - As you finish a sentence, Word may underline a passive verb in green.\n   - If you edit out that passive verb, Word may then highlight another.\n4. **Run a spelling and grammar check**\n   - In an open document, click the Review tab.\n   - Click the Spelling and Grammar button (top left of the screen).\n   - Go through the spelling and grammar check. Word will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active.\n   - If you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Word may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Word can detect it.\n5. **Look at your score for Passive Sentences.**\n   - At the end of the spelling and grammar check, you get the Readability Statistics.\n   - Look at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less.\n### Detect passive verbs in Outlook 2010\n1. **Set the Spelling and Autocorrect options.**\n   - Open an email (without this, some settings can’t be changed).\n   - Go to File – Options – Mail.\n   - Near the top right, click on the Spelling and Autocorrect button.[![Outlook 2010: Spelling and Autocorrect button](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Outlook-Spelling-and-Autocorrect-button.jpg)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Outlook-Spelling-and-Autocorrect-button.jpg)\n   - Under “When connecting spelling in Outlook”, tick these boxes:[![Outlook 1010 settings: When correcting spelling in Outlook](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Check-passive-verbs-in-Outlook-300x168.jpg)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Check-passive-verbs-in-Outlook.jpg)\n     - Mark grammar errors as you type  \n        (Passive verbs are not a grammar error. It’s just the label Microsoft have used for this function.)\n     - Check grammar with spelling\n     - Show readability statistics\n\n- - Set Writing Style to Grammar Only.\n\n1. **Go deeper into the Settings.**\n   - Click Settings.\n   - Tick Passive Sentences.\n   - Untick everything else.\n   - Click OK to confirm the settings.\n   - Click OK to confirm the spelling and autocorrect options.\n2. ****Write your email.****\n   - As you finish each sentence, Outlook may underline a passive verb.\n   - If you correct a passive verb, Outlook may underline another in the same sentence.[![Outlook 2010: test sentence with passive verb underlined](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Passive-verbs-underlined-as-you-type-300x191.jpg)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Passive-verbs-underlined-as-you-type.jpg)  \n      (For example, in this test sentence Outlook detected the first passive verb but not the second, even after the first was corrected.)\n3. **Run a spelling and grammar check.**\n   - In an open document, click the Review tab.\n   - Click the Spelling & Grammar button (top left of the screen).\n   - Go through the spelling and grammar check. Outlook will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active.\n   - If you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Outlook may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Outlook can detect it.\n4. **Look at your score for Passive Sentences.**\n   - At the end of the spelling and grammar check, click OK to get the Readability Statistics.\n   - Look at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less.\n### What does the Passive Sentences score mean?\nThe score for Passive Sentences in the readability statistics should tell you in how many sentences out of 100 the program detected a passive verb. However, I don’t think it does, because:\n\n- Clicking on Ignore Once in the spelling and grammar check reduces this score, even if all passive verbs remain in the text.\n- Editing out a passive verb reduces the score, even if the program detected a second passive verb in the same sentence.\n\nTo get the most value out of this Passive Sentences statistic, I suggest:\n\n- Write in short sentences (aim for a Words per Sentence score of no more than 20).\n- In the spelling and grammar check, click on Next Sentence, not Ignore Once, to skip a passive verb.\n- Aim for a Passive Sentences score of no more than 10%.\n### Action\n- Read [How and why to avoid passive verbs](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/how-and-why-to-avoid-passive-verbs\/).\n- Write in the active voice whenever you can.\n- Get the book, [Clarity for Lawyers](http:\/\/www.clarityforlawyers.com\/), for more ways to achieve clear legal writing.\n- [Follow the blog](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/plain-legal-english-clarity-blog\/#subscribe).\n\n# 1 Comment\n1. ![Garden Decor](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7f8ffe58e5150b15bb1cf7604d1a14d0?s=80&d=mm&r=g)\n   \n   Garden Decor  on 7 May 2021 at 09:09\n   \n   nice blog, its too helping in my blog website. I can change my sentences passive voice to active voice, my english is not good because our national language is Hindi. This Article is very helpful for me. Thanks\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/check-passive-verbs-with-word-and-outlook\/#comment-1352)\n### Submit a Comment [Cancel reply](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/check-passive-verbs-with-word-and-outlook\/#respond)\n\n#### Categories\n#### Recent posts\n- [Its: where to put the apostrophe](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/its-where-to-put-the-apostrophe\/)\n- [Must a contract term be one sentence?](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/must-contract-term-be-one-sentence\/)\n- [Permissive language in contracts: can, may, or is entitled to?](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/can-may-entitled-contracts\/)\n- [Terms of service? 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Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.\n\nStrictly Necessary Cookies\n\nStrictly Necessary Cookie are enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.\n\nEnable or Disable Cookies\n\nEnabled Disabled\n\nTraffic Cookies\n\nThis website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages. Keeping these cookies enabled helps us to improve our website.\n\nCookies to enable Google Analytics to collect and report anonymously on how visitors use this website:\n\n- \\_gid: Session ID (duration: session)\n- \\_ga: User ID (duration: 2 years)\n- collect: tracks visitor behaviour across devices and marketing channels; used to report to Google Analytics (duration: session)\n- \\_gat: used by Google Analytics to throttle request rate (duration: session).\n\nEnable or Disable Cookies\n\nEnabled Disabled\n\nAdditional Cookies\n\nThis website uses the following additional cookies:\n\nCookies may be placed on your computer by other websites when you use social media features. For example, the “share” button for LinkedIn sets a cookie that LinkedIn can read.\n\nEnable or Disable Cookies\n\nEnabled Disabled\n\nCookie Policy\n\nMore information about our [Cookie Policy](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/cookie-policy\/ \"Cookie Policy\")\n\nEnable All\n\nSave Changes","attrs_readable_markdown":"### [![4 passive verbs in text, corrected by hand](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Edit-out-passive-verbs.jpg)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Edit-out-passive-verbs.jpg)\n### Word and Outlook detect some passive verbs\nWord and Outlook are normally right when they identify a passive verb. But they miss plenty. In this text, for example:[![Passive verb highlighted: Word 2010 and Outlook 2010](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Word-misses-passive-verbs-July-2018-300x209.jpg)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Word-misses-passive-verbs-July-2018.jpg)\n\n- Word 2010 has underlined a passive verb (can be found).\n- If you edit that out, it shows you another (will be sent).\n- It won’t detect the other two (were set out, will be provided).\n\nOutlook 2010 does the same.\n\nStill, it’s a start. If you want to [write in the active voice](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/how-and-why-to-avoid-passive-verbs\/), use what help Outlook and Word can give, especially the feature that underlines passive verbs in green as you type.\n\nThe readability statistics are less useful. You can only reach them after you finish a spelling and grammar check on the whole document. Re-checking text is not simple. And the statistics don’t show how many passive verbs there are in the document. They may not even show how many passive verbs the program has found.\n\nIf you use both Word and Outlook, try setting one program to detect passive verbs, then close both and re-open them. You may find that the other has picked up the same settings. Failing that, follow both sets of instructions below.\n\n### Detect passive verbs in Word 2010\n1. **Set the Proofing options**\n   - Go to File – Options – Proofing[![When correcting spelling and grammar in Word: settings](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Check-passive-verbs-in-Word-300x156.jpg)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Check-passive-verbs-in-Word.jpg).\n   - Under “When connecting spelling and grammar in Word”, tick these boxes:\n     - Mark grammar errors as you type  \n        (This is the really useful option. Passive verbs are not a grammar error. It’s just the label Microsoft have used for this function).\n     - Check grammar with spelling\n     - Show readability statistics\n   - Set Writing Style to Grammar Only.\n2. **Go deeper into the Settings.**\n   - Click Settings.\n   - Tick Passive Sentences.\n   - Untick everything else.\n   - Click OK to confirm the settings.\n   - Click OK to confirm the proofing options.\n3. **Start typing a document.**\n   - As you finish a sentence, Word may underline a passive verb in green.\n   - If you edit out that passive verb, Word may then highlight another.\n4. **Run a spelling and grammar check**\n   - In an open document, click the Review tab.\n   - Click the Spelling and Grammar button (top left of the screen).\n   - Go through the spelling and grammar check. Word will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active.\n   - If you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Word may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Word can detect it.\n5. **Look at your score for Passive Sentences.**\n   - At the end of the spelling and grammar check, you get the Readability Statistics.\n   - Look at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less.\n### Detect passive verbs in Outlook 2010\n1. **Set the Spelling and Autocorrect options.**\n\n- - Set Writing Style to Grammar Only.\n\n1. **Go deeper into the Settings.**\n   - Click Settings.\n   - Tick Passive Sentences.\n   - Untick everything else.\n   - Click OK to confirm the settings.\n   - Click OK to confirm the spelling and autocorrect options.\n2. ****Write your email.****\n   - As you finish each sentence, Outlook may underline a passive verb.\n   - If you correct a passive verb, Outlook may underline another in the same sentence.[![Outlook 2010: test sentence with passive verb underlined](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Passive-verbs-underlined-as-you-type-300x191.jpg)](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Passive-verbs-underlined-as-you-type.jpg)  \n      (For example, in this test sentence Outlook detected the first passive verb but not the second, even after the first was corrected.)\n3. **Run a spelling and grammar check.**\n   - In an open document, click the Review tab.\n   - Click the Spelling & Grammar button (top left of the screen).\n   - Go through the spelling and grammar check. Outlook will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active.\n   - If you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Outlook may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Outlook can detect it.\n4. **Look at your score for Passive Sentences.**\n   - At the end of the spelling and grammar check, click OK to get the Readability Statistics.\n   - Look at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less.\n### What does the Passive Sentences score mean?\nThe score for Passive Sentences in the readability statistics should tell you in how many sentences out of 100 the program detected a passive verb. However, I don’t think it does, because:\n\n- Clicking on Ignore Once in the spelling and grammar check reduces this score, even if all passive verbs remain in the text.\n- Editing out a passive verb reduces the score, even if the program detected a second passive verb in the same sentence.\n\nTo get the most value out of this Passive Sentences statistic, I suggest:\n\n- Write in short sentences (aim for a Words per Sentence score of no more than 20).\n- In the spelling and grammar check, click on Next Sentence, not Ignore Once, to skip a passive verb.\n- Aim for a Passive Sentences score of no more than 10%.\n### Action\n- Read [How and why to avoid passive verbs](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/how-and-why-to-avoid-passive-verbs\/).\n- Write in the active voice whenever you can.\n- Get the book, [Clarity for Lawyers](http:\/\/www.clarityforlawyers.com\/), for more ways to achieve clear legal writing.\n- [Follow the blog](https:\/\/clarifynow.co.uk\/plain-legal-english-clarity-blog\/#subscribe).","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

1 month ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	1.7 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://clarifynow.co.uk/check-passive-verbs-with-word-and-outlook/
Last Crawled	2026-02-19 16:10:43 (1 month ago)
First Indexed	2018-08-18 12:01:32 (7 years ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Check passive verbs with Word and Outlook - ClarifyNow
Meta Description	For concise writing, prefer the active voice. Follow these step-by-step instructions to get Outlook and Word to identify some passive verbs for you.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Word and Outlook detect some passive verbs Word and Outlook are normally right when they identify a passive verb. But they miss plenty. In this text, for example: Word 2010 has underlined a passive verb (can be found). If you edit that out, it shows you another (will be sent). It won’t detect the other two (were set out, will be provided). Outlook 2010 does the same. Still, it’s a start. If you want to write in the active voice , use what help Outlook and Word can give, especially the feature that underlines passive verbs in green as you type. The readability statistics are less useful. You can only reach them after you finish a spelling and grammar check on the whole document. Re-checking text is not simple. And the statistics don’t show how many passive verbs there are in the document. They may not even show how many passive verbs the program has found. If you use both Word and Outlook, try setting one program to detect passive verbs, then close both and re-open them. You may find that the other has picked up the same settings. Failing that, follow both sets of instructions below. Detect passive verbs in Word 2010 Set the Proofing options Go to File – Options – Proofing . Under “When connecting spelling and grammar in Word”, tick these boxes: Mark grammar errors as you type (This is the really useful option. Passive verbs are not a grammar error. It’s just the label Microsoft have used for this function). Check grammar with spelling Show readability statistics Set Writing Style to Grammar Only. Go deeper into the Settings. Click Settings. Tick Passive Sentences. Untick everything else. Click OK to confirm the settings. Click OK to confirm the proofing options. Start typing a document. As you finish a sentence, Word may underline a passive verb in green. If you edit out that passive verb, Word may then highlight another. Run a spelling and grammar check In an open document, click the Review tab. Click the Spelling and Grammar button (top left of the screen). Go through the spelling and grammar check. Word will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active. If you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Word may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Word can detect it. Look at your score for Passive Sentences. At the end of the spelling and grammar check, you get the Readability Statistics. Look at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less. Detect passive verbs in Outlook 2010 Set the Spelling and Autocorrect options. Set Writing Style to Grammar Only. Go deeper into the Settings. Click Settings. Tick Passive Sentences. Untick everything else. Click OK to confirm the settings. Click OK to confirm the spelling and autocorrect options. Write your email. As you finish each sentence, Outlook may underline a passive verb. If you correct a passive verb, Outlook may underline another in the same sentence. (For example, in this test sentence Outlook detected the first passive verb but not the second, even after the first was corrected.) Run a spelling and grammar check. In an open document, click the Review tab. Click the Spelling & Grammar button (top left of the screen). Go through the spelling and grammar check. Outlook will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active. If you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Outlook may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Outlook can detect it. Look at your score for Passive Sentences. At the end of the spelling and grammar check, click OK to get the Readability Statistics. Look at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less. What does the Passive Sentences score mean? The score for Passive Sentences in the readability statistics should tell you in how many sentences out of 100 the program detected a passive verb. However, I don’t think it does, because: Clicking on Ignore Once in the spelling and grammar check reduces this score, even if all passive verbs remain in the text. Editing out a passive verb reduces the score, even if the program detected a second passive verb in the same sentence. To get the most value out of this Passive Sentences statistic, I suggest: Write in short sentences (aim for a Words per Sentence score of no more than 20). In the spelling and grammar check, click on Next Sentence, not Ignore Once, to skip a passive verb. Aim for a Passive Sentences score of no more than 10%. Action Read How and why to avoid passive verbs . Write in the active voice whenever you can. Get the book, Clarity for Lawyers , for more ways to achieve clear legal writing. Follow the blog .
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But they miss plenty. In this text, for example:[![Passive verb highlighted: Word 2010 and Outlook 2010](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Word-misses-passive-verbs-July-2018-300x209.jpg)](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Word-misses-passive-verbs-July-2018.jpg) - Word 2010 has underlined a passive verb (can be found). - If you edit that out, it shows you another (will be sent). - It won’t detect the other two (were set out, will be provided). Outlook 2010 does the same. Still, it’s a start. If you want to [write in the active voice](https://clarifynow.co.uk/how-and-why-to-avoid-passive-verbs/), use what help Outlook and Word can give, especially the feature that underlines passive verbs in green as you type. The readability statistics are less useful. You can only reach them after you finish a spelling and grammar check on the whole document. Re-checking text is not simple. And the statistics don’t show how many passive verbs there are in the document. They may not even show how many passive verbs the program has found. If you use both Word and Outlook, try setting one program to detect passive verbs, then close both and re-open them. You may find that the other has picked up the same settings. Failing that, follow both sets of instructions below. ### Detect passive verbs in Word 2010 1. Set the Proofing options - Go to File – Options – Proofing[![When correcting spelling and grammar in Word: settings](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Check-passive-verbs-in-Word-300x156.jpg)](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Check-passive-verbs-in-Word.jpg). - Under “When connecting spelling and grammar in Word”, tick these boxes: - Mark grammar errors as you type (This is the really useful option. Passive verbs are not a grammar error. It’s just the label Microsoft have used for this function). - Check grammar with spelling - Show readability statistics - Set Writing Style to Grammar Only. 2. Go deeper into the Settings. - Click Settings. - Tick Passive Sentences. - Untick everything else. - Click OK to confirm the settings. - Click OK to confirm the proofing options. 3. Start typing a document. - As you finish a sentence, Word may underline a passive verb in green. - If you edit out that passive verb, Word may then highlight another. 4. Run a spelling and grammar check - In an open document, click the Review tab. - Click the Spelling and Grammar button (top left of the screen). - Go through the spelling and grammar check. Word will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active. - If you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Word may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Word can detect it. 5. Look at your score for Passive Sentences. - At the end of the spelling and grammar check, you get the Readability Statistics. - Look at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less. ### Detect passive verbs in Outlook 2010 1. Set the Spelling and Autocorrect options. - Open an email (without this, some settings can’t be changed). - Go to File – Options – Mail. - Near the top right, click on the Spelling and Autocorrect button.[![Outlook 2010: Spelling and Autocorrect button](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Outlook-Spelling-and-Autocorrect-button.jpg)](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Outlook-Spelling-and-Autocorrect-button.jpg) - Under “When connecting spelling in Outlook”, tick these boxes:[![Outlook 1010 settings: When correcting spelling in Outlook](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Check-passive-verbs-in-Outlook-300x168.jpg)](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Check-passive-verbs-in-Outlook.jpg) - Mark grammar errors as you type (Passive verbs are not a grammar error. It’s just the label Microsoft have used for this function.) - Check grammar with spelling - Show readability statistics - - Set Writing Style to Grammar Only. 1. Go deeper into the Settings. - Click Settings. - Tick Passive Sentences. - Untick everything else. - Click OK to confirm the settings. - Click OK to confirm the spelling and autocorrect options. 2. **Write your email. - As you finish each sentence, Outlook may underline a passive verb. - If you correct a passive verb, Outlook may underline another in the same sentence.[![Outlook 2010: test sentence with passive verb underlined](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Passive-verbs-underlined-as-you-type-300x191.jpg)](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Passive-verbs-underlined-as-you-type.jpg) (For example, in this test sentence Outlook detected the first passive verb but not the second, even after the first was corrected.) 3. Run a spelling and grammar check. - In an open document, click the Review tab. - Click the Spelling & Grammar button (top left of the screen). - Go through the spelling and grammar check. Outlook will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active. - If you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Outlook may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Outlook can detect it. 4. Look at your score for Passive Sentences.** - At the end of the spelling and grammar check, click OK to get the Readability Statistics. - Look at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less. ### What does the Passive Sentences score mean? The score for Passive Sentences in the readability statistics should tell you in how many sentences out of 100 the program detected a passive verb. However, I don’t think it does, because: - Clicking on Ignore Once in the spelling and grammar check reduces this score, even if all passive verbs remain in the text. - Editing out a passive verb reduces the score, even if the program detected a second passive verb in the same sentence. To get the most value out of this Passive Sentences statistic, I suggest: - Write in short sentences (aim for a Words per Sentence score of no more than 20). - In the spelling and grammar check, click on Next Sentence, not Ignore Once, to skip a passive verb. - Aim for a Passive Sentences score of no more than 10%. ### Action - Read [How and why to avoid passive verbs](https://clarifynow.co.uk/how-and-why-to-avoid-passive-verbs/). - Write in the active voice whenever you can. - Get the book, [Clarity for Lawyers](http://www.clarityforlawyers.com/), for more ways to achieve clear legal writing. - [Follow the blog](https://clarifynow.co.uk/plain-legal-english-clarity-blog/#subscribe). # 1 Comment 1. ![Garden Decor](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7f8ffe58e5150b15bb1cf7604d1a14d0?s=80&d=mm&r=g) Garden Decor on 7 May 2021 at 09:09 nice blog, its too helping in my blog website. I can change my sentences passive voice to active voice, my english is not good because our national language is Hindi. This Article is very helpful for me. Thanks [Reply](https://clarifynow.co.uk/check-passive-verbs-with-word-and-outlook/#comment-1352) ### Submit a Comment [Cancel reply](https://clarifynow.co.uk/check-passive-verbs-with-word-and-outlook/#respond) #### Categories #### Recent posts - [Its: where to put the apostrophe](https://clarifynow.co.uk/its-where-to-put-the-apostrophe/) - [Must a contract term be one sentence?](https://clarifynow.co.uk/must-contract-term-be-one-sentence/) - [Permissive language in contracts: can, may, or is entitled to?](https://clarifynow.co.uk/can-may-entitled-contracts/) - [Terms of service? 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Readable Markdown	### [![4 passive verbs in text, corrected by hand](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Edit-out-passive-verbs.jpg)](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Edit-out-passive-verbs.jpg) ### Word and Outlook detect some passive verbs Word and Outlook are normally right when they identify a passive verb. But they miss plenty. In this text, for example:[![Passive verb highlighted: Word 2010 and Outlook 2010](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Word-misses-passive-verbs-July-2018-300x209.jpg)](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Word-misses-passive-verbs-July-2018.jpg) - Word 2010 has underlined a passive verb (can be found). - If you edit that out, it shows you another (will be sent). - It won’t detect the other two (were set out, will be provided). Outlook 2010 does the same. Still, it’s a start. If you want to [write in the active voice](https://clarifynow.co.uk/how-and-why-to-avoid-passive-verbs/), use what help Outlook and Word can give, especially the feature that underlines passive verbs in green as you type. The readability statistics are less useful. You can only reach them after you finish a spelling and grammar check on the whole document. Re-checking text is not simple. And the statistics don’t show how many passive verbs there are in the document. They may not even show how many passive verbs the program has found. If you use both Word and Outlook, try setting one program to detect passive verbs, then close both and re-open them. You may find that the other has picked up the same settings. Failing that, follow both sets of instructions below. ### Detect passive verbs in Word 2010 1. Set the Proofing options - Go to File – Options – Proofing[![When correcting spelling and grammar in Word: settings](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Check-passive-verbs-in-Word-300x156.jpg)](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Check-passive-verbs-in-Word.jpg). - Under “When connecting spelling and grammar in Word”, tick these boxes: - Mark grammar errors as you type (This is the really useful option. Passive verbs are not a grammar error. It’s just the label Microsoft have used for this function). - Check grammar with spelling - Show readability statistics - Set Writing Style to Grammar Only. 2. Go deeper into the Settings. - Click Settings. - Tick Passive Sentences. - Untick everything else. - Click OK to confirm the settings. - Click OK to confirm the proofing options. 3. Start typing a document. - As you finish a sentence, Word may underline a passive verb in green. - If you edit out that passive verb, Word may then highlight another. 4. Run a spelling and grammar check - In an open document, click the Review tab. - Click the Spelling and Grammar button (top left of the screen). - Go through the spelling and grammar check. Word will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active. - If you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Word may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Word can detect it. 5. Look at your score for Passive Sentences. - At the end of the spelling and grammar check, you get the Readability Statistics. - Look at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less. ### Detect passive verbs in Outlook 2010 1. Set the Spelling and Autocorrect options. - - Set Writing Style to Grammar Only. 1. Go deeper into the Settings. - Click Settings. - Tick Passive Sentences. - Untick everything else. - Click OK to confirm the settings. - Click OK to confirm the spelling and autocorrect options. 2. **Write your email. - As you finish each sentence, Outlook may underline a passive verb. - If you correct a passive verb, Outlook may underline another in the same sentence.[![Outlook 2010: test sentence with passive verb underlined](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Passive-verbs-underlined-as-you-type-300x191.jpg)](https://clarifynow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Passive-verbs-underlined-as-you-type.jpg) (For example, in this test sentence Outlook detected the first passive verb but not the second, even after the first was corrected.) 3. Run a spelling and grammar check. - In an open document, click the Review tab. - Click the Spelling & Grammar button (top left of the screen). - Go through the spelling and grammar check. Outlook will offer more advice, including identifying passive verbs you might change to active. - If you correct a passive verb or click Ignore Once, Outlook may show you another passive verb in the same sentence, if there is one and Outlook can detect it. 4. Look at your score for Passive Sentences.** - At the end of the spelling and grammar check, click OK to get the Readability Statistics. - Look at the Passive Sentences. Aim for 10% or less. ### What does the Passive Sentences score mean? The score for Passive Sentences in the readability statistics should tell you in how many sentences out of 100 the program detected a passive verb. However, I don’t think it does, because: - Clicking on Ignore Once in the spelling and grammar check reduces this score, even if all passive verbs remain in the text. - Editing out a passive verb reduces the score, even if the program detected a second passive verb in the same sentence. To get the most value out of this Passive Sentences statistic, I suggest: - Write in short sentences (aim for a Words per Sentence score of no more than 20). - In the spelling and grammar check, click on Next Sentence, not Ignore Once, to skip a passive verb. - Aim for a Passive Sentences score of no more than 10%. ### Action - Read [How and why to avoid passive verbs](https://clarifynow.co.uk/how-and-why-to-avoid-passive-verbs/). - Write in the active voice whenever you can. - Get the book, [Clarity for Lawyers](http://www.clarityforlawyers.com/), for more ways to achieve clear legal writing. - [Follow the blog](https://clarifynow.co.uk/plain-legal-english-clarity-blog/#subscribe).
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