🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 11 (from laksa146)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa011.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://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/passive-voice/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/passive-voice/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/passive-voice\/","crawl_time":1775439762,"first_indexed_time":1559912519,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,scribbr!www,\/academic-writing\/passive-voice\/ s443","src_root_hash":"9175914091137272011","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Active vs. Passive Constructions | When to Use the Passive Voice","meta_descriptions":["It's usually best to write active sentences for clarity and concision, but the passive voice has certain uses in academic writing."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Published on\n    June 29, 2023\n    by\nShona McCombes\n.\n                \n        Revised on\n        February 19, 2025.\nThe\npassive voice\noccurs when the person or thing that performs an action is not the grammatical\nsubject\nof the sentence. Instead, the person or thing that receives the action is placed before the\nverb\n. Passive sentences are formed using the verb \nto be\ncombined with a past participle.\nActive voice\nThe dog\nbites\nthe bone.\nPassive voice\nThe bone\nis bitten\nby the dog.\nIn a passive construction, the actor does not have to be named at all.\nPassive construction\nThe bone\nis bitten\n.\nWriters are often advised to avoid the passive voice, but it is not a grammatical error. In\nacademic writing\n, this type of sentence structure is sometimes useful or necessary. However, overusing it can make your writing unclear or convoluted. Our \nChat PDF\n tool can help you analyze your writing and suggest improvements.\nInstantly correct all language mistakes in your text\nUpload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes\nAvoiding the passive voice\nIn most cases, it’s best to use active sentence constructions where possible. Sometimes the passive voice makes a sentence less clear by obscuring the actor.\nThe decision\nwas made\nto close the factory.\nWho made the decision? To properly understand what occurred, we need to know who was behind the action. This is possible in the passive voice, but the sentence becomes convoluted.\nThe decision\nwas made\nby the CEO to close the factory.\nAn active construction is preferable for clarity and\nconcision\n.\nThe CEO\nmade\nthe decision to close the factory.\nIf you write a passive sentence, consider carefully whether leading with the actor would strengthen your point.\nThis is also relevant when discussing previous research: active constructions that specify who is responsible for findings can make your writing more credible and convincing.\nEvidence\n \nhas been found\nof nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour.\nSmith (2015)\n found\n evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour.\nSeveral recent studies\nhave found\nevidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour.\nDon't submit your assignments before you do this\nThe academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students. Free citation check included.\nTry for free\nUsing the passive voice\nSome types of academic writing do not permit the use of\nfirst-person pronouns\n. In these cases, the passive voice can be used for referring to your own actions.\nActive voice with first-person pronouns\nPassive voice to avoid first-person pronouns\nI\ngathered\ndata through an online survey.\nData\nwas gathered\nthrough an online survey.\nWe\nrecorded\nthe measurements at 9am every day for three weeks.\nThe measurements\nwere recorded\nat 9am every day for three weeks.\nIf you use the passive voice in more complex sentences, make sure to avoid\ndangling modifiers\n.\nThe passive voice is often also appropriate when the subject of an action is unknown or unimportant to the meaning of the sentence.\nThirty votes\nwere counted\nin favour of the amendment.\nIn this case, the object of the action – the votes – is more important than who did the counting. Specifying the actor wouldn’t add any useful information to the sentence.\nMore research\nis required\nto understand this phenomenon.\nWith verbs like\nrequire\n, there is often no particular actor who does the\nrequiring\n, so the passive voice is used to state a general sense of necessity or obligation.\nOther interesting articles\nIf you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!\n AI\nDeep learning\nGenerative AI\nMachine learning\nReinforcement learning\nSupervised vs. unsupervised learning\nCite this Scribbr article\nIf you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.\nMcCombes, S. \n                    (2025, February 19).\nActive vs. Passive Constructions | When to Use the Passive Voice.\nScribbr. \n        Retrieved April 2, 2026, \n        from https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/passive-voice\/\nYou have already voted. 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[Home](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/)\n2. [Knowledge Base](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/knowledge-base\/)\n3. [Academic writing](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/academic-writing\/)\n4. Active vs. Passive Constructions \\| When to Use the Passive Voice\n\n### Sentence structure\n- [Overview](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/sentence-structure\/)\n- [Word order rules](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/sentence-structure\/word-order-rules-in-english\/ \"Word Order Rules in English\")\n- [Modifiers](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/sentence-structure\/modifiers\/ \"How to Fix Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers (with Examples)\")\n  - [Overview](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/sentence-structure\/modifiers\/ \"How to Fix Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers (with Examples)\")\n  - [Misplaced modifiers](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/sentence-structure\/misplaced-modifier\/ \"What Is a Misplaced Modifier? | Examples & How to Fix\")\n  - [Dangling modifiers](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/sentence-structure\/dangling-modifier\/ \"What Is a Dangling Modifier? | Examples & How to Eliminate\")\n- [Parallelism](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/sentence-structure\/parallelism\/ \"Parallel Structure & Parallelism | Definition, Use & Examples\")\n- [Transition words](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/transition-words\/ \"Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples\")\n- [Adverbials](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/sentence-structure\/adverbials\/ \"Adverbial Phrases (& Clauses) | Definition & Examples\")\n- [Active vs. passive voice](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/passive-voice\/ \"Active vs. Passive Constructions | When to Use the Passive Voice\")\n\n### Interesting topics\n- [Parts of speech](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/parts-of-speech\/ \"View all articles about Parts of speech\")\n- [Working with sources](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/working-with-sources\/ \"View all articles about Working with sources\")\n- [IEEE](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/ieee\/ \"View all articles about IEEE\")\n- [Commonly confused words](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/commonly-confused-words\/ \"View all articles about Commonly confused words\")\n- 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[Common mistakes](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/common-mistakes\/ \"View all articles about Common mistakes\")\n- [Effective communication](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/effective-communication\/ \"View all articles about Effective communication\")\n- [Using AI tools](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/ai-tools\/ \"View all articles about Using AI tools\")\n- [Fallacies](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/fallacies\/ \"View all articles about Fallacies\")\n- [Rhetoric](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/rhetoric\/ \"View all articles about Rhetoric\")\n- [Plurals](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/plurals\/ \"View all articles about Plurals\")\n- [APA Style 6th edition](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/apa-style\/6th-edition\/ \"View all articles about APA Style 6th edition\")\n- [Applying to graduate school](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/graduate-school\/ \"View all articles about Applying to graduate school\")\n- 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Get expert writing help](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/proofreading-editing\/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar)\n\n[![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2032%2032'%3E%3C\/svg%3E) ![](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/ai-proofreading.svg) AI Proofreader Get unlimited proofreading for 30 days Try for free](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-proofreader\/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar)\n\n[![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2032%2032'%3E%3C\/svg%3E) ![](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/plagiarism-checker.svg) Plagiarism Checker Compare your paper to billions of pages and articles with Scribbr’s plagiarism checker. 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Try for free](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/paraphrasing-tool\/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar)\n\n[![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2032%2032'%3E%3C\/svg%3E) ![](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/grammer-checker.svg) Grammar Checker Eliminate grammar errors and improve your writing with our free AI-powered grammar checker. Try for free](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/grammar-checker\/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar)\n\n# Active vs. Passive Constructions \\| When to Use the Passive Voice\nPublished on June 29, 2023 by  [Shona McCombes](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/author\/shona\/ \"All articles by Shona McCombes\"). Revised on February 19, 2025.\n\nThe **passive voice** occurs when the person or thing that performs an action is not the grammatical **[subject](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/verbs\/subject-verb-agreement\/)** of the sentence. Instead, the person or thing that receives the action is placed before the [**verb**](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/?p=407369). Passive sentences are formed using the verb *to be* combined with a past participle.\n\n###### **Active voice**\n**The dog bites** the bone.\n\n###### Passive voice\n**The bone is bitten** by the dog.\n\nIn a passive construction, the actor does not have to be named at all.\n\n###### Passive construction\n**The bone is bitten**.\n\nWriters are often advised to avoid the passive voice, but it is not a grammatical error. In [academic writing](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/academic-writing\/), this type of sentence structure is sometimes useful or necessary. However, overusing it can make your writing unclear or convoluted. Our [Chat PDF](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/chat-pdf\/) tool can help you analyze your writing and suggest improvements.\n\n### Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text\nUpload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes\n\n[![upload-your-document-ai-proofreader](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201372%20708'%3E%3C\/svg%3E)![upload-your-document-ai-proofreader](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/grammar-check.webp)](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-proofreader\/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=in-text&scr_campaign=upload)\n\n## Table of contents\n1. [Avoiding the passive voice](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/passive-voice\/#avoiding-the-passive-voice)\n2. [Using the passive voice](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/passive-voice\/#using-the-passive-voice)\n3. [Other interesting articles](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/passive-voice\/#other)\n## Avoiding the passive voice\nIn most cases, it’s best to use active sentence constructions where possible. Sometimes the passive voice makes a sentence less clear by obscuring the actor.\n\n**The decision was made** to close the factory.\n\nWho made the decision? To properly understand what occurred, we need to know who was behind the action. This is possible in the passive voice, but the sentence becomes convoluted.\n\n**The decision was made** by the CEO to close the factory.\n\nAn active construction is preferable for clarity and [concision](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/write-concisely\/).\n\n**The CEO made** the decision to close the factory.\n\nIf you write a passive sentence, consider carefully whether leading with the actor would strengthen your point.\n\nThis is also relevant when discussing previous research: active constructions that specify who is responsible for findings can make your writing more credible and convincing.\n\n- **Evidence has been found** of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour.\n- **Smith (2015) found** evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour.\n- **Several recent studies have found** evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour.\n\n### Don't submit your assignments before you do this\nThe academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students. Free citation check included.\n\n![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20683%20281'%3E%3C\/svg%3E)\n\n![](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2019\/12\/before-editing.png)\n\n![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20683%20281'%3E%3C\/svg%3E)\n\n![](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2019\/12\/after-editing.png)\n\n[Try for free](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-proofreader\/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=in-text&scr_campaign=slider)\n## Using the passive voice\nSome types of academic writing do not permit the use of [first-person pronouns](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/nouns-and-pronouns\/pronouns\/). In these cases, the passive voice can be used for referring to your own actions.\n\n| Active voice with first-person pronouns | Passive voice to avoid first-person pronouns |\n|---|---|\n| **I gathered** data through an online survey. | **Data was gathered** through an online survey. |\n| **We recorded** the measurements at 9am every day for three weeks. | **The measurements were recorded** at 9am every day for three weeks. |\n\nIf you use the passive voice in more complex sentences, make sure to avoid [dangling modifiers](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/sentence-structure\/dangling-modifier\/).\n\nThe passive voice is often also appropriate when the subject of an action is unknown or unimportant to the meaning of the sentence.\n\n**Thirty votes were counted** in favour of the amendment.\n\nIn this case, the object of the action – the votes – is more important than who did the counting. Specifying the actor wouldn’t add any useful information to the sentence.\n\n**More research is required** to understand this phenomenon.\n\nWith verbs like *require*, there is often no particular actor who does the *requiring*, so the passive voice is used to state a general sense of necessity or obligation.\n\n## Other interesting articles\nIf you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools\\!\n\n**Academic Writing**\n\n- [Avoiding repetition](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/repetition-redundancy\/)\n- [Effective headings](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/effective-headings\/)\n- [Grawlix](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/grawlix\/)\n- [Taboo words](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/taboo-words\/)\n- [Tautology](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/tautology\/)\n- [Transition words](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/transition-words\/)\n\n**AI**\n\n- [Deep learning](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/deep-learning\/)\n- [Generative AI](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/generative-ai\/)\n- [Machine learning](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/machine-learning\/)\n- [Reinforcement learning](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/reinforcement-learning\/)\n- [Supervised vs. unsupervised learning](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/supervised-vs-unsupervised-learning\/)\n\n**(AI) Tools**\n\n- [Grammar Checker](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/grammar-checker\/)\n- [Paraphrasing Tool](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/paraphrasing-tool\/)\n- [Text Summarizer](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/text-summarizer\/)\n- [AI Detector](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/best-ai-detector\/)\n- [Plagiarism Checker](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism-checker\/)\n- [Citation Generator](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/citation\/generator\/)\n\n#### Cite this Scribbr article\nIf you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.\n\n> McCombes, S. (2025, February 19). Active vs. Passive Constructions \\| When to Use the Passive Voice. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2026, from https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/passive-voice\/\n\n[Cite this article](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/citation\/generator\/apa\/?searchQuery=https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/passive-voice\/)\n\n##### Is this article helpful?\n401\n\n50\n\nYou have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote...\n\n![Shona McCombes](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%200%200'%3E%3C\/svg%3E)\n\n![Shona McCombes](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/860eb20c3a944a56f62f48c7022198f4?s=96&d=mm&r=g)\n\n## [Shona McCombes](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/author\/shona\/ \"All articles by Shona McCombes\")\nShona has a bachelor's and two master's degrees, so she's an expert at writing a great thesis. 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Revised on February 19, 2025.\n\nThe **passive voice** occurs when the person or thing that performs an action is not the grammatical **[subject](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/verbs\/subject-verb-agreement\/)** of the sentence. Instead, the person or thing that receives the action is placed before the [**verb**](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/?p=407369). Passive sentences are formed using the verb *to be* combined with a past participle.\n\n###### **Active voice**\n**The dog bites** the bone.\n\n###### Passive voice\n**The bone is bitten** by the dog.\n\nIn a passive construction, the actor does not have to be named at all.\n\n###### Passive construction\n**The bone is bitten**.\n\nWriters are often advised to avoid the passive voice, but it is not a grammatical error. In [academic writing](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/category\/academic-writing\/), this type of sentence structure is sometimes useful or necessary. However, overusing it can make your writing unclear or convoluted. Our [Chat PDF](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/chat-pdf\/) tool can help you analyze your writing and suggest improvements.\n\n### Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text\nUpload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes\n\n[![upload-your-document-ai-proofreader](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/grammar-check.webp)](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-proofreader\/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=in-text&scr_campaign=upload)\n## Avoiding the passive voice\nIn most cases, it’s best to use active sentence constructions where possible. Sometimes the passive voice makes a sentence less clear by obscuring the actor.\n\n**The decision was made** to close the factory.\n\nWho made the decision? To properly understand what occurred, we need to know who was behind the action. This is possible in the passive voice, but the sentence becomes convoluted.\n\n**The decision was made** by the CEO to close the factory.\n\nAn active construction is preferable for clarity and [concision](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/write-concisely\/).\n\n**The CEO made** the decision to close the factory.\n\nIf you write a passive sentence, consider carefully whether leading with the actor would strengthen your point.\n\nThis is also relevant when discussing previous research: active constructions that specify who is responsible for findings can make your writing more credible and convincing.\n\n- **Evidence has been found** of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour.\n- **Smith (2015) found** evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour.\n- **Several recent studies have found** evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour.\n\n### Don't submit your assignments before you do this\nThe academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students. Free citation check included.\n\n![](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2019\/12\/before-editing.png) ![](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2019\/12\/after-editing.png)\n\n[Try for free](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-proofreader\/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=in-text&scr_campaign=slider)\n## Using the passive voice\nSome types of academic writing do not permit the use of [first-person pronouns](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/nouns-and-pronouns\/pronouns\/). In these cases, the passive voice can be used for referring to your own actions.\n\n| Active voice with first-person pronouns | Passive voice to avoid first-person pronouns |\n|---|---|\n| **I gathered** data through an online survey. | **Data was gathered** through an online survey. |\n| **We recorded** the measurements at 9am every day for three weeks. | **The measurements were recorded** at 9am every day for three weeks. |\n\nIf you use the passive voice in more complex sentences, make sure to avoid [dangling modifiers](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/sentence-structure\/dangling-modifier\/).\n\nThe passive voice is often also appropriate when the subject of an action is unknown or unimportant to the meaning of the sentence.\n\n**Thirty votes were counted** in favour of the amendment.\n\nIn this case, the object of the action – the votes – is more important than who did the counting. Specifying the actor wouldn’t add any useful information to the sentence.\n\n**More research is required** to understand this phenomenon.\n\nWith verbs like *require*, there is often no particular actor who does the *requiring*, so the passive voice is used to state a general sense of necessity or obligation.\n\n## Other interesting articles\nIf you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools\\!\n\n**AI**\n\n- [Deep learning](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/deep-learning\/)\n- [Generative AI](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/generative-ai\/)\n- [Machine learning](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/machine-learning\/)\n- [Reinforcement learning](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/reinforcement-learning\/)\n- [Supervised vs. unsupervised learning](https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/ai-tools\/supervised-vs-unsupervised-learning\/)\n\n#### Cite this Scribbr article\nIf you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.\n\n> McCombes, S. (2025, February 19). Active vs. Passive Constructions \\| When to Use the Passive Voice. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2026, from https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/academic-writing\/passive-voice\/\n\nYou have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote...","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	Published on June 29, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on February 19, 2025. The passive voice occurs when the person or thing that performs an action is not the grammatical subject of the sentence. Instead, the person or thing that receives the action is placed before the verb . Passive sentences are formed using the verb to be combined with a past participle. Active voice The dog bites the bone. Passive voice The bone is bitten by the dog. In a passive construction, the actor does not have to be named at all. Passive construction The bone is bitten . Writers are often advised to avoid the passive voice, but it is not a grammatical error. In academic writing , this type of sentence structure is sometimes useful or necessary. However, overusing it can make your writing unclear or convoluted. Our Chat PDF tool can help you analyze your writing and suggest improvements. Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes Avoiding the passive voice In most cases, it’s best to use active sentence constructions where possible. Sometimes the passive voice makes a sentence less clear by obscuring the actor. The decision was made to close the factory. Who made the decision? To properly understand what occurred, we need to know who was behind the action. This is possible in the passive voice, but the sentence becomes convoluted. The decision was made by the CEO to close the factory. An active construction is preferable for clarity and concision . The CEO made the decision to close the factory. If you write a passive sentence, consider carefully whether leading with the actor would strengthen your point. This is also relevant when discussing previous research: active constructions that specify who is responsible for findings can make your writing more credible and convincing. Evidence has been found of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour. Smith (2015) found evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour. Several recent studies have found evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour. Don't submit your assignments before you do this The academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students. Free citation check included. Try for free Using the passive voice Some types of academic writing do not permit the use of first-person pronouns . In these cases, the passive voice can be used for referring to your own actions. Active voice with first-person pronouns Passive voice to avoid first-person pronouns I gathered data through an online survey. Data was gathered through an online survey. We recorded the measurements at 9am every day for three weeks. The measurements were recorded at 9am every day for three weeks. If you use the passive voice in more complex sentences, make sure to avoid dangling modifiers . The passive voice is often also appropriate when the subject of an action is unknown or unimportant to the meaning of the sentence. Thirty votes were counted in favour of the amendment. In this case, the object of the action – the votes – is more important than who did the counting. Specifying the actor wouldn’t add any useful information to the sentence. More research is required to understand this phenomenon. With verbs like require , there is often no particular actor who does the requiring , so the passive voice is used to state a general sense of necessity or obligation. Other interesting articles If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools! AI Deep learning Generative AI Machine learning Reinforcement learning Supervised vs. unsupervised learning Cite this Scribbr article If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator. McCombes, S. (2025, February 19). Active vs. Passive Constructions \| When to Use the Passive Voice. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2026, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/passive-voice/ You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote...
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Try for free](https://www.scribbr.com/paraphrasing-tool/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar) [![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2032%2032'%3E%3C/svg%3E) ![](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/grammer-checker.svg) Grammar Checker Eliminate grammar errors and improve your writing with our free AI-powered grammar checker. Try for free](https://www.scribbr.com/grammar-checker/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar) # Active vs. Passive Constructions \\| When to Use the Passive Voice Published on June 29, 2023 by [Shona McCombes](https://www.scribbr.com/author/shona/ "All articles by Shona McCombes"). Revised on February 19, 2025. The passive voice occurs when the person or thing that performs an action is not the grammatical [subject](https://www.scribbr.com/verbs/subject-verb-agreement/) of the sentence. Instead, the person or thing that receives the action is placed before the [verb](https://www.scribbr.com/?p=407369). Passive sentences are formed using the verb to be combined with a past participle. ###### Active voice The dog bites the bone. ###### Passive voice The bone is bitten by the dog. In a passive construction, the actor does not have to be named at all. ###### Passive construction The bone is bitten. Writers are often advised to avoid the passive voice, but it is not a grammatical error. In [academic writing](https://www.scribbr.com/category/academic-writing/), this type of sentence structure is sometimes useful or necessary. However, overusing it can make your writing unclear or convoluted. Our [Chat PDF](https://www.scribbr.com/chat-pdf/) tool can help you analyze your writing and suggest improvements. ### Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes [![upload-your-document-ai-proofreader](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201372%20708'%3E%3C/svg%3E)![upload-your-document-ai-proofreader](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/grammar-check.webp)](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-proofreader/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=in-text&scr_campaign=upload) ## Table of contents 1. [Avoiding the passive voice](https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/passive-voice/#avoiding-the-passive-voice) 2. [Using the passive voice](https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/passive-voice/#using-the-passive-voice) 3. [Other interesting articles](https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/passive-voice/#other) ## Avoiding the passive voice In most cases, it’s best to use active sentence constructions where possible. Sometimes the passive voice makes a sentence less clear by obscuring the actor. The decision was made to close the factory. Who made the decision? To properly understand what occurred, we need to know who was behind the action. This is possible in the passive voice, but the sentence becomes convoluted. The decision was made by the CEO to close the factory. An active construction is preferable for clarity and [concision](https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/write-concisely/). The CEO made the decision to close the factory. If you write a passive sentence, consider carefully whether leading with the actor would strengthen your point. This is also relevant when discussing previous research: active constructions that specify who is responsible for findings can make your writing more credible and convincing. - Evidence has been found of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour. - Smith (2015) found evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour. - Several recent studies have found evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour. ### Don't submit your assignments before you do this The academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students. Free citation check included. ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20683%20281'%3E%3C/svg%3E) ![](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads//2019/12/before-editing.png) ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20683%20281'%3E%3C/svg%3E) ![](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads//2019/12/after-editing.png) [Try for free](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-proofreader/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=in-text&scr_campaign=slider) ## Using the passive voice Some types of academic writing do not permit the use of [first-person pronouns](https://www.scribbr.com/nouns-and-pronouns/pronouns/). In these cases, the passive voice can be used for referring to your own actions. \| Active voice with first-person pronouns \| Passive voice to avoid first-person pronouns \| \|---\|---\| \| I gathered data through an online survey. \| Data was gathered through an online survey. \| \| We recorded the measurements at 9am every day for three weeks. \| The measurements were recorded at 9am every day for three weeks. \| If you use the passive voice in more complex sentences, make sure to avoid [dangling modifiers](https://www.scribbr.com/sentence-structure/dangling-modifier/). The passive voice is often also appropriate when the subject of an action is unknown or unimportant to the meaning of the sentence. Thirty votes were counted in favour of the amendment. In this case, the object of the action – the votes – is more important than who did the counting. Specifying the actor wouldn’t add any useful information to the sentence. More research is required to understand this phenomenon. With verbs like require, there is often no particular actor who does the requiring, so the passive voice is used to state a general sense of necessity or obligation. ## Other interesting articles If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools\! 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Readable Markdown	Published on June 29, 2023 by [Shona McCombes](https://www.scribbr.com/author/shona/ "All articles by Shona McCombes"). Revised on February 19, 2025. The passive voice occurs when the person or thing that performs an action is not the grammatical [subject](https://www.scribbr.com/verbs/subject-verb-agreement/) of the sentence. Instead, the person or thing that receives the action is placed before the [verb](https://www.scribbr.com/?p=407369). Passive sentences are formed using the verb to be combined with a past participle. ###### Active voice The dog bites the bone. ###### Passive voice The bone is bitten by the dog. In a passive construction, the actor does not have to be named at all. ###### Passive construction The bone is bitten. Writers are often advised to avoid the passive voice, but it is not a grammatical error. In [academic writing](https://www.scribbr.com/category/academic-writing/), this type of sentence structure is sometimes useful or necessary. However, overusing it can make your writing unclear or convoluted. Our [Chat PDF](https://www.scribbr.com/chat-pdf/) tool can help you analyze your writing and suggest improvements. ### Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes [![upload-your-document-ai-proofreader](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/grammar-check.webp)](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-proofreader/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=in-text&scr_campaign=upload) ## Avoiding the passive voice In most cases, it’s best to use active sentence constructions where possible. Sometimes the passive voice makes a sentence less clear by obscuring the actor. The decision was made to close the factory. Who made the decision? To properly understand what occurred, we need to know who was behind the action. This is possible in the passive voice, but the sentence becomes convoluted. The decision was made by the CEO to close the factory. An active construction is preferable for clarity and [concision](https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/write-concisely/). The CEO made the decision to close the factory. If you write a passive sentence, consider carefully whether leading with the actor would strengthen your point. This is also relevant when discussing previous research: active constructions that specify who is responsible for findings can make your writing more credible and convincing. - Evidence has been found of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour. - Smith (2015) found evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour. - Several recent studies have found evidence of nonhuman primates engaging in ritualistic behaviour. ### Don't submit your assignments before you do this The academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students. Free citation check included. ![](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads//2019/12/before-editing.png) ![](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads//2019/12/after-editing.png) [Try for free](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-proofreader/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=in-text&scr_campaign=slider) ## Using the passive voice Some types of academic writing do not permit the use of [first-person pronouns](https://www.scribbr.com/nouns-and-pronouns/pronouns/). In these cases, the passive voice can be used for referring to your own actions. \| Active voice with first-person pronouns \| Passive voice to avoid first-person pronouns \| \|---\|---\| \| I gathered data through an online survey. \| Data was gathered through an online survey. \| \| We recorded the measurements at 9am every day for three weeks. \| The measurements were recorded at 9am every day for three weeks. \| If you use the passive voice in more complex sentences, make sure to avoid [dangling modifiers](https://www.scribbr.com/sentence-structure/dangling-modifier/). The passive voice is often also appropriate when the subject of an action is unknown or unimportant to the meaning of the sentence. Thirty votes were counted in favour of the amendment. In this case, the object of the action – the votes – is more important than who did the counting. Specifying the actor wouldn’t add any useful information to the sentence. More research is required to understand this phenomenon. With verbs like require, there is often no particular actor who does the requiring, so the passive voice is used to state a general sense of necessity or obligation. ## Other interesting articles If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools\! 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