Writing in passive sentences is a bad habit that threatens to rob your copy of its spark. But what are passive sentences?
Well, a passive sentence is generally where the object of the sentence is placed before the subject.
Too technical? Don’t worry because these two examples demonstrate the point perfectly:
Example One
A lot of study will be done by you. (Passive)
You will do a lot of study. (Active)
Example Two
The mat was sat on by the cat. (Passive)
The cat sat on the mat. (Active)
Notice how the passive forms create considerably less impact than their active counterparts?
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that I’m perfect and have never written a passive sentence in my life. Of course, I have…
Sometimes they even serve a purpose like when you are trying to adopt an old-fashioned tone to your writing.
Generally-speaking, however, they tend to make your copy sound dull, flat and uninteresting.
Why not take a moment now to look at the last thing you wrote? You never know, your writing could already be free from the curse of passive sentences.