In this case, if the context of the paragraph does not clarify who did the action, the writer should revise this sentence to clarify who conducted the study.Įxample: I conducted a study of job satisfaction and turnover. Here, it is not clear who did the conducting.

Consider these examples to help determine which form of the verb is most appropriate:Įxample: A study was conducted of job satisfaction and turnover. So, though you may see the passive voice used heavily in articles that you read for your courses and study, it does not mean that APA style advocates the same usage.Īccording to APA, writers should select verb tenses and voice carefully.

if the writer wants to focus on the object or the implications of the actor’s action orĪlso, much like for anthropomorphism, different writing styles have different preferences.

in expository writing, where the goal of the discussion is to provide background, context, or an in-depth explanation.

if the reader is aware of who the actor is.

However, the passive voice is acceptable in some instances, for example: Generally, in scholarly writing, with its emphasis on precision and clarity, the active voice is preferred.

In this sentence, it is not clear who conducted this study.

Passive voice example: A study was conducted of elementary school teachers.

This sentence structure puts the emphasis of the sentence on the subject, clarifying who conducted the study.

Active voice example: I conducted a study of elementary school teachers.

The order of words in a sentence with active voice is subject, verb, object. Passive voice construction leaves out the actor (subject) and focuses on the relationship between the verb and object. In addition, the active voice stresses that the actor (or grammatical subject) precedes the verb, again, putting emphasis on the subject. Using active voice often improves clarity, while passive voice can help avoid unnecessary repetition.Īctive voice can help ensure clarity by making it clear to the reader who is taking action in the sentence. Writers need to be intentional about voice in order to ensure clarity.

Specifically, APA explains that voice shows relationships between the verb and the subject and/or object (see APA 7, Section 4.13). Active voice and passive voice are grammatical constructions that communicate certain information about an action.

Active vs passive voice exercises