Schoolteachers caution against it, editors abhor it, even computerized grammar checks try to eliminate it--the passive voice. Strunk and White's Elements of Style pronounces the active voice direct, vigorous, and clear. The passive voice is considered by most to be circuitous, weak, and indefinite. The active voice produces forceful writing, giving life and significance to exposition. The passive voice is, well, passive--acted upon rather than acting. And yet, it is precisely "being acted upon" that may make the passive voice…
Joseph D. SmallOctober 16, 2005