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ChatGPT
May 1
Passive voice is typically used in the following situations:
1. When the focus is on the action or the receiver of the action rather than the doer of the action.
2. When the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant.
3. When the doer of the action is obvious or can be easily inferred from the context.
4. When the doer of the action is intentionally being left out of the sentence for stylistic reasons.
5. When the doer of the action is being intentionally avoided to shift blame or responsibility.
1. When the focus is on the action or the receiver of the action rather than the doer of the action.
2. When the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant.
3. When the doer of the action is obvious or can be easily inferred from the context.
4. When the doer of the action is intentionally being left out of the sentence for stylistic reasons.
5. When the doer of the action is being intentionally avoided to shift blame or responsibility.
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Google Gemini AI
May 1
Appropriate Uses of Passive Voice:
1. When the doer is unknown or unimportant:
- "The window was broken." (We don't know who broke it.)
- "The work was completed." (The focus is on the work, not the person who did it.)
2. To emphasize the action or result:
- "The painting was beautifully executed." (Focuses on the quality of the painting.)
- "The project was launched successfully." (Highlights the positive outcome.)
3. To avoid blaming or sounding accusatory:
- "A mistake was made." (Less confrontational than "Someone made a mistake.")
- "Your application is being reviewed." (Polite way to indicate that a decision is still pending.)
4. To create a sense of formality or distance:
- "It is hereby resolved..." (Used in legal or academic contexts.)
- "The data was analyzed using..." (Scientific or technical writing.)
Cautions:
1. Excessive use: Overuse of passive voice can lead to unclear or convoluted writing. Use it sparingly.
2. Loss of agency: Passive voice removes the doer from the sentence, which can make the writing less direct or personalized.
3. Ambiguity: In some cases, passive voice can create ambiguity. For example, "The book was written" could mean either that someone wrote the book or that the book was written by itself.
4. Weak language: Passive voice often uses auxiliary verbs (was, is, are, being) which can make sentences sound less forceful or active.
Alternatives to Passive Voice:
- Use active voice whenever possible.
- Use nominalizations (e.g., "The breaking of the window..." instead of "The window was broken").
- Use a different sentence structure.
1. When the doer is unknown or unimportant:
- "The window was broken." (We don't know who broke it.)
- "The work was completed." (The focus is on the work, not the person who did it.)
2. To emphasize the action or result:
- "The painting was beautifully executed." (Focuses on the quality of the painting.)
- "The project was launched successfully." (Highlights the positive outcome.)
3. To avoid blaming or sounding accusatory:
- "A mistake was made." (Less confrontational than "Someone made a mistake.")
- "Your application is being reviewed." (Polite way to indicate that a decision is still pending.)
4. To create a sense of formality or distance:
- "It is hereby resolved..." (Used in legal or academic contexts.)
- "The data was analyzed using..." (Scientific or technical writing.)
Cautions:
1. Excessive use: Overuse of passive voice can lead to unclear or convoluted writing. Use it sparingly.
2. Loss of agency: Passive voice removes the doer from the sentence, which can make the writing less direct or personalized.
3. Ambiguity: In some cases, passive voice can create ambiguity. For example, "The book was written" could mean either that someone wrote the book or that the book was written by itself.
4. Weak language: Passive voice often uses auxiliary verbs (was, is, are, being) which can make sentences sound less forceful or active.
Alternatives to Passive Voice:
- Use active voice whenever possible.
- Use nominalizations (e.g., "The breaking of the window..." instead of "The window was broken").
- Use a different sentence structure.
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