The Passive Voice Is That Which Should Not Be Avoided By You
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A great way to make your writing better by understanding the perils and uses of the passive voice.
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The Passive Voice Is That Which Should Not Be Avoided By You
- 1. by Patrick E. McLean The Passive Voice Is That Which Should Be Avoided By You. patrickemclean.com
- 2. The passive voice is the voice of all those who seek to dissemble, obfuscate and otherwise cover their ass.
- 3. And Yoda.
- 4. When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good, you will not, hmmm?” “
- 5. When nine hundred years old you reach, About the order of that sentence, something is messed up.
- 6. When nine hundred years old you reach, subject verbobject
- 7. This lie detector test was failed by Steve.
- 8. The fact that that sentence up there is an example of the passive voice is easily recognized by you. This lie detector test was failed by Steve.
- 9. That sentence is written in the passive voice. This lie detector test was failed by Steve.
- 10. subject >> verb >> object >> This lie detector test was failed by Steve.
- 11. If you are a native English speaker, your brain is hardwired to receive meaning in a very specific order. Subject Verb Object
- 12. Bob throws the ball.
- 13. 3 x 4 = 12
- 14. But most languages, use a different order.
- 15. Bob the ball throws.
- 16. Bob the ball throws. subject verb object
- 17. Both Spanish and HP calculators work flawlessly with this order of operation.
- 18. 3, 4, x = 12
- 19. But any change from the expected order is very disorienting in English – a fact that bullshitters use to great advantage.
- 20. An error was found in your account.” “
- 21. An error was found in your account.” “ What this implies is...
- 22. An error was found in your account. We don’t know how it happened. Something fell from the sky. It’s nobody’s fault.” “
- 23. Your account
- 25. Or how about this one?
- 27. It was damaged during shipping. We don’t know how it happened. Something probably fell from the sky and hit it. It’s nobody’s fault.” “
- 28. Your Package
- 29. Your Package The Unluckiest Link in the Global Supply Chain.
- 30. You can see the common theme.
- 32. It’s nobody’s fault.” “ “True this isn’t, of course.”
- 33. It’s nobody’s fault.” “ Of course, this isn’t true.
- 35. “, by Zombies.”
- 36. It’s nobody’s fault.” “ Your civilization was destroyed.
- 37. It’s nobody’s fault.” “ Your civilization was destroyed, by zombies.
- 38. It was damaged in shipping.
- 39. It was damaged in shipping, by zombies.
- 40. So why do people misuse the passive voice?
- 42. Sometimes they don’t want to stand out.
- 44. Sometimes they’re trying to hit a page count.
- 46. When as circumlocutious as this you become, no page count will stop you.” “
- 47. Most of the time, they don’t want to be to blame.
- 48. “Honey, an affair was had.”
- 49. NOBODY wants to be the subject of that sentence.
- 50. an affair was had by me
- 51. an affair was had by me Object Verb Subject
- 52. an affair was had by me Verb SubjectObject masquerading as a subject
- 53. I had an affair. Verb ObjectSubject
- 54. Unless you are trying to get away with a lie,
- 55. Unless you are trying to get away with a lie, avoid the passive voice.
- 56. If you really liked this, you can If you like this, you should try my free, “How to Kill a Word” course: patrickemclean.com/how-to-kill-a-word/