“Active”

The word itself evokes a sense of energy and dynamism. This is precisely the effect active voice has on readers—making technical writing come alive. 

Active voice is a fundamental aspect of effective communication in technical writing. However, in technical communication, where the doer is often implicit or unclear, even experienced technical writers usually slip into the trap of passive sentences, leading to ineffective and dragged communication. Hence, this blog post discusses what difference active voice brings in technical writing quality and tips about how one can use it consciously. Before that, I’ll briefly revise the concept of active voice. 

What is Active Voice?

Active voice is a way of constructing sentences where the subject of a sentence comes in the beginning and the sentence structure is Subject + Verb + Object. In the passive voice, the object (the one being acted upon) comes first, followed by the action and the doer. 

Let us understand better with the help of an example. Read the following sentence.

I use a pen. 

In this sentence, “I”(the subject) is doing the action of using “a pen”. This is an active voice sentence. 

Now, see this version of the sentence that has exactly same meaning but different impact. 

A pen is used by me. 

Here, the recipient of the action “A pen”, an object, comes into focus. And the doer “me”, who uses the pen, takes the back seat. This is a passive voice sentence.

Note that the sentence in active voice is clear, precise, and easy to understand. The second sentence, which is more complex, increases the processing time and shifts the emphasis from the doer to the receiver.

Now that we have revised the active voice, it is time to understand why experts emphasize its use in technical writing.

Before we get into the big “WHY?”, do you know how our brain perceives active and passive voices? 

The Science Behind the Advantages of Using Active Voice

Our brain processes active and passive voices differently. When we read sentences in passive voice, our brains perceive the abstract idea of the situation. It has to break down the complex information and figure out who is doing the action after processing the receiver of the action. Whereas active voice quickly specifies the doer and the action and incites psychological closeness. This is in sync with the numerous studies that indicate passive sentences get longer reaction times as compared to their active forms.

Why Use Active Voice in Technical Writing?

In technical writing, the purpose is to break down complex technical information in an easy-to-digest manner. Hence, choosing an active voice for technical writing is even more important as it ensures quick absorption and clarity of information. While readers do not really notice the use of active or passive voice in the content purposely, they experience its impact on the flow, content processing, and understanding. 

Using active voice offers the following advantages:

1. Direct: States clearly who or what is doing the action. This direct structure makes it easier for the reader to understand the technical steps or concepts being explained.
2. Concise: Uses fewer words than passive voice. Because active voice avoids unnecessary helping verbs like “was”, “were”, “been”, and the like, it is easier to follow. 
3. Confident: Exudes confidence, ensuring readers trust the technical information and its intent. 
4. Persuasive: Empowers writers to persuade their target audience, encouraging agreement with their thought process.
5. Quick: Saves time both for writers and readers, as it uses minimum number of words and a direct approach.

While active voice is preferred in most technical writing scenarios, it does not imply that you should stop using passive voice completely. Passive voice is also suitable in specific technical writing scenarios:

• When the emphasis is on the receiver of the action. For example, “A pop-up displayed.”
• When the doer is not apparent. For instance, in the above example sentence, the pop-up is just displayed by the application automatically. There is No specific doer here. 
• To vary the structure and flow of a paragraph. After writing a bunch of sentences in active voice, it is okay to use a passive voice sentence and bring some variation. But don’t do it very often. 

Tips for Writing in an Active Voice

Identify the Subject and Verb

This is the foundation of understanding whether your sentence is active or passive. 

If the subject (doer of the action) is placed at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb and then the object(receiver of the action), the sentence is in active voice. So, bring the subject in the beginning to change a passive sentence into an active voice. 

Spot “to be” Verbs 

Observe your sentences for “to be” verbs such as am, is, was, are, were, be, being, and been. Remove these verbs and bring the main verb into action. 

Consider the following sentences. 

The report was completed by them. – Passive voice

They completed the report. – Active voice

Ensure the verb is in the correct tense and form for the active voice.

Check for the “by” Phrase

If the sentence includes the word “by” followed by a doer, it is passive. Rearrange it in Subject+Verb+Object order to change it to active voice.

The meeting was scheduled by the manager. – Passive voice

The manager scheduled the meeting. – Active voice

Summary

Using active voice is one of the best practices in technical writing. It’s the key to ensuring your readers grasp the information effortlessly. It mirrors our natural thought process, making the content more engaging. While passive voice has its uses, active voice is preferred in technical communication for its clarity and effectiveness. By following the tips provided, you can make your technical writing more engaging and understandable for your readers. So, take an active approach to your writing and use active voice. Should you need any help inculcating active voice sentences in your technical writing, reach out to me.