The key difference between active voice and passive voice is that in the active voice, the subject does the action to the target, while in the passive voice, the focus shifts to the target of the action, and the subject is acted upon by the verb.
What is Active Voice?
Active voice is a grammatical construction in the English language where the subject of a sentence performs the action or the verb. In an active voice sentence, the subject is the “doer” of the action, and the action is typically conveyed directly and clearly.
Active voice sentences are usually more straightforward, concise, and engaging than passive voice sentences.
Active Voice Structure
Subject (Doer of the Action): The chef
Verb (Action): Cooked
Object (Receiver of the Action): A delicious meal
Example of Active Voice
“The cat (subject) chased (action) the mouse.”
In this sentence, “the cat” is the subject performing the action of chasing the mouse.
“The chef cooked a delicious meal.”
In this sentence, “the chef” (the subject) is performing the action “cooked,” making it an active voice sentence.
More Examples:
1. The company launched a new product yesterday.
2. She painted a beautiful picture for her friend.
3. The mechanic fixed my car’s engine.
4. She baked a cake for the party.
5. The company released a new product last week.
6. The dog chased the ball across the yard.
7. The teacher taught the students the lesson.
8. The artist painted a beautiful mural on the wall.
What is Passive Voice?
In contrast, passive voice is a grammatical construction where the subject of the sentence receives the action or the verb. Passive voice often makes the sentence less direct and may not explicitly mention the doer of the action.
Passive Voice Structure
Object (Receiver of the Action): A delicious meal
Verb (Past Participle Form): Was cooked
Agent (Optional – Doer of the Action): By the chef
Example of Passive Voice
“The mouse (subject) was chased (action) by the cat.”
In this passive voice sentence, the subject “the mouse” receives the action, and the doer of the action (“the cat”) is not the focus of the sentence.
“A delicious meal was cooked by the chef.”
In this passive voice construction, the focus is on the action “was cooked,” and the doer of the action, “the chef,” becomes the receiver of the action.
More Examples:
1. A new product was launched by the company yesterday.
2. A beautiful picture was painted for her friend by her.
3. My car’s engine was fixed by the mechanic.
4. A cake was baked for the party by her.
5. A new product was released by the company last week.
6. The ball was chased across the yard by the dog.
7. The students were taught the lesson by the teacher.
8. A beautiful mural was painted on the wall by the artist.
Passive voice is useful in certain situations but is generally considered less clear and more wordy than active voice for conveying information.
Active Vice vs Passive Voice
The main differences between active voice and passive voice are given below:
| Aspect | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
| Definition | Denotes that the subject is performing the action. | It denotes that the subject is acted upon by the verb or action in the sentence. |
| Verb Usage | The active voice does not require a linking verb to make sense. | Has a direct, clear, and strong tone. |
| Focus | It has an indirect, weak, and subtle tone. | The passive voice is useful when it’s unclear who performed the action |
| Tone | Has a direct, clear and strong tone. | It has an indirect, weak and subtle tone. |
| Examples | I decorated the hall. Devi gave Shanti a gift. | The hall was decorated by me. Shanti was given a gift by Devi. |