: Re: Why do many manuals and technical documents seem to prefer passive voice? It seems like many manuals and technical documents prefer passive voice over active voice. Is this true, or is it just

In academic writing, scientific papers and similar, it is normal practice to avoid writing in the first person. Such documents are written in the third person. Check the writing style guide of any scientific journal for confirmation of this.

This practice carries through to a large number of technical communications. When writing in the third person, the passive voice becomes more natural. There is a tendency to follow on from:

The system does x

The system is affected by x

rather than

x affects the system

This tendency doesn't make the use of passive correct or preferred. It is just a common tendency among some writers.

It would be recommended to continue to use the general principle of minimising the use of the passive voice.

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: Re: Why do many manuals and technical documents seem to prefer passive voice? It seems like many manuals and technical documents prefer passive voice over active voice. Is this true, or is it just

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: How does a person go about describing a place/experience that they never personally experienced before, like a circus? I've never been to a circus, and all the shows and videos I've seen about

: How can I get my style to feel more mature? I'm 22 year old and when I read myself, my writing style feels juvenile. By that, I mean that everything seems enveloped in a drape of purity,

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