: Re: When should I avoid the passive voice? When might I use it? An opinion exists that overusing of the passive voice can make writing harder for reading and understanding. Is it true for all

@Murray831

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Here's how I think about all writing rules that tell me what I should or should not do: What is the effect of doing this? How does it affect the reader? When would I want those effects? When would I not want them? What effects do I want to create right now?

So what are the effects of passive voice? Passive voice deemphasizes, hides, or ignores the actor and the actor's responsibility for the action. As a result, it gives greater emphasis to what remains: the act, and the recipient of the act.

"Mistakes were made." This hides the identity of the people who made the mistakes, in such a way as to almost deny their responsibility. This kind of phrasing is a common refuge of scoundrels.
"My car was stolen." This is useful when I don't know the identity of the actor. It also emphasizes the effect on me.
"Hiroshima was destroyed by a nuclear bomb on August 6, 1945." This directs attention to Hiroshima and the effect of the bombing. Though we know who dropped the bomb, the identity and responsibility of the actor may not be important to what we are trying to say.

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