In the English language, the grammatical structure of the sentences matters a lot. It is a way to organize the words to form a complete thought. Some of them simply convey the message. In comparison, others indirectly tell the same thing.
The context might be the same, but with a different tone and structure. This is what we call the active and inactive voice of narration. Through these structures, we narrate the same thing in a distinct voice to highlight a specific thing.
In this blog, we will guide you about the two narrative tones and help you choose the right one for your content. So, let's get started!
Knowing the difference between direct and passive voice is important for writing effectively. Each has its place in communication, but they serve different purposes. Let's break them down.
In a sentence with direct narration, the subject takes the lead by doing the action. This structure follows a straightforward pattern:
Subject → Verb → Object
It makes the construction direct, strong, and often easier to follow.
Example:
The chef cooked the meal.
Here, the chef is performing the action (cooked) on the meal.
In indirect speech, the object of the action is placed at the beginning of the phrase, and the person or thing doing the action comes later. Sometimes, it's left out entirely. The structure usually looks like this:
Object → Form of "be" + Past Participle → (by + Doer)
Example:
The meal was cooked by the chef.
Here, the focus is on the meal, not the chef.
Here are more examples to help you understand how these two grammatical constructions differ from each other.
The manager approved the request.
Lisa painted the wall.
They launched a new product yesterday.
Robin got scared of the sudden horn.
Why did the attorney never mention the suspect's mental health?
In each of the above examples, the subject is taking action. This style creates clarity and is usually preferred in formal and informal writing.
The request was approved by the manager.
The wall was painted by Lisa.
A new product was launched yesterday.
The sudden horn scared Robin
Why the suspect's mental health was never mentioned by the attorney?
These narratives shift the focus to the result or object rather than the person performing the task.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison that highlights how the two voices differ in structure, usage, and tone.
Active Voice | Passive Voice |
The focus is on the doer of the action | The object or receiver is emphasized |
The subject comes before the action | The subject comes after the action |
The sentence structure is simple and short: Subject + Verb + Object | It has a bit complex order: Object + Form of be + Past Participle (+ by + Subject) |
The tone is direct, strong, and concise | Passive speech is formal, indirect, and objective |
Used for everyday writing, clear instructions, or conversations | Only used when the doer is unknown or less important |
Both direct and indirect voices are important in English writing for various reasons. They help set the right tone and make your message more effective. But the real question is when and where to use them. There are no strict rules. Your choice depends on what you want to emphasize.
Use an active voice when clarity and directness are your priority. It's best suited for most types of writing because it tells the reader who is doing what without any confusion.
Use active voice when:
You want to keep your writing clear and concise.
The subject (doer) is important and needs to be emphasized.
You’re writing instructions, emails, blog posts, or reports.
You want the tone to sound strong and confident.
Passive voice works well when you want to emphasize the action or result rather than the person who did it. It’s commonly used in formal, technical, or scientific writing where the doer is unknown, irrelevant, or intentionally left out.
Use passive voice when:
The action is more important than the actor.
You don’t know who acted.
You want to sound more objective or neutral.
You are writing in a formal or academic tone.
Rewriting a sentence from active to passive requires more than just flipping words. It involves a change in construction. Here are two simple ways to do it:
Manually
To convert an active sentence to an indirect one, follow these steps:
Move the object of the direct voice to the subject position.
Use the correct form of the verb “to be” according to the tense.
Add the past participle of the main verb.
Optionally include the original subject introduced by "by."
Use the Rewording Tool
If you want to save time or aren't sure about grammar rules, rewordingtool.io can help. It simplifies the process by instantly converting your constructions into passive or rephrased forms while keeping the original meaning intact.
Just paste your sentence, click a button, and get a grammatically correct version in seconds.
Understanding the difference between direct narrative and indirect speech is important for precision and clarity in writing. Neither is right nor wrong. The choice depends on the main purpose of your writing.
Direct speech keeps your sentences simple and engaging. An indirect voice is useful when you want to shift focus or maintain a formal tone.
Use the first one when you want to highlight the one who acted. Write in an inactive narrative when the action or result matters more than the actor. And if you are unsure, rewordingtool.com can help you easily switch between both. The better you choose the right structure, the more effective your writing will become.
Rewording Tool
