It’s hard to find other things in writing that are as universally condemned as passive voice. As a good student of style, for years and years I have agonized over passive voice in my texts and rephrased every sentence where it occurred.
Yet, at some point, I wondered: Is passive voice always bad? Are there cases where it’s not only permissible but even desirable?
This blog post is devoted to the underdog of style — the passive voice. In it, you’ll find:
- What George Orwell and Stephen King thought about passive voice.
- Why blanket bans on passive voice are ineffective.
- When passive voice is better than active voice.
- How you can use it in your marketing copy effectively.
What Is Passive Voice?
Before we dissect its use, let’s define passive voice.
A sentence is in passive voice when the object of an action becomes the subject of the sentence.
The actor (who performs the action) is either omitted or placed later in the sentence. In contrast, active voice places the actor as the subject, making the action more direct.
Active: The marketing team launched the campaign.
Passive: The campaign was launched by the marketing team / The campaign was launched.
In the active sentence, “the marketing team” is performing the action. In the passive sentence, “the campaign” becomes the focus, while the actor (the marketing team) is pushed to the end.
Why Does Passive Voice Get a Bad Rap?
For decades, passive voice has been a subject of intense debate among writers, editors, and linguists. Some of the most influential books on writing strongly caution against its use, portraying it as weak, evasive, and needlessly complicated.
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
What It Says About Passive Voice
Perhaps the most famous argument against passive voice comes from The Elements of Style, originally written by William Strunk Jr. and later expanded by E.B. White. The book is revered as a writing bible, particularly for students and journalists.
In one of its most quoted rules, Strunk and White advise: "Use the active voice. The active voice is usually more direct and vigorous than the passive."
They go on to illustrate this point with examples: Passive: “My first visit to Boston will always be remembered by me.” Active: “I shall always remember my first visit to Boston.”
The revision makes the sentence clearer, shorter, and more engaging.
What It Gets Right
- Active voice often makes writing more concise and dynamic.
- Passive voice can sometimes create awkward, wordy constructions.
What It Overlooks
While The Elements of Style is valuable for encouraging clear writing, its stance on passive voice is overly rigid.
Not all passive constructions are weak — sometimes, they shift emphasis in a useful way (e.g., “A cure for cancer was discovered” keeps the focus on the breakthrough rather than the scientists).
Politics and the English Language by George Orwell
What It Says About Passive Voice George Orwell’s 1946 essay Politics and the English Language is one of the most famous critiques of unclear writing, especially in political and bureaucratic language. Orwell argues that passive voice is often used to obscure meaning and evade responsibility:
“Never use the passive where you can use the active.”
He illustrates how politicians and corporations use passive voice to avoid accountability. Instead of saying, “We made mistakes,” a company might say, “Mistakes were made.” The latter shifts focus away from the people responsible.
What It Gets Right
- Passive voice is often used for political spin or corporate jargon.
- Active voice forces clarity and accountability.
What It Overlooks
Orwell’s advice is useful for avoiding deceptive writing, but his blanket rule ignores cases where passive voice is actually clearer or more appropriate.
For example, in scientific writing, passive voice is often preferred to maintain objectivity (e.g., “The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions”).
On Writing by Stephen King
What It Says About Passive Voice
Stephen King, one of the most successful novelists of all time, discusses passive voice in his memoir On Writing.
He describes it as a sign of insecurity, suggesting that writers who lack confidence in their message tend to use passive constructions.
“The timid fellow writes: ‘The meeting will be held at seven o’clock.’ … Purge this quisling thought! Don’t be a mamby-pamby.
Throw back your shoulders, stick out your chin, and put that meeting in charge! Write: ‘The meeting’s at seven.’”
What It Gets Right
- Overuse of passive voice can make writing feel hesitant or weak.
- Strong verbs and active construction often create a more confident tone.
What It Overlooks
King’s perspective is useful for fiction writing, where active, direct sentences often create more engaging prose.
However, in other contexts — such as academic writing or formal reports — passive voice isn’t about timidity but about clarity and structure.
The Sense of Style by Steven Pinker
What It Says About Passive Voice
Steven Pinker, a cognitive scientist and linguist, takes a more balanced approach in The Sense of Style. While he acknowledges that passive voice is often unnecessary, he also criticizes the dogmatic rejection of it.
Pinker argues that passive voice can actually improve readability when the object of a sentence is more important than the subject. He provides an example:
Passive: “The cause of the accident has not been determined.” Active: “We have not determined the cause of the accident.”
The passive version keeps the focus on the cause of the accident (which is what the reader likely cares about).
What It Gets Right
- The passive voice isn’t inherently bad; it depends on context.
- Sometimes, passive constructions emphasize the right part of a sentence.
How We Do It at Writitude
At Writitude, we believe in giving our users full control over their writing style.
While some may choose to eliminate passive voice entirely to align with their brand’s character and tone of voice, we prioritize the judgment of copywriters and editors.
Unlike AI text generators that apply rigid rules automatically, Writitude provides targeted feedback while leaving the final decision up to you.
When passive voice is detected, you have the choice to:
- Rephrase the sentence in active voice if it would improve clarity and impact.
- Keep the passive construction if it serves a specific purpose and fits the context.
If you decide to make a change, our built-in AI is ready to assist with a seamless rewrite.
And if you choose to leave it as is, you’ll do so with confidence, knowing exactly why passive voice was the right choice for your message. So when passive voice is the right choice?
When Can Passive Voice Be Effective?
The famous books we’ve discussed all warn against passive voice, but their critiques come with limitations.
Despite its drawbacks, passive voice has its place in copywriting and branding. Here are scenarios where it can be a valuable tool:
1. When the Focus Is on the Outcome, Not the Actor
Sometimes, the most important part of a message is the result, not who performed the action.
Example:
- Your order has been shipped.
- The product was designed with your needs in mind.
In these examples, the passive voice shifts the focus onto what matters to the customer.
By emphasizing the outcome rather than the actor, passive voice allows the reader to immediately grasp the most relevant information.
Customers care more about the fact that their order is on its way than about who specifically packed and shipped it.
Passive constructions can also help highlight product benefits rather than drawing attention to the company behind them.
This subtle shift in focus makes the message feel more customer-centric and experience-driven, which can enhance engagement and trust.
Moreover, passive voice can create a sense of continuity and smoothness in messaging. For instance, in a customer support email, saying, “Your issue has been resolved” sounds more reassuring and final than, “Our team has resolved your issue.”
The former keeps the attention on the resolution itself, making the communication feel more polished and professional.
2. When the Actor Is Unknown or Unimportant
If the doer of an action is unknown or irrelevant, passive voice can keep the focus on the most important information.
Example:
- A new version of the app was released last week.
- Errors were found in the report.
Here, the emphasis is on the event itself rather than who performed it. In many cases, the actor behind an action is either not known or doesn’t add meaningful value to the message.
For example, if a company announces that "A new version of the app was released last week," the key takeaway is that users now have access to an updated app.
Who specifically released it — whether it was the development team, the product manager, or an automated system — is not relevant to the audience.
Passive voice allows the message to remain clean, streamlined, and focused on what actually matters to the reader.
Similarly, in professional or technical communication, passive voice can help maintain objectivity. A statement like "Errors were found in the report" avoids assigning blame and instead keeps the focus on the issue at hand.
This can be particularly useful in workplace settings where neutrality and diplomacy are important.
By shifting attention away from individuals and onto the information itself, passive voice can help create a more impartial, fact-driven tone that serves the purpose of clarity and professionalism.
3. For a More Formal or Neutral Tone
In some cases, passive voice can create a more professional or neutral tone, which is useful for crisis communication, legal documents, or policy statements.
Example: - Changes have been made to our privacy policy. - A refund will be issued after approval.
Passive voice can help maintain a sense of formality and neutrality, which is especially important in sensitive or high-stakes communications. In legal documents, policy updates, or corporate statements, the focus is often on the action taken rather than on who performed it.
For instance, stating "Changes have been made to our privacy policy" keeps the attention on the policy itself rather than drawing unnecessary focus to the entity making the changes.
This approach makes the message feel more official, reducing any perception of bias or subjectivity.
Additionally, passive constructions can soften the tone in situations where directness might feel too abrupt or confrontational.
In customer service or refund policies, saying "A refund will be issued after approval" sounds more neutral and process-driven than "We will issue a refund after approval."
The passive version removes the sense of personal decision-making, making it clear that the action follows a structured procedure.
This type of wording is often preferred in corporate and legal settings, where clarity and impartiality are valued over conversational directness.
4. When Softening the Message
Passive voice can be useful when you need to sound diplomatic or avoid assigning blame.
Example: - A mistake was made in last month’s billing cycle. - The deadline was missed.
These statements sound less accusatory than their active counterparts. Using passive voice in delicate situations allows messages to be framed in a way that minimizes tension and avoids direct blame.
Instead of saying, "We made a mistake in last month’s billing cycle," which explicitly assigns responsibility, the passive alternative, "A mistake was made in last month’s billing cycle," keeps the focus on the issue rather than the people involved.
This approach can be particularly useful in customer service, workplace communication, or public relations, where maintaining a professional and respectful tone is essential.
Similarly, stating "The deadline was missed" sounds more neutral than "You missed the deadline" or "Our team missed the deadline."
The passive construction removes direct attribution, making the message feel less personal and confrontational.
This can help prevent defensiveness and foster a more constructive discussion about solutions rather than fault.
Yes, as the writing style Bibles we discussed earlier argue against passive voice because it allows people to avoid the blame.
But sometimes, that is the whole point! Passive voice can serve as a strategic tool when the goal is to maintain diplomacy and preserve relationships.
How to Use Passive Voice Strategically in Marketing Copy
If you choose to use passive voice, make sure it aligns with your brand’s tone and the purpose of your message. Here are some strategic ways to use it effectively:
Mix Passive and Active Voice for Variety
Writing that is 100% active can sometimes feel overly direct or repetitive. A mix of active and passive voice creates a more natural rhythm in your copy.
Example: The product team developed a new feature to enhance usability. A thorough testing process was conducted before the launch.
2. Use Passive Voice in Call-to-Action Copy to Emphasize Benefits
Passive constructions can make CTAs more customer-focused by highlighting the benefit rather than the actor.
Example:
- Free shipping is included with every order.
- Your satisfaction is guaranteed.
3. Use It to Create Mystery or Suspense in Storytelling
Storytelling is a powerful marketing tool, and passive voice can build suspense by withholding details.
Example:
- A revolutionary discovery was made, but details remain confidential — until now.
Final Thoughts: Balance Is Key
For copywriters and marketing managers, the key takeaway is that passive voice isn’t inherently bad. It’s a tool — one that should be used deliberately and strategically.
While active voice is generally more engaging and direct, passive voice can serve important functions in branding, messaging, and storytelling.
Instead of outright banning passive voice from your copy, analyze the purpose of your message and determine whether passive or active voice best serves that purpose.
By understanding when and how to use passive voice effectively, you can create more nuanced, polished, and impactful brand messaging.
So, is passive voice always bad? Absolutely not. But knowing when to use it? That’s where the real magic happens.
