Ohio University College of Business Communication Standards

Note how using the active voice makes the sentence shorter and how the subject (the
manager) is doing the action (decided). With the passive voice, the sentence is longer and
the subject (decision) is not doing the action (made). To make passive verbs active, ask
yourself who or what did the action. Move that person or thing to the beginning of the
sentence as the subject and change the verb as necessary.
Also, if the subject of a passive sentence is a nominalization (sometimes called a
camouflaged verb), consider using the verb form of the nominalization for the verb of your
sentence. For example, in the passive sentence example, decision is a nominalization and is
the subject of the sentence. In the active sentence, decided is the verb.
Nominalizations are created from verbs by the following word endings: -ion, -ment, -ance,
and -ence. Obviously, many business words are nominalizations, such as information,
depreciation, amortization, assistance, insurance, discussion, application, and liquidation. In
many instances you will need to use these words; but, when you can use their verb form, do
so. Even when a nominalization is not the subject of a sentence, try to revise using the verb,
as shown in this example.
Please let us know when we can be of assistance to you.
Revision: Please let us know when we can assist you.
Replacing assistance with assist makes the sentence shorter and more action-oriented.
A working knowledge of passive voice is necessary when considering the tone of your
message. Unless you need to use the passive, avoid it whenever you can. However, the
passive is often used to improve the tone of a communication and to de-emphasize who took
the action if that is not important.
Poor: You did not complete all the items on the form.
Better: All the items on the form were not completed. (Better tone)
Poor: The construction company finished the building on Wednesday.
Better: The building was finished on Wednesday. (This example is better,
assuming that it is not important or it is implied who finished the work.)
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