Should I write 'The manager approved the project' or 'The project was approved by the manager' in my report?
I'm writing a business report and I'm a bit confused about when to use active versus passive voice. For example, should I say, 'The manager approved the project' or 'The project was approved by the manager'? I've seen both structures used in different reports and emails, but I'm not sure if there's a specific rule or best practice.
Can someone explain the difference between these two sentences and when it's better to choose one over the other? Any advice for business writing would be helpful!
Context:
Audience: learners writing formal business documents in English.
What to Know
| Question You Likely Still Have | Direct Answer | How To Apply It |
|---|---|---|
| What is the core rule for write manager approved project? | Understanding active and passive voice helps you choose the right tone and emphasis in formal business writing. | Active Example: "The HR team implemented the new policy." (Focuses on who carried out the action.) Passive Example: "The new policy was implemented by the HR team." (Focuses on th… |
| How do I apply write manager approved project in a sentence like mine? | Active Example: "The HR team implemented the new policy." (Focuses on who carried out the action.) Passive Example: "The new policy was implemented by the HR team." (Focuses on th… | Here's a reliable pattern: Active voice: [Subject] + [verb] + [object] (typically focuses on the doer of the action). |
| What mistakes should I avoid with write manager approved project? | Check your drafts: Are you using passive voice to avoid naming the responsible party? | Passive voice: [Object] + [form of 'be'] + [past participle] (+ by [subject]) (focuses on the action or the receiver of the action). |
3 Answers
Understanding active and passive voice helps you choose the right tone and emphasis in formal business writing. Here's a reliable pattern:
- Active voice: [Subject] + [verb] + [object] (typically focuses on the doer of the action).
- Passive voice: [Object] + [form of 'be'] + [past participle] (+ by [subject]) (focuses on the action or the receiver of the action).
Active Example:
- "The HR team implemented the new policy." (Focuses on who carried out the action.)
Passive Example:
- "The new policy was implemented by the HR team." (Focuses on the policy and de-emphasizes the doer.)
Practice:
Rewrite: "The finance committee reviewed the proposal." Change it to passive voice. Compare the effect on emphasis.
Tip: Use active voice to clarify responsibility; use passive voice when the doer is less important or unknown. Check your drafts: Are you using passive voice to avoid naming the responsible party? Revise for clarity if needed.
A practical editing approach is to ask what you want readers to focus on: the person doing the action, or the action/results themselves.
Active Voice Example:
- "The department completed the annual review." (Readers focus on who acted—'the department.')
Passive Voice Example:
- "The annual review was completed yesterday." (Readers focus on the review itself, and possibly when it happened.)
Quick Self-Check:
Find a sentence in your draft with "was/were" + past participle (e.g., "was completed"). Ask: Is it important to name the actor, or is the result more important? Revise as needed.
Tip: Use active voice to make your business writing direct and clear, especially when accountability matters.
Choosing between active and passive voice depends on what you want to emphasize in your sentence.
Active Voice: This structure highlights the person or group performing the action.
- Example: "The supervisor scheduled the meeting."
Passive Voice: This structure highlights the action or the object affected, sometimes omitting the doer entirely.
- Example: "The meeting was scheduled by the supervisor."
When to use each:
- Use active if it matters who did the action (shows accountability and clarity).
- Use passive if the action/result is more important than the actor or if the actor is unknown/irrelevant.
Practice:
Take any business report sentence you’ve written. Ask: Am I emphasizing the right thing? Try rewriting at least one in both voices to compare the impact.
Feedback: If your sentences feel indirect or vague, check for excessive passive constructions and consider revising for active voice.
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