style
Write clearer sentences by choosing active voice by default and passive voice intentionally.
Active voice is usually clearer because subject and action are direct.
Passive voice is useful when actor is unknown, irrelevant, or sensitive, such as incident reports and scientific methods.
Highlight all "was/were + past participle" constructions, then convert only the ones that hide agency unnecessarily.
Use this quick matrix to compare core words in this guide and jump directly into deeper lookup pages.
active
Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.
passive
Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction.
clarity
The state or measure of being clear, either in appearance, thought or style; lucidity.
agency
The capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power.
Opposite direction words
Example sentences pulled from our lexical corpus to show natural context.
active
Stock prices soared in active trading as corporations announced good financial results.
passive
Observation is a passive science, experimentation an active science.
clarity
I was astonished by the clarity of the picture.
agency
"Manpower" is the world's largest temp agency.
No. It is a tool; misuse is the problem.
It can feel safer in conflict-heavy communication because it softens accountability.