There are different kinds of voices like active voice, passive voice, adjutative voice, anti passive voice, applicative voice, causative voice etc. But we generally use active voice and passive voice in our general conversations. Let us know what these voices are and how to use them.
You might be having doubts regarding the underlying usage of two forms of voices. If both convey the same meaning and are interchangeable, what is the necessity of both? Let’s answer this question. Also, we consider emergencies of voices and situations appropriate to them.
It is likely that you are forced in different situations forced to use only active voice at least in your writings. This is somewhat true but not a rule. There are some situations when the passive voice is appropriate, and sometimes when it is even essential.
It is best to think of this as not like a rule but a matter of context-sensitivity. That is, you are absolutely allowed to use passive voice in your writing, provided you are aware of some basic things which are really the basics of why there exist two forms of voices.
Perhaps, the rule against passive voice works fine in most of the times. By imposing such rules, the instructors can be sure that you do not screw the write-up by inappropriate usage of voice just for filling the pages.
What exactly is the passive voice?
Active voice is the straight forward and the powerful way of expression. On the other hand, passive voice, as the name indicates, conveys only partial information of the sentence. A passive statement often ignores the agent, also called the subject of the sentence. Even if the subject is mentioned in a passive voice sentence, the emphasis is not on the subject, but on the object of the sentence.
Example: Errors were made.
Also remember that in case of proverbs and universal facts, the object is taken anonymous.
Example: The sun rises in the east.
It is said that the sun rises in the east.
In most for formal write-up cases, we are not allowed to use the passive voice. But, sometimes, the agent of the action has to be absolutely omitted like the project reports. There, the object matters much to the reader and not the subject. Hence, we avoid words like ‘I’, ‘me’, etc .The passive voice works exactly for such situations.
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The 90% rule:
Even though, in some situations the passive voice is required, it is not recommended to use it very often. It is generally expected that at least 90% of verbs used should be in active voice such that the write-up is not much disturbed by too much of passive verbs.
In fact, it is essential that each and every passive verb should be justified before it is used in a sentence. In other way, when you write an essay this time, and every time you tend to use a passive verb, check for the above conditions if rule is justified from the given cases.
January 27th, 2010 
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