Passive Active Voice Quiz: Highlight The Instances

Passiveactive Voice Quiz 10 Points1 Highlight The Instances Of Pas

Identify and analyze instances of passive and active voice in given sentences and explanations. Specifically, highlight passive voice instances in a complex sentence, convert passive sentences into active voice using the "by whom/what" test, and explain the benefits and appropriate uses of active and passive voices in technical writing.

Paper For Above instruction

The use of active and passive voice in technical writing significantly impacts clarity, engagement, and the reader's understanding. Recognizing the distinction between these voices is essential for effective communication, especially in fields that require precise reporting of processes and responsibility. This paper addresses three core aspects: identifying passive voice instances, converting passive sentences into active voice, and analyzing the advantages and appropriate contexts for each voice in technical documentation.

1. Highlight the instances of passive voice in the provided sentence:

Original sentence: "It can be assumed that a large portion of these energy loads are caused by computers, televisions, phones, and other electronic devices that are constantly plugged into outlets, therefore using constant energy."

In this sentence, the clauses "are caused by computers, televisions, phones, and other electronic devices" and "are constantly plugged into outlets" are instances of passive voice. The phrase "are caused by" explicitly indicates passive construction, where the focus is on the energy loads being caused by devices, rather than the devices performing the cause. Likewise, "are constantly plugged into outlets" emphasizes the state of being plugged in, but from a passive perspective, as the subject (devices) is performing the action but presented in a passive format.

2. Convert the following three sentences from passive to active voice:

1. Original (Passive): "The optimal retrofits will be delivered to the client in a final proposal, and with these recommendations, NAU may move forward with the implementation of these design solutions."
2. Converted (Active): "The team will deliver the final proposal with the optimal retrofits to the client, and with these recommendations, NAU may proceed with implementing these design solutions."

1. Original (Passive): "Early design ideas to be discussed throughout this report include updates to the HVAC system, lighting, windows, and floors."
2. Converted (Active): "The report discusses early design ideas, including updates to the HVAC system, lighting, windows, and floors."

1. Original (Passive): "This pre-proposal report will highlight all the main topics and methods to provide an accurate representation of how Szopinski Hall is used."
2. Converted (Active): "This pre-proposal report highlights all the main topics and methods to accurately represent how Szopinski Hall is used."

3. In your own words (your most formal writing!), explain:

The benefits of using Active Voice rather than Passive Voice in Technical Writing:

Using active voice in technical writing offers numerous advantages. Primarily, it enhances clarity by directly linking actions to responsible agents, thereby reducing ambiguity. Active voice makes sentences more concise and straightforward, which facilitates easier comprehension for readers. It also promotes engagement, as specific subjects performing actions create a more dynamic and compelling narrative. Furthermore, active constructions contribute to accountability, especially crucial in technical fields where responsibility for processes, decisions,, or outcomes must be clear. For example, "The engineer completed the testing" explicitly assigns the task, whereas passive "The testing was completed by the engineer" is more cumbersome and less direct. Overall, active voice supports transparency and precision, essential qualities in effective technical communication.

Instances where Passive Voice might be appropriate in Technical Writing:

Despite the advantages of active voice, passive voice maintains valuable roles in certain contexts within technical writing. One such instance involves emphasizing the action or the result rather than the actor, which is particularly useful when the agent is unknown or irrelevant. For example, "The sample was contaminated" focuses on the event rather than the contaminator. Another scenario pertains to formal or objective tone requirements; passive constructions can create a detached and unbiased tone suitable for scientific reports or safety procedures. Additionally, passive voice can be appropriate when the writer aims to omit the actor for confidentiality or diplomatic reasons, such as "Data was analyzed" without specifying who performed the analysis. Finally, passive voice is useful in procedural writing where the process steps are paramount, and the focus is on the task rather than who executes it. In summary, while active voice promotes clarity, passive voice is advantageous for emphasizing results, maintaining objectivity, or when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

Conclusion

Understanding the distinction between active and passive voice, and their appropriate applications, is fundamental for effective technical writing. While active voice generally enhances clarity, engagement, and accountability, passive voice remains valuable for emphasizing results, maintaining objectivity, and appropriate tone in specific contexts. Skillful use of both voices enables technical writers to craft clear, precise, and audience-appropriate documents, facilitating better communication and understanding.

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