Using the Passive Voice

 

Notice the use of both the ACTIVE and PASSIVE voices in the following paragraph. Think about why the writer uses the PASSIVE voice.

One of the most enduring symbols of New York City is the Empire State Building. This famous structure is located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Construction began in 1930 and was completed in 1931. This enormous building rises 1,250 feet into the air. It has 102 stories, most of which are used for offices. The Empire State Building was once the tallest building in the world and became especially famous as the building from which the original King Kong (the huge gorilla in the movies) fell. Many tourists who have ridden the elevators to the observation deck have enjoyed a fascinating and unforgettable view of New York City.
 

(Adapted from Refining Composition Skills: Heinle/Heinle)

(Note: "Began" is the proper form of "Was Begun")

 

Using different forms makes your writing more interesting and varied. This is one of the reasons the writer of the paragraph above used the Passive Voice (see underlined forms). However, in order to use the Passive Voice correctly, you need to know more about the specific circumstances in which we use it. You also need to be sure to use it correctly because it is used in many academic areas, especially social science, natural science and technical writing.