ACT English: Eliminate Passive Voice to Sharpen Your Clarity and Directness

Active voice: The subject performs the action. "The team won the game." (Stronger, direct.) Passive voice: The subject is acted upon. "The game was won by the team." (Weaker, indirect.) The ACT does not forbid passive voice, but it rewards active voice because it is clearer and more concise. To spot passive voice, look for a form of "to be" (is, was, were, be, been) plus a past participle (a verb ending in -ed or -en). Example: "The report was completed by the analyst" (passive). Fix: "The analyst completed the report" (active). Passive voice is not wrong, but if an answer choice offers active voice, it is almost always correct because it is more direct.

Why passivity matters: In a timed test, readers process direct sentences faster. "The scientist discovered the cure" takes one mental step; "The cure was discovered by the scientist" takes two (you have to find the subject). This extra step costs time and clarity points.

Trap 1: Passive voice in transitional sentences. "The topic was discussed in the previous section." Better: "I discussed this topic earlier." Trap 2: Passive voice in examples or evidence. "Numerous studies have been conducted showing..." Better: "Researchers have conducted numerous studies showing..." Trap 3: Passive voice in conclusions. "It can be concluded that..." Better: "We can conclude that..." Trap 4: Passive voice hiding a missing agent. "The job was done" (by whom? The passive voice omits the actor entirely, leaving the reader confused). Always check: Could this sentence name the actor more directly? If yes, the active form is correct.

On the ACT, if you see an answer choice with "was," "were," "is being," or "be," pause and check if there is a more active alternative. Nine times out of ten, the active choice is right.

Sentence 1: "The book was written by a famous author." Fix: "A famous author wrote the book." Sentence 2: "The mistake was made by the intern." Fix: "The intern made the mistake." Sentence 3: "The document will be reviewed by the committee." Fix: "The committee will review the document." Sentence 4: "It is believed that climate change is real." Fix: "Scientists believe that climate change is real." Sentence 5: "The cake was eaten by the children." Fix: "The children ate the cake." For each sentence, identify the "by" phrase (if stated) to find the true actor, then rearrange so the actor is the subject.

Read your active-voice fixes aloud. You will feel the difference: active voice is punchier and clearer. This sensory feedback trains your ear to prefer active voice, and by test day, spotting passive voice on the ACT will feel automatic.

Passive-voice questions appear 2-3 times per test in the form of clarity or conciseness choices. The ACT rewards writers who prioritize the reader's experience: direct, active, clear. Converting passive to active often makes sentences shorter AND clearer, which is a double win on the ACT's editing rubric.

This week, read one paragraph of your own writing and highlight every instance of passive voice. Convert each to active voice. Notice how your writing becomes tighter and easier to follow. By test day, avoiding passive voice will be a reflex, and you will earn points on clarity questions that other students miss because they do not recognize the passive-voice trap.