4 Reasons to Avoid Passive Verbs in Your Writing

Every first time someone asks me “What do you think of my writing?” I worry a little.

People are sensitive. We equate our writing with our personal, inner value. A writing critique seems to equate to “Since he doesn’t like my writing, he doesn’t like me.”

Don’t worry: I like you even if I despise your use of passive verbs. I expect too many passive verbs in every writer’s writing and I’m right… almost every time (even with me).

Say something.

Talking proves that we use an active voice. I bet you used more active verbs than passive ones.

When we turn from speaking to writing, somehow we switch. We fill pages with passivity. We don’t speak like that, but when we get ours hands on a pen or a keyboard, we fill space… too much space.

Passive verbs are great for filling space.

Or, said another way (and to sneak in an example of better writing)…

Passive verbs fill space.

Why Avoid Passive Verbs?

1. They’re boring.
2. They’re inaccurate.
3. They are used to make sentences much longer than they need to be.
4. They are important.

See?

Each of the reasons above use a passive verb: are. The first two hide it in a contraction, but it’s there.

Look at the same 4 reasons with active verbs:

Why Avoid Passive Verbs?

1. They bore people.
2. They misrepresent.
3. They create long sentences.
4. They radiate meaning when used well.

That sounds better, no?

Yes it does.

Next time you’re done writing, circle all your passive verbs. Eliminate all of them. Later we’ll examine excellent uses for passive verbs of being.

Chances are, you used too many, and it takes some effort to extract them from writing. For now, learn the passive verbs…or…verbs of being.

Passive Verbs of Being

Chant them to remember them…

am is are – was were

has have had – do does did done

be been – can could

shall should – will would

may might must

Here’s  a good read and an author that uses both passive and active verbs precisely: Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises (aff link).