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Rule "Passive voice"

This is one of many errors that LanguageTool can detect. Visit the LanguageTool homepage to use it online or download it for free.

Description: Passive voice
By default, this rule is not active in LanguageTool
Message: The text seems to be passive voice. To make the text clearer and easier to read, you can often use the active voice.
Category: Style (ID: STYLE)
Link: https://languagetool.org/insights/post/what-is-passive-voice/
Tags: [picky]
Incorrect sentences
that this rule can detect:
  • A cake is being baked by him.
  • Tests are also usually being done during the night.
  • Those engineers were unfortunately not actually being considered by management for the project.
  • Instruments are played by her.
  • Instruments were played in most cultures.
  • Instruments are not always played well.
  • John was given a very large book with a green cover by her.
  • The mined ore is washed, crushed, classified, and separated from quartz.
  • ... fried meat and fried cheese are very often eaten for lunch and served in most typical restaurants.
  • Many of Earth's contemporary religions are shown to still exist
  • My preparations are already made—a sword and a cloak, and a bold heart and a determined hand.
Correct sentences
for comparison:
  • He is baking a cake.
  • Tom and Mary were drunk and they both said some things they shouldn't have.
  • One throws a right-handed boomerang with the wind on one's left cheek.
  • The "left hand opponent" is the player to one's left who cannot defend on the right.
  • It's no use thinking about one's lost youth.
  • One who listens to one's recorded voice has the sensation of listening to a stranger.
  • Fadil's past quickly caught up.
  • The students are bored.
  • Many criminals in America are addicted to drugs.
  • The deadline for advance questions is Wed., Sept. 27.
  • It looks like Tom is absolutely disgusted.
  • This tradition is bullshit.
  • Nutella is not very well known in Japan.
  • Almost all buses on national routes are air-conditioned and offer pleasant travelling comfort.
  • Spelling rules in English are supposed to bring some order, but often carry a multitude of inconsistencies and exceptions.
  • Word is left standing in these areas.
  • Our problems are nothing compared to hers.
  • Didn't you know that Tom and Mary are extremely gifted artists?
  • The previous error analysis isn’t lost.
Pattern: Show XML · Show in Rule Editor
Check the following text against just this rule:

ID: PASSIVE_VOICE [6]
Version: 6.5-SNAPSHOT (2024-04-17 22:33:07 +0200)