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by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., and Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.

Overuse of Passive Voice.

A passive verb is always a verb phrase consisting of a form of the verb to be followed by a past participle. The subject of an active verb acts, while the subject of a passive verb is acted upon.

Using the passive voice can create an awkward sentence, and the overuse of it in a paper can cause your writing to become flat and uninteresting. Active voice is a much stronger form of writing.

Once you understand and can identify the passive voice, making changes in your writing from passive to active are fairly easy.

From our vague pronoun example above:

Wrong: Many of the area residents were thrilled by this event.
Right: This event thrilled many of the area residents.

Go to the next common college student writing flaw: Weak Vocabulary or Overuse of Jargon/Buzzwords.

Back to the main page of The Top 15 Writing Flaws That Can Lead to Lower Grades

Looking for more writing assistance? Go to our sister site, EnhanceMyWriting.com: Indispensable Writing Resources.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key academic terms by going to our College Success Glossary.

Dr. Randall S. Hansen, CEO of EmpoweringSites.com, has been empowering people his entire adult life -- to help them better their lives. In fact, empowerment is part of his professional philosophy statement. He is also founder of Quintessential Careers, one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web, as well as founder of MyCollegeSuccessStory.com and EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. He is publisher of Quintessential Careers Press as well as a published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds of articles. He's often quoted in the media and conducts empowering workshops around the country. Hansen is also an educator, having taught at the college level for more than 15 years.

Dr. Katharine Hansen, Creative Director of EmpoweringSites.com, is a former speechwriter and college instructor who provides content for several of our sites, including Quintessential Careers, MyCollegeSuccessStory.com, and EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. She also edits QuintZine, an electronic newsletter for job-seekers, career counselors, and students. She is author of Dynamic Cover Letter for New Graduates; A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market; and, with Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters and Write Your Way to a Higher GPA, all published by Ten Speed Press. She can be reached by e-mail at kathy@quintcareers.com.

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