Why Use Active Voice Quiz

1. Why do writers often choose active voice in their sentences?

To hide who is doing the action

To make sentences longer and more complex

To make sentences clearer and more direct

To confuse the reader on purpose

Active voice puts the doer first, which usually makes the meaning clear and direct.

Explanation

Active voice puts the doer first, which usually makes the meaning clear and direct.

2. Which is the best reason to use active voice in persuasive writing?

It makes your writing sound more unsure.

It makes your writing sound more confident and strong.

It removes the subject from the sentence.

It always adds more words.

Active voice shows clearly who is acting, which creates a confident and strong tone.

Explanation

Active voice shows clearly who is acting, which creates a confident and strong tone.

3. Active voice often helps readers quickly understand who is doing what in a sentence.

True

False

In active voice, the subject comes first and performs the action, which is easy to follow.

Explanation

In active voice, the subject comes first and performs the action, which is easy to follow.

4. How can active voice affect the tone of your writing?

It can make your tone sound confident.

It can make your tone sound more energetic.

It can make your tone sound more direct.

It always makes your tone sound formal and distant.

It often makes your tone clearer for the reader.

Active voice usually sounds clearer, more confident, and more energetic than passive voice.

Explanation

Active voice usually sounds clearer, more confident, and more energetic than passive voice.

Submit

5. Writers sometimes choose passive voice to soften blame or avoid directly naming who caused a problem.

True

False

Passive voice can hide or blur the doer, which may feel softer or less direct.

Explanation

Passive voice can hide or blur the doer, which may feel softer or less direct.

6. You want your speech to sound strong and confident. Which version is better?

Mistakes were made during the project.

Our team made mistakes during the project, but we learned from them.

Mistakes are being made by us.

The project was done by our team.

B uses active voice, accepts responsibility, and shows growth, which sounds more confident.

Explanation

B uses active voice, accepts responsibility, and shows growth, which sounds more confident.

7. In instructions and how-to writing, active voice usually makes the steps easier to follow.

True

False

Clear commands in active voice help the reader know exactly what to do.

Explanation

Clear commands in active voice help the reader know exactly what to do.

8. Which situation is the BEST time to choose active voice?

When you want to clearly show who is responsible for an action.

When you never want to name the person who acted.

When you want your writing to sound vague and distant.

When the doer is completely unknown.

If you want to show responsibility and clarity, active voice is usually the best choice.

Explanation

If you want to show responsibility and clarity, active voice is usually the best choice.

9. Active voice is always the best choice in every single sentence you write.

True

False

Sometimes passive voice is useful, for example when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

Explanation

Sometimes passive voice is useful, for example when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

10. In which types of writing is active voice especially helpful?

Persuasive essays where you argue a point

Instructions and how-to articles

Stories with a lot of action

Sentences where the doer must stay secret

Clear explanations in school assignments

These types of writing benefit from clear, direct sentences that show who is doing the action.

Explanation

These types of writing benefit from clear, direct sentences that show who is doing the action.

Submit

11. Active voice makes writing sound more clear and __________.

Because the subject does the action, active voice feels straightforward and direct.

Explanation

Because the subject does the action, active voice feels straightforward and direct.

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12. Which sentence uses active voice to create a stronger tone?

The ball was thrown by the player.

The player threw the ball.

The ball is being thrown.

The ball had been thrown by the player.

Sentence B clearly shows the player as the doer and sounds more energetic.

Explanation

Sentence B clearly shows the player as the doer and sounds more energetic.

13. Active voice helps answer which reader question as quickly as possible?

When did it happen?

Where did it happen?

Who did what?

How long did it take?

Active voice puts the doer and the action together, answering 'Who did what?' right away.

Explanation

Active voice puts the doer and the action together, answering 'Who did what?' right away.

14. Active voice often uses fewer words than passive voice to say the same idea.

True

False

Active voice usually does not need extra helping verbs or by-phrases, so it can be shorter.

Explanation

Active voice usually does not need extra helping verbs or by-phrases, so it can be shorter.

15. Which sentence shows a good reason to use passive instead of active voice?

I broke the vase.

The vase broke.

The vase was broken in the accident.

The vase was broken by me yesterday when I dropped it.

In C, the writer can focus on the vase and the result without putting extra attention on the person who broke it.

Explanation

In C, the writer can focus on the vase and the result without putting extra attention on the person who broke it.

16. You are writing directions for a science experiment. Which sentences use active voice in a way that fits your purpose?

The mixture should be heated for five minutes.

Heat the mixture for five minutes.

The beaker was filled with water.

Fill the beaker with water.

Water was poured into the beaker by the student.

Commands like 'Heat the mixture' and 'Fill the beaker' use active voice and give clear, direct steps.

Explanation

Commands like 'Heat the mixture' and 'Fill the beaker' use active voice and give clear, direct steps.

Submit

17. A common active voice pattern is __________ + verb + object.

In active voice, the subject comes first and does the action to the object.

Explanation

In active voice, the subject comes first and does the action to the object.

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18. How does active voice often affect the reader's experience?

It helps the reader picture the action more easily.

It can make the writing feel more alive and immediate.

It always hides the doer of the action.

It can help the reader follow long paragraphs more easily.

It usually lets the reader see the main point faster.

Active voice highlights the doer and the action, which keeps the reader engaged and informed.

Explanation

Active voice highlights the doer and the action, which keeps the reader engaged and informed.

Submit

19. In persuasive writing, active voice can help the writer sound more __________ about their ideas.

Active sentences show clear control and belief in the ideas being shared.

Explanation

Active sentences show clear control and belief in the ideas being shared.

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20. Good writers choose active or passive voice based on their writing __________ and what they want the reader to feel.

Thinking about purpose helps a writer decide which voice fits the message and tone.

Explanation

Thinking about purpose helps a writer decide which voice fits the message and tone.

Submit

Purpose and Tone: Why Use Active Voice Quiz