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Re: What to say to people who LIKE the passive voice (fwd)
Subject:Re: What to say to people who LIKE the passive voice (fwd) From:Shannon Ford <shannon -at- UNIFACE -dot- NL> Date:Thu, 3 Feb 1994 10:57:47 +0100
Hi Melody,
Most people would admit that the passive voice has its place, as does
third person.
But the active voice is, well, more active: snappier, more lively, more
interesting. Perhaps we all associate third person passive writing with
`official-ese', in which we try to make ordinary opinions or observations
sound important and objective and erudite by using third person and
passive voice constructions. We have a kind of knee-jerk reaction to it.
I like the book _Revising Prose_, by R. A. Lanham. He approaches the
subject by talking of `lard factors' in these kind of sentances. A very
entertaining approach.
BTW, Cal Poly is my Alma Mater. I can remember your name but never had any
classes with you...
