Download The Passive Engineer

“The Passive Engineer”
By: Professional Training Company
Presenter: Vandan Desai
English 393
February 23, 2009
Introduction

What is Passive Voice?

Why Do Engineers Use the Passive Voice?

When to Use the Passive Voice?

When Not to Use the Passive Voice?
What is Passive Voice?

Passive voice inverts active word to emphasize
what happened, rather than who did it:

Active: I repaired the radio.
Passive: The radio was repaired by me. OR
The radio was repaired.

1)
2)
3)
Object => Subject
Form of “to be” + Past Participle = Passive Voice
Actor now part of prepositional phrase (“by me”) or
omit the actor altogether
Why Do Engineers Use
the Passive Voice?
The Passive Sound Objective
1)

BAD REASON!
Using I or We Sounds Unprofessional
2)

BAD REASON!
The Passive Emphasizes Results
3)

GOOD REASON!
“The Passive Sounds Objective”
Engineers value objectivity; they do not want
their data to be clouded with personal opinions
 The passive sounds distant and authoritative
 Think they’re stating emotionless truth


Why this first reason is unsound:


If you use rational (objective) method to collect and
analyze data and work honestly, your work is objective.
Writers don’t compromise their objectivity by writing
clearly and cannot rectify slanted work using passive voice.
“Using I or We Sounds Unprofessional”
Engineers were encouraged not to use “I” and
“We” because first person accounts were not
deemed professional
 Passive was used to avoid forbidden pronouns


Why this second reason is unsound:



Passive voice does not make writing sound unprofessional
Passive voice is a way engineers can avoid taking
responsibility (“mistakes were made”)
Passive voice can soften harsh statement (“Resume was
sent without being proofread.”)
“The Passive Emphasizes Results”

Why this third reason is sound:
 Scientific
reporting relies on the passive voice to
emphasize results and actions instead of the actor
or engineer
 However,
the active voice may convey the
meaning better.
 Status
reports should always identify actors:
Ex: We managed the project successfully.
 NOT: The project was managed successfully.


[…by whom?]
When to Use the Passive Voice?
When you want to emphasize results
1)
Ex.
2)
Active:
Passive:
Our students followed our advice.
Our advice was followed.
When the sentence doesn’t need an actor

Actor not important: The solution was heated to 100°.

Actor not known: The jewelry has been stolen.

Don’t wish to name actor: One thousand dollars has
been contributed.
When Not to Use the Passive Voice
When you write instructions
1)
Instructions should be written with
active/imperative verbs
Instructions must focus on action & indicate actor





Passive frequently omits actor
Passive uses past participle and thus can’t direct action
Passive = vague & confusing instructions
Ex: Passive: It should be noted that any change to the
procedure must be recorded in the master file.
Active: When you change the procedure, record the
change in the master file.
When Not to Use the Passive Voice
When “it” is the subject of the passive verb
2)

Delete “it should be noted that” or “it is expected
that” or “it is recommended that” …

Passive sentences with “it” as subject is confusing
Ex: Passive: It is recommended that this new policy be
instituted at once.
Active: We recommend instituting this new policy at
once.
Conclusion

What is Passive Voice?

Why Do Engineers Use the Passive Voice?

When to Use the Passive Voice?

When Not to Use the Passive Voice?
Works Cited
“The Passive Engineer.” Professional Training
Company. Factotum Ink, Ltd. 3 October 2008.
21 February 2009.
-- The End -Any Questions?