What is passive language?
Passive language is a grammatical structure in which the subject of a sentence is the recipient of the action rather than the doer of the action. In passive constructions, the focus is on the action being done rather than the person or thing performing the action. This can lead to ambiguity or lack of clarity in communication, as the doer of the action may be omitted or de-emphasised. Making sure the majority of your text is active is an important part of a strong SEO strategy.
Neutrality
Passive language is often used in formal or academic writing, as it can create a more impersonal or objective tone. It is also commonly used in scientific or technical writing. For example, “The experiment was conducted” is a passive construction that emphasises the action of conducting the experiment rather than the person who conducted it.
By omitting the doer of the action, passive constructions can make it difficult to identify who is responsible for a particular action. This can be problematic in legal or ethical contexts, because clarity and transparency are essential. Comparatively, passive constructions can also be used to avoid assigning blame or responsibility. (This can be important in sensitive or situations!)
A main drawback of passive language is that it can make sentences more wordy and less direct. This can lead to confusion or misunderstanding, as the intended meaning may not be immediately clear. Additionally, passive constructions can make writing less engaging or dynamic. This tense often lacks the active voice and energy that comes from using active verbs and clear subjects.
Passive language v active language in copywriting
Copywriting for advertising often makes use of the present continuous tense, present perfect tense and future tense.
Passive Present Continuous: A sandwich is being bought by me
Active Present Continuous: I am buying a sandwich
Passive Present Perfect: A sandwich has been bought by me
Active Present Perfect: I have bought a sandwich
Passive Future: A sandwich will be bought by me
Active Future: I will buy a sandwich
Writers should be mindful of when and how they use passive language. Especially for SEO, copy should be clear, engaging, and effective.