Avoid Lazy LanguageHow to Get Active and Make Your Point

Active Versus Passive Voice

Active Voice• The action of the sentence is done by the

subject

• Uses primarily action verbs when writing

• Makes the main verb of the sentence an action verb

• Gets to the point directly

• Creates clearer, more direct, more succinct, and overall better writing

• Should be used almost all the time

Passive Voice• The action of the sentence is done to the

subject

• Uses a mixture of helping and action verbs, especially state-of-being verbs

• Talks around the point of the sentence by shifting the focus of the sentence

• Uses unnecessary words to make its point

• Creates confusing, backwards, longer, overall worse writing

• Should be used rarely

Active Voice versus Passive Voice• ACTIVE VOICE • She slammed on the brakes as the car

sped downhill.

• I broke your bicycle.

• By March, the sound engineers will completely remix the soundtrack.

• The Planning Committee passed the bill after long debate.

• PASSIVE VOICE • The brakes were slammed on by her as

the car sped downhill.

• Your bicycle was broken.

• By March, the soundtrack will have been completely remixed by the sound engineers.

• The bill was passed by the Planning Committee after long debate.

PracticeTurn the passive voice into active

voice1. Jimmy is described to be carrying Martha’s rock in his

mouth.

2.The lazy dog was jumped over by the quick brown fox.

3. It is believed by the candidate that a ceiling must be placed on the Congressional budget proposal.

Avoid Lazy Language

• Lazy language is vague and imprecise

• Lazy language is typical and boring

• Do not use the following

• Nice

• Sad

• Happy

• Thing

• Stuff

• A lot

• Lots

Don’t be this guy

Lazy Language

• Nice – never use this. Consider any of the following alternatives: sweet, caring, kind, appealing, pleasant, attractive, etc.

• Happy/Sad – not so bad, but the emotion is weak and vague.

• Thing/stuff – what’s a thing? What’s stuff? These are criminally unclear. Plus, they can always be replaced whatever they’re referring to.

• A lot – “a lot” refers to an amount of land or salable goods. That’s it. It doesn’t mean “many” or “a large amount.”

Practice Eliminating Lazy Language

1. I ate as much candy as I gave out on Halloween, so I feel really bad today.

2.My sister’s room is covered in all kinds of stuff. It is a mess!

3.The funeral for my Uncle Morty had a lot of crying and stories.

4.Love is nice. 1. Love is a many-splendored thing, love lifts us up where we belong,

where the eagles fly on a mountain high.