Passive Voice in Formal & Academic English
Learn why the passive voice appears so often in formal, scientific and academic writing, where it is most useful, and when relying on it too heavily can work against clear writing.
A tool for objectivity
The passive voice shifts attention onto the process, not the person.
Formal, scientific and academic writing often uses the passive voice to keep the focus on procedures, findings or results, rather than on the specific people carrying them out.
In The samples were analyzed under controlled conditions., the sentence emphasises the samples and the method used, rather than naming the researcher who did the analysis. Compare this to We analyzed the samples under controlled conditions., which places the researchers front and centre instead.
This lesson looks at why this style choice is so common in formal contexts, where it appears most often, and where relying on it too much can create its own problems.
Before you begin
This is one of ten topics on the passive voice.
This lesson focuses on formal and academic use specifically. The passive voice as a whole includes nine other topics, each covered in its own lesson.
If you would like an overview of the passive voice in general, begin with the Passive Voice page.
The central idea
Removing the personal pronoun changes what a sentence emphasises.
Compare a personal, active account of a study with an impersonal, passive one.
01
Personal, active
We measured the temperature every hour.
02
Impersonal, passive
The temperature was measured every hour.
The useful question is: does the reader need to know who did this?
In most formal reporting, the method matters more than who specifically performed it. Removing we keeps the sentence focused on the procedure itself.
Why formal writing favours the passive voice
Three qualities make the passive voice a natural fit for formal contexts.
Objectivity
The results were reviewed by an independent panel.
Removing personal pronouns can make a statement feel more neutral and less tied to one individual’s perspective.
Focus on process and outcome
The mixture was heated to 80 degrees.
The procedure itself, rather than the person carrying it out, is usually what matters most in a method or report.
Established convention
Many academic and scientific style guides recommend the passive voice for describing methods, since it matches what readers of that field expect to see.
Where the passive voice appears
Several types of formal writing rely on this pattern.
Scientific methods → The solution was titrated until the colour changed.
Legal and official documents → The applicant is required to submit the form by Friday.
News reporting → The bill was passed after a lengthy debate.
Instructions and manuals → The filter should be replaced every three months.
A caution about overusing the passive voice
The passive voice is a tool, not a rule to follow everywhere.
Using the passive voice throughout an entire piece of writing can make sentences longer and vaguer than necessary, and can sometimes obscure who is responsible for an action when that information matters. Many modern style guides, even in academic and scientific writing, now recommend balancing passive sentences with active ones, using the passive voice deliberately rather than as a default.
A useful decision guide
Ask what the writing needs to emphasise, and how often passive already appears.
01
Does the process matter more than who performed it?
If so, the passive voice often fits naturally.
02
Does this type of writing typically use the passive voice?
Scientific methods, legal writing and instructions often do.
03
Does the reader need to know who is responsible?
If accountability matters, naming the agent, or using the active voice, may be clearer.
04
Has every sentence in this section become passive?
A mix of active and passive sentences is often easier to read than passive throughout.
Common mistakes
The passive voice can be overused, or used where clarity suffers.
Passive voice throughout a whole document can feel repetitive and vague.
Overused: The data was collected. The results were analyzed. Conclusions were drawn.
Balanced: We collected the data. The results were then analyzed to identify patterns.
Mixing active and passive sentences often reads more naturally than passive voice used in every sentence.
Hiding an important agent can obscure responsibility.
Unclear: Errors were made in the report.
Clearer: The finance team made errors in the report.
When it matters who is accountable, naming the agent can be more appropriate than leaving it out.
Passive voice does not automatically sound more formal or intelligent.
Choosing the passive voice should depend on what the sentence needs to emphasise, not on an assumption that passive voice alone makes writing sound more sophisticated.
Check your understanding
Would the passive voice typically suit each sentence?
Choose the correct answer for each scenario.
A step in a scientific method: heating a solution to a set temperature.
✅ Exactly! Scientific procedures typically focus on the process, not the person performing it.
❎ Not quite. Does the reader need to know who specifically heated the solution?
What usually matters more in a lab procedure: the process, or the person?
A report needs to clearly identify which department is responsible for a serious mistake.
✅ Exactly! When responsibility matters, hiding the agent can work against the purpose of the writing.
❎ Not quite. Consider whether this report needs to identify who is accountable.
Does this report need to name who is responsible?
A maintenance manual instructing when to replace a part.
✅ Exactly! Instructions and manuals commonly use the passive voice to describe procedures.
❎ Not quite. Who typically performs the action in a manual instruction does not usually matter.
Does it matter who specifically replaces the part?
Choose the best explanation
Select the sentence that explains the style choice correctly.
Why might “Errors were made in the report.” be considered unclear writing?
✅ Exactly! This is a style concern, not a grammar error; the sentence is correct, but potentially unclear about responsibility.
❎ Not quite. This sentence is grammatically correct passive voice.
Why is passive voice common in “The mixture was heated to 80 degrees.”?
✅ Exactly! Scientific writing typically emphasises the process over the individual performing it.
❎ Not quite. This sentence is still in the past tense; only the emphasis has shifted.
Quick review
The passive voice suits formal writing, but works best used deliberately.
Formal and academic writing often uses the passive voice for objectivity and to focus on process and outcome over the person performing an action.
The passive voice is common in scientific methods, legal writing, news reporting and instructions.
Overusing the passive voice can make writing feel vague or repetitive, and can obscure who is responsible when that information matters.
Many style guides recommend balancing active and passive sentences, rather than using the passive voice as a default.
Remember
Use the passive voice on purpose, not out of habit.
Ask whether the process matters more than the performer, and whether the reader needs to know who is responsible, before reaching for the passive voice.