A Grammar Joke and a Rule

rogersgeorge on February 2nd, 2018

Here’s the comic:

(There ain’t no such thing as passive aggressive, but you know that.)

Here’s the rule: Try never to use the passive. No joke!

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2 Responses to “A Grammar Joke and a Rule”

KrisFebruary 2nd, 2018 at 8:50 am

I get a lot of feedback from built in editing programs that I use passive language. Is there a simple rule to follow so I can improve on that (and don’t tell me to turn off the editing programs)?
rogersgeorgeFebruary 2nd, 2018 at 11:35 am

Hmm. Try this: Ask yourself “Who did it?.” That’s the subject of the sentence, and if you make it so, the passive goes away. Passive also usually uses a form of “to be,” so try not using that verb in your writing.

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Rogers George has been a technical writer for more than 20 years. He has written on subjects as diverse as outhouse assembly, restaurant reviews, software, information security, and scientific equipment. He has his own writing consultancy and is always happy to discuss writing and grammar. Drop him a line at curmudgeon@writing-rag.com.

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