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How can you use active voice to convey confidence in business correspondence?

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As an administrative assistant, you may have to write various types of business correspondence, such as emails, memos, letters, reports, and proposals. How you express yourself in these documents can affect your professional image and credibility. One way to enhance your communication skills is to use active voice, which can convey confidence, clarity, and responsibility. In this article, you will learn what active voice is, how to identify it, how to use it effectively, and when to avoid it.

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Poonam Ahirwar

HR Enthusiast I Driving Talent Acquisition l Transforming Employee Engagement l Learning & Development
Mercy Kathure

Executive Virtual Assistant | Operations |Procurement & Supply Chain Specialist | Streamlining Operations and Driving…
Brian Daniel

Celebrity Headhunter ? Former PA to Billionaires & Royals ? Career Coach ? Founder & Entrepreneur ? Luxe B2B Consultant…

1 What is active voice?

Active voice is a way of writing sentences where the subject performs the action. For example, "The manager approved the budget" is an active sentence, because the subject (the manager) is doing the action (approving). Active voice emphasizes who or what is responsible for the action, and it usually makes the sentence shorter and more direct. In contrast, passive voice is a way of writing sentences where the subject receives the action. For example, "The budget was approved by the manager" is a passive sentence, because the subject (the budget) is not doing the action (being approved). Passive voice can obscure who or what is responsible for the action, and it usually makes the sentence longer and more vague.

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Louise Mutua ??

Tech Virtual Assistant | Admin & Operations | AI, Automation & No code| Empowering High-performing Founders, Coaches, and Consultants to reach their potential with seamless workflows saving them 15+ hours a week.
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In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. This creates a clear, direct, and assertive tone, conveying ownership and confidence. Example: Passive: "The report was completed by me yesterday." Active: I completed the report yesterday.

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2 How to identify active voice?

To identify active voice, you can use a simple test: ask yourself who or what is doing the action in the sentence. If you can answer this question easily, then the sentence is in active voice. If you cannot answer this question, or if the answer is hidden by a preposition (such as by, from, or with), then the sentence is in passive voice. For example, in the sentence "The report was submitted by the assistant", you cannot tell who or what is doing the action without the preposition by. Therefore, this sentence is in passive voice. However, in the sentence "The assistant submitted the report", you can tell that the assistant is doing the action. Therefore, this sentence is in active voice.

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3 How to use active voice effectively?

Using active voice in your business correspondence can make it more confident, clear, and responsible. To take advantage of this, you should use active voice to state facts, opinions, decisions, and requests. Additionally, use active voice to showcase achievements, accomplishments, and contributions. Doing so will also help you avoid ambiguity, confusion, and misunderstanding. For instance, instead of writing "It is recommended that you review the contract", write "We recommend that you review the contract". This expresses your confidence in your recommendation and makes it clear who is accountable for it. Similarly, instead of writing "A new website was launched by our team", write "Our team launched a new website" to emphasize your work and take credit for it. Lastly, instead of writing "The invoice was sent to the client", write "I sent the invoice to the client" to make it clear who did what and prevent potential disputes.

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Poonam Ahirwar

HR Enthusiast I Driving Talent Acquisition l Transforming Employee Engagement l Learning & Development
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1. Be Direct and Clear - Use a clear and concise subject-verb-object structure. 2.Choose Strong Verbs - Opt for powerful verbs to convey action. 3. Eliminate Redundancy. 4. Place the subject at the beginning for clarity. Active: "Our team addressed the issue." Passive: "The issue was addressed by our team.

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4 When to avoid active voice?

In business correspondence, active voice is generally preferred; however, there are some situations where passive voice may be more appropriate. For instance, when you want to be polite or diplomatic, you should avoid active voice. For example, instead of writing "You made a mistake in the report", write "A mistake was made in the report". This demonstrates that you are not blaming or criticizing the person directly and that the issue is more important than the person. Additionally, if you want to emphasize the action, result, or object rather than the agent, then passive voice should be used. An example of this is instead of writing "The CEO announced the new strategy", write "The new strategy was announced by the CEO". This highlights that you are more interested in the strategy than the CEO and that you want to draw attention to it. Lastly, when you want to be vague, general, or anonymous about the agent, passive voice should be used. For instance, instead of writing "We received your complaint", write "Your complaint was received". This implies that you are not revealing who received the complaint and that you are being formal and impersonal.

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5 How to balance active and passive voice?

When it comes to business correspondence, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using active and passive voice. The key is to balance them in order to achieve your desired purpose, audience, and tone. To do this, it is recommended to use active voice more often than passive voice, particularly in main points, conclusions, and recommendations. This will make the document more engaging, persuasive, and authoritative. Passive voice should be used sparingly and strategically; for example, when you want to be polite, respectful, or diplomatic; emphasize the action, result, or object; or be vague, general, or anonymous. On the other hand, excessive or unnecessary use of passive voice can make a document weak, unclear, and evasive--ultimately damaging your professional image and credibility.

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Poonam Ahirwar

HR Enthusiast I Driving Talent Acquisition l Transforming Employee Engagement l Learning & Development
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Use active voice for the main points and to emphasize agency. Introduce passive voice strategically for variety or to shift focus. Consider the context and audience, aiming for clarity and impact in business correspondence. In business writing, active voice is often preferred as it conveys confidence, clarity, and a sense of responsibility. It puts the focus on the individuals or teams taking action, contributing to a more engaging and assertive communication style.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Mercy Kathure

Executive Virtual Assistant | Operations |Procurement & Supply Chain Specialist | Streamlining Operations and Driving Efficiency with premium workflow support.
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Instead of saying "The issue will be addressed," use the active voice to convey confidence by saying "We will address the issue." This shift places emphasis on your actions, projecting a sense of accountability and assurance. Similarly, instead of "A decision has been made," opt for "We have made a decision," asserting a clear and direct statement. Active voice often implies decisiveness, responsibility, and confidence in business communication.

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Brian Daniel

Celebrity Headhunter ? Former PA to Billionaires & Royals ? Career Coach ? Founder & Entrepreneur ? Luxe B2B Consultant ? Lifestyle & Travel Expert
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Software tools like Grammarly are very effective for writing. They give writers suggestions and become a sort of tutor to help you write better.

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How can you use active voice to convey confidence in business correspondence?

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6

1 What is active voice?

2 How to identify active voice?

3 How to use active voice effectively?

4 When to avoid active voice?

5 How to balance active and passive voice?

6 Here’s what else to consider

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How can you use active voice to convey confidence in business correspondence?

1

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3

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5

6

1 What is active voice?

2 How to identify active voice?

3 How to use active voice effectively?

4 When to avoid active voice?

5 How to balance active and passive voice?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Administrative Assistance

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