What is the difference between active and passive voice?

Active voice: The subject performs the action.
→ "The dog bit the man."

Passive voice: The subject receives the action.
→ "The man was bitten by the dog."

How to identify passive: Look for a form of "to be" (was, were, is, been) + past participle.

When to use active (preferred):

• Makes writing clearer and more direct
• Uses fewer words
• Stronger, more engaging

When passive is OK:

• The actor is unknown: "The window was broken."
• Scientific writing: "The solution was heated to 100°C."
• To emphasize the receiver: "The award was given to Dr. Smith."