Writing-Editing Tips: Be Active

Use the active voice, which usually is much more direct and bolder than the passive:

The Italian student will always remember her first visit to Purdue’s West Lafayette campus.Which is much better than:

The first visit to Purdue’s West Lafayette campus will always be remembered by the student from Italy.The latter sentence is less direct, less forthright and lacks specifics. Even if you try to make it clearer by omitting “by the student from Italy,” it remains imprecise. Is it the student or some other undisclosed person who will always remember their first visit to Purdue’s campus?

For more great guidance on grammar and style, get your hands on “The Elements of Style,” Strunk & White’s bible for all things writing and content creation.