1. Why Active Voice Matters

A writer who doesn’t use active voice sounds vague and weak.

A writer who does use active voice sounds clear, direct, and authoritative.

Active voice determines:

• Clarity
• Readability
• Authority
• SEO strength
• Engagement
• Professional tone
• Mobile friendliness
• Featured snippet potential

Every Total Apex contributor must default to active voice because it makes writing faster to read, easier to understand, and more impactful across every vertical.

🟩 2. Active Voice Skills

A. What Active Voice Is

Active voice answers the question:

➡️ Who is doing the action?

Formula

Subject → Verb → Object

Examples

• The player hit the shot.
• Apple released the update.
• Fans reacted to the news.

Active voice is direct, strong, and clear.

B. What Passive Voice Is

Passive voice flips the sentence so the subject receives the action.

Formula

Object → “to be” verb → Past participle → (by subject)

Examples

• The shot was hit by the player.
• The update was released by Apple.
• The news was reacted to by fans.

Passive voice is not wrong — but it is usually weaker, slower, and less clear.

C. How to Identify Passive Voice

Writers can spot passive voice using this quick test:

Passive Voice Checklist

• Does the sentence use a form of “to be”? (is, are, was, were, be, been, being)
• Is the main verb in the past participle? (hit, made, released, announced)
• Can you add “by zombies” at the end and still make sense?

Example:

The update was released (by zombies).  

→ Passive.

If the sentence works with “by zombies,” it’s passive.

D. How to Convert Passive Voice to Active Voice

Step 1: Identify the real subject

Step 2: Move it before the verb

Step 3: Use a strong, direct verb

Example 1

Passive:

The game was won by the team.  

Active:

The team won the game.

Example 2

Passive:

The trailer was leaked online.  

Active:

Someone leaked the trailer online.  

(If the subject is unknown, choose a logical placeholder.)

Example 3

Passive:

The movie was praised by critics.  

Active:

Critics praised the movie.

E. When Passive Voice Is Acceptable

Passive voice is not forbidden — it’s just overused.

Use passive voice when:

The doer is unknown

• The window was broken.

The doer is irrelevant

• The rules were updated last week.

You want to emphasize the receiver

• The MVP award was won by a rookie.

You’re writing scientific or technical content

• The data was analyzed using two methods.

But for news, sports, gaming, lifestyle, and entertainment — active voice should dominate.

F. Writing Active Voice for Mobile Readers

Mobile readers:

• Skim
• Scroll fast
• Prefer direct sentences
• Bounce quickly if confused

Active voice improves:

• Readability
• Scan‑ability
• Engagement
• Time on page

Mobile Active Voice Rules

• Lead with the subject
• Use strong verbs
• Keep sentences short
• Avoid unnecessary “to be” verbs
• Front‑load the action

Active voice is mobile‑friendly by design.

G. Writing Active Voice for SEO

Google rewards:

• Clear subjects
• Strong verbs
• Direct statements
• High readability

Active voice improves:

• Featured snippet potential
• Entity recognition
• Keyword clarity
• Dwell time
• Scroll depth

SEO Active Voice Tips

• Put the keyword near the verb
• Answer questions directly
• Use simple, strong verbs
• Avoid vague constructions
• Keep sentences tight and purposeful

Active voice helps Google understand your content — and rank it.

🟧 3. Engagement Skills

A. Hooks in Active Voice

Hooks are stronger in active voice because they hit harder.

Examples

• Sony shocked fans with a surprise announcement.
• The rookie changed the entire game.
• Critics slammed the sequel for lazy writing.

Active voice makes the hook punchy and memorable.

B. Emotional Resonance

Active voice creates immediacy — and immediacy creates emotion.

Ways to add emotional resonance

• Use vivid verbs
• Show action clearly
• Highlight stakes
• Emphasize conflict
• Use strong subjects

Emotion increases engagement, which boosts SEO and retention.

C. Shareability

Shareable writing is:

• Clear
• Direct
• Punchy
• Easy to quote
• Easy to screenshot

Active voice makes lines more quotable and more impactful.

D. Retention

Retention = how long readers stay on the page.

Active voice improves retention because it:

• Speeds up reading
• Reduces confusion
• Improves flow
• Keeps the reader engaged

Retention is a major SEO signal — and active voice directly supports it.

🟦 4. Final Takeaway for Total Apex Writers

Active voice is the foundation of clear, professional, SEO‑friendly writing.

Total Apex Active Voice Essentials

• Lead with the subject
• Use strong, direct verbs
• Avoid unnecessary “to be” verbs
• Convert passive voice when possible
• Use active voice for mobile readers
• Use active voice for SEO clarity
• Use active voice to improve hooks, emotion, shareability, and retention

Mastering active voice helps contributors produce content that is clear, authoritative, and high‑performing across every Total Apex vertical — from news to gaming to sports to lifestyle.