is passive voice really as bad as everyone says? YOU decide!
the Dragon Age Passive Voice Underpants thread
Débuté par
DiscreetAesthete
, juin 15 2014 05:02
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#2
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:08
Walrider
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Well, it sucks when writing scientific papers, I know that much.
#5
Guest_Puddi III_*
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:13
Guest_Puddi III_*
Guest_Puddi III_*
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Never met a professor that liked it.
Never used a passive voice that was liked by my professors.*
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#6
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:13
BloodyTalon
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#7
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:17
DiscreetAesthete
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oooh this thread is heating up!
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#8
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:20
Lucy Glitter
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I like it. Get to the point, inform. Sometimes your character wants that.
#9
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:30
ManchesterUnitedFan1
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Remember, examples all have to include the word underpants.
#10
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:31
ManchesterUnitedFan1
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And the word 'underpants' is required to be included in all examples.
Which is right? 
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#12
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:33
andar91
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Like I said in the other thread, passive voice can have its uses, particularly when you want to emphasize an action or result, but it's often needlessly complicated if not used deliberately. It's so much simpler to say, "I cast fireball" than "The fireball was cast by me." Basic English grammatical structure goes Subject-Verb-Object, and we expect the verb to follow whatever performed it. You can break that rule, sure, but there should probably be a good reason.
Another rule I take issue with: Not ending sentences in prepositions. Why? What's the big deal? We do it all the time. It's the sort of nonsense up with which I shall not put.
#13
Guest_Puddi III_*
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:40
Guest_Puddi III_*
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Like I said in the other thread, passive voice can have its uses, particularly when you want to emphasize an action or result, but it's often needlessly complicated if not used deliberately. It's so much simpler to say, "I cast fireball" than "The fireball was cast by me." Basic English grammatical structure goes Subject-Verb-Object, and we expect the verb to follow whatever performed it. You can break that rule, sure, but there should probably be a good reason.
Another rule I take issue with: Not ending sentences in prepositions. Why? What's the big deal? We do it all the time. It's the sort of nonsense up with which I shall not put.
The English Code is more like guidelines than actual rules.
#14
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:49
fighterchick
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Enchantment!?
Enchanted underpants, perhaps! 
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#15
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:51
ManchesterUnitedFan1
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Enchanted underpants, perhaps!
It's a mashup 
#16
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 05:55
DiscreetAesthete
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This week on the bioware forums: a hot new police procedural that follows prim and proper cop Johnny English as he takes on Thedas' toughest criminals. But when the trail is lost on a pair of underpants, and all his strict rules are seeming more and more like guidelines, will Johnny risk breaking.....
...The English Code
(Sundays, at 2pm central)
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#17
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 06:10
Caja
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This thread just solved the mystery why my MS Word spell checker says something like: "You used passive voice. Would you like to edit it?" if I write something like: Cullen's attempt to flee from his fans was useless (and yet he managed to keep his underpants on).
Sorry, I hope this was right. English isn't my first language. Anyway, I am glad this got solved since I always wondered about it. Not sure, though, wherein the connection with Dragon Age lies.
Edit: I think I got the sentence wrong. --> "Fleeing from his fans was useless" is hopefully the correct form.
#18
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 07:27
Ananka
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I like the passive voice. I use it very often. I just don't like the "by" construction.
I also like to end my sentences with a preposition and to split my infinitives.
Breaking the rules, breaking the rules.
#19
Posté 15 juin 2014 - 07:39
Rorschachinstein
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Everyone says never write in passive voice. But is putting the action before the actor really that bad?
