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Ever feel like some of your sentences were written by zombies? If your writing sounds a bit lifeless or unclear, you might be falling into the passive voice trap. This post explores a fun trick called the 'by zombies' test – a simple way to spot passive voice – and explains why switching to active voice can bring your prose back to life. That’s why it matters so much in fiction and journalism, and why so many writers have something to say about it.
What is passive voice?
In the passive voice, the sentence's subject has something done to it rather than performing the action itself. The target of the action comes first, and the doer might be hidden or only mentioned later—often introduced by the word “by.”
Passive: The cake was eaten.
Active: Jim ate the cake.
In the passive version, we don’t know who ate the cake. In the active version, it’s clear: Jim did.
Passive voice isn’t grammatically wrong, but it can weaken your writing. It often sounds evasive or overly formal. Politicians are notorious for using it to dodge responsibility: “Mistakes were made.” But who made them? No one is specified. An active alternative – “We made mistakes” – is clearer and more accountable.
Too much passive voice can make prose dull or convoluted in everyday writing. So, how do you spot it quickly? Enter zombies.
The 'by zombies' test for passive voice
Rebecca Johnson, a Provost of the USNCC came up with the 'by zombies' test and shared it in a Tweet back in 2012 as a light-hearted but effective way to flag passive constructions.
Here’s how it works
Add 'by zombies' after the verb. If the sentence still makes grammatical sense (even if hilariously so), it’s passive voice. If it doesn’t, the sentence is active.The homework was finished. → The homework was finished by zombies. (Makes sense = passive) I finished the homework. → I finished the homework by zombies. (Makes no sense = active)
It’s a simple and memorable way to make your writing more vivid. If a sentence can survive a zombie attack, consider rewriting it.
Why Active Voice Matters
Active voice makes writing clearer, punchier, and more engaging. It puts the doer up front and helps the reader immediately understand who is doing what. It’s usually:- More concise
- More dynamic
- More conversational
- More accountable
- Passive: “A decision was made to close the office.”
- Active: “The manager decided to close the office.”
When passive voice works
There are times when passive voice is fine – even useful. For example:The doer is unknown: “My bike was stolen last night.”
You want to emphasise the object, not the subject.
Scientific or formal writing where objectivity matters.
Use it sparingly and with intention.
He argues that people often rely on the passive voice out of fear. The active voice, on the other hand, is bold and confident.
William Zinsser, in On Writing Well, writes: “Use active verbs unless there is no comfortable way to get around using a passive verb. Verbs are the most important of all your tools. They push the sentence forward and give it momentum.”
George Orwell, in Politics and the English Language, famously advised: “Never use the passive where you can use the active.”
Orwell saw passive voice as a tool of vague, evasive language, often used in politics to muddy the truth. His enduring rule reminds us that active voice usually makes our meaning more transparent. “He was attacked” conceals who attacked; “the soldiers attacked him” makes it clear. By favouring active voice, we avoid the fog of ambiguity and say plainly who did what.
Strunk & White – Active is “more direct and vigorous”
The classic style guide The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White also champions the active voice. Strunk and White put it simply:
What great writers say about active voice
Stephen King, in On Writing, says: “Timid writers like passive verbs for the same reason that timid lovers like passive partners. The passive voice is safe.”He argues that people often rely on the passive voice out of fear. The active voice, on the other hand, is bold and confident.
William Zinsser, in On Writing Well, writes: “Use active verbs unless there is no comfortable way to get around using a passive verb. Verbs are the most important of all your tools. They push the sentence forward and give it momentum.”
George Orwell, in Politics and the English Language, famously advised: “Never use the passive where you can use the active.”
Orwell saw passive voice as a tool of vague, evasive language, often used in politics to muddy the truth. His enduring rule reminds us that active voice usually makes our meaning more transparent. “He was attacked” conceals who attacked; “the soldiers attacked him” makes it clear. By favouring active voice, we avoid the fog of ambiguity and say plainly who did what.
Strunk & White – Active is “more direct and vigorous”
The classic style guide The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White also champions the active voice. Strunk and White put it simply:
“The active voice is usually more direct and vigorous than the passive.”
They demonstrate this with an example: “I shall always remember my first visit to Boston,” which is much stronger than the passive “My first visit to Boston will always be remembered by me.” The passive version, they note, is “less direct, less bold, and less concise.” It even becomes indefinite about the actor – who, exactly, will remember?
The lesson from Strunk & White is clear: to write bold, concise, and forceful sentences, make the subject perform the action. Active voice leaves no doubt about who is doing what, which makes your writing both clearer and more energetic.
Strunk & White, in The Elements of Style, put it simply: “The active voice is usually more direct and vigorous than the passive.”
Renni Browne and Dave King, in Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, note: “A passive voice stifles a story. It makes the story feel less important – or perhaps I should say less urgent. Using the active voice propels the reader to continue reading.”
And even humourist William Safire chimed in: “The passive voice should never be used.” (Ironically, it was written in passive voice to make a point.)
Keep your writing active, and your readers won’t just stay engaged – they’ll thank you for it.
They demonstrate this with an example: “I shall always remember my first visit to Boston,” which is much stronger than the passive “My first visit to Boston will always be remembered by me.” The passive version, they note, is “less direct, less bold, and less concise.” It even becomes indefinite about the actor – who, exactly, will remember?
The lesson from Strunk & White is clear: to write bold, concise, and forceful sentences, make the subject perform the action. Active voice leaves no doubt about who is doing what, which makes your writing both clearer and more energetic.
Strunk & White, in The Elements of Style, put it simply: “The active voice is usually more direct and vigorous than the passive.”
Renni Browne and Dave King, in Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, note: “A passive voice stifles a story. It makes the story feel less important – or perhaps I should say less urgent. Using the active voice propels the reader to continue reading.”
And even humourist William Safire chimed in: “The passive voice should never be used.” (Ironically, it was written in passive voice to make a point.)
Final thoughts: keep your prose alive
The 'by zombies' trick is fun, but the message is serious: The active voice brings writing to life. When used too often, passive voice drains energy and clarity. The fix is usually simple: identify the subject, make it do the verb, and rewrite.Keep your writing active, and your readers won’t just stay engaged – they’ll thank you for it.
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