Question

decide whether each describes a reason to use passive or active voice
to emphasize an action - passive or active
to write clear concise sentences - passive or active
to tell about rules or laws - passive or active
to explain an action when the subject is unknown - passive or active
to emphasize who is responsible for something - passive or active
to avoid responsibility - passive or active

Answer 1

- to emphasize an action — passive (passive focuses attention on the action or its result rather than the actor)
- to write clear concise sentences — active (active is usually clearer and more concise because it names the actor and uses fewer words)
- to tell about rules or laws — passive (legal and regulatory language often uses passive constructions to emphasize the requirement rather than the actor)
- to explain an action when the subject is unknown — passive (use passive when the doer is unknown or irrelevant)
- to emphasize who is responsible for something — active (active highlights the agent who performed the action)
- to avoid responsibility — passive (passive lets you omit or obscure the actor, e.g., “Mistakes were made.”)