Active voice
A sentence structure where the subject performs the action rather than receiving it. The doer comes first, followed by the verb and the object.
Also known as:
Direct voice, Subject-first writing
What is active voice?
Active voice places the actor at the front of the sentence, making it clear who or what is doing something. In the sentence "The team launched the product," "the team" is the subject performing the action. The opposite, passive voice, reverses this order: "The product was launched by the team." Active voice produces shorter, more direct sentences and eliminates ambiguity about responsibility.
Why does active voice matter?
Active voice makes your writing direct, scannable and confident. Readers process active sentences faster because the structure mirrors how people naturally think: someone does something. In brand copy, your CTAs become commands ("Start your trial") instead of suggestions ("A trial can be started"), and every sentence works harder for your audience.
How do you use active voice?
Identify the doer in your sentence and move it to the front, before the verb.
Replace "to be" constructions ("is being reviewed," "was updated") with direct verbs ("the team reviewed," "we updated").
Set active voice as a rule in your Brivvy brand voice so every AI tool connected to your workspace applies it automatically.
