Report texts are a type of informational writing that describe something objectively, often about natural phenomena, animals, plants, or scientific processes. A key feature of report texts is the use of passive voice, and there is a good reason why this grammatical form is preferred.
Firstly, the passive voice focuses on the action or the object being studied, rather than the person or agent performing the action. For example, in a report about plants, we might read:
“The seeds are watered every day.”
Instead of saying, “The farmer waters the seeds every day,” the passive voice emphasizes the seeds and the process of growth, which is the main topic of the report. This helps readers concentrate on what happens, not on who does it.
Secondly, the passive voice helps to make the report objective and formal. Report texts aim to provide factual information without personal opinions. By using passive constructions, writers avoid highlighting themselves or others, which makes the text sound neutral and scientific. For instance, saying:
“The eggs are incubated at a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius.”
gives clear information without mentioning who is incubating them, keeping the focus on the eggs and the process.
Thirdly, using passive voice can make the text clearer and more concise, especially when the agent (the person performing the action) is unknown or irrelevant. For example:
“Rainforests are destroyed every year.”
Here, the focus is on the destruction of rainforests, which is the important fact, while the agent (humans) is less important in this context.
The effects of using passive voice in report text include:
- Focus on facts and processes – Readers pay attention to the subject being studied, which is the main purpose of report texts.
- Scientific and formal tone – Passive constructions help maintain a professional and unbiased style, which is essential in educational and scientific writing.
- Objectivity – By removing the focus from the doer, the text avoids personal bias or opinions.
- Clarity in explanations – Especially for processes or natural events, passive voice helps present sequences clearly without confusing the reader with unnecessary agents.
In conclusion, passive voice is a crucial tool in report writing. It allows writers to emphasize what happens rather than who does it, maintain a formal and objective tone, and make descriptions clear and precise. Understanding this feature helps students not only read report texts more effectively but also write their own reports in a way that is professional, scientific, and easy to understand.
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