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Subject:RE: Displays versus Appears-Which One? From:"Michael West" <mike -dot- west -at- oz -dot- quest -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 18 Dec 2000 17:56:13 +1100
Nicole asked:
> BTW - What exactly is the rationale for total
> avoidance of the passive voice? ...
> Why, then, is passive so totally verboten?
Who said it WAS verboten?
It is well-known that the problem with
passive voice in instructional writing is
that it obscures the critical information,
which is "who does what, when".
It is also well-known that most vague
writing is vague because of
injudicious use of passive voice.
But as far as I'm aware, nobody says
it must never be used. (Oops, I just used it!)
--
Michael West
Technical Writer
Melbourne, Australia
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