Wordiness and the Passive Voice Writing Center Wordiness and the Passive Voice Sentences that are wordy use too many words to make their point.
Readers prefer sentences that are direct and to the point.
A common cause of wordiness is the unnecessary use of the passive voice. Expressing ideas in the active voice results in sentences that are both shorter and clearer. When a sentence is written in active voice, the subject does the action named by the verb. When a sentence is written in the passive voice, the subject receives the action named by the verb. In other words, the action in the sentence is done to the subject.