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Trying to make it active requires moving the key information to the end of the sentence: "The time you spent in training last year entitles you to jump pay [fo
by alexjm 7y ago
Trying to make it active requires moving the key information to the end of the sentence:
"The time you spent in training last year entitles you to jump pay [for that time]."
Although style guides like this one usually advise against using passive voice because it makes things harder to read, clarity should be the goal, not just active voice. This is a good example of a reason you might prefer passive voice: because the verb's subject isn't the focus. Passive voice can also be clearer than active voice when there's no relevant or meaningful actor to use as the subject.
- jejones3141 7y agoPerhaps "You deserve jump pay for time spent in training last year"?
- herdrick 7y agoOr "The Army will pay you for ..."
- dragonwriter 7y agoThat is active voice, but subtly changes the meaning. “Deserve” suggests non-binding moral qualification, “are entitled to” suggests binding legal qualification. “You earned jump pay for...” is closer. Honestly, though, this is a case where the usual purpose of active voice rules (to avoid deenohasizing or obscuring responsibility) is not actually frustrated even though the sample is in passive voice so while I wouldn't use it as an example of active voice I wouldn't necessarily avoid it even given an avoid-passive-voice guideline. (And I've reviewed documents under publication manuals with such guidelines.)
- dllthomas 7y agoIn another thread, I got to: "Applicable regulations entitle you to jump pay for the time you spent in training last year." For the passive reading I think that's the correct active version.
- e12e 7y agoYou qualify for..?