What is the Middle Voice?

When learning English, students are instructed on two different voices—active and passive. In active voice, the subject directly performs an action on the object. In passive voice, the subject is acted upon by the object. As writers, we’re taught to use active voice, to write clearly and ensure that our message is easily understood by our audience. But did you know there is another voice we can use to construct sentences? Learn what the middle voice is and how it differs from active and passive voice.

What Is the Difference Between Active and Passive Voice?

Voice, a verb form, indicates the relationship between the subject and the action. In active voice, the subject performs the action on an object directly. This clarity makes active voice preferable for most writing, as exemplified in the sentence from the novel Parable of the Sower:

Lauren Olamina leaves her walled community outside of Los Angeles.

Here, Lauren (the subject) performs the action (leaves) on the object (walled community), making the sentence easy to understand. If you’re reading a longer piece of writing, active voice makes it easy to continue reading with confidence. Passive voice, however, places the subject at the end, receiving the action, as seen in:

The dog’s pain was being felt by Lauren.

In this sentence, the subject (Lauren) is at the end of the sentence, and the subject receives the action (felt) from the object (dog’s pain). Additionally, this passive sentence includes the auxiliary be-verb (being) and uses the preposition by indicating the agent. Keep these elements in mind as we discuss the middle voice.

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How Is the Middle Voice Used?

Middle voice occupies a unique space between active and passive voices. Unlike active voice, where the subject directly performs the action on the object, and passive voice, where the subject is acted upon by the object, middle voice indicates that the subject both performs and receives the action, often emphasizing the subject’s involvement or interest in the action. In Parable of the Sower, the protagonist Lauren Olamina navigates situations where the middle voice could be applied appropriately. For example, consider the following sentence:

Amidst chaos, Lauren Olamina finds herself forging connections with fellow survivors.

Here, the subject is acted upon without the confusion of auxiliary verbs or prepositions. Think of the middle voice as an intermediate of passive and active voice. Grammatically, it’s active, with the subject at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb and the object. However, semantically, it’s passive: the action is being performed on the subject. Understanding and recognizing the middle voice can enhance your writing skills, providing another tool to convey meaning effectively.

The middle voice operates as a bridge between active and passive voice. It creates sentence that are clear and start with the subject, which is characteristic of active voice. However, the subject still receives the action, like passive voice. Incorporate middle voice effectively in your writing to write unique sentences that your audience still easily understands. For more ways to spice up your writing, learn more writing tips.

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