Why we should avoid using adverbs and passive voice?

1. 39

   Jasmeetkposted 8 years ago

   I Have tried several grammar software likes grammarly and hemingwayapp for correcting my hubs. All of these suggests to avoid using passive voice and adverbs. Adverbs and passive voice is a part of English language, then why we should avoid them in writing?

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2. 0

   Commonsensethinkposted 8 years ago

   In all my experience writing in the English language, I have never heard of the need for such a restriction.
   
   While I can sometimes see an advantage in using the active rather than the passive voice (it sounds more direct), there is nothing wrong with using the passive voice.
   
   And as for excluding adverbs? No, that simply sounds wrong to me. Adverbs will often be needed. Check the word "often" in that last sentence, for example.

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3. 81

   Medvekomaposted 8 years ago

   Redundancy, repetition and rhythm.
   
   It all boils down to English language having a natural rhythm when you speak.
   
   "What did you do yesterday?" is a sentence with the meter: - x - x - x -
   "Where have you been all day long?" is a sentence with the meter: - x - x - x -  (- xx - xx - with a more US pronunciation)
   
   "When I woke up this morning, I had a headache." is a sentence with the meter: xx - xx - x, - x x - x
   "I woke up abruptly this morning, my head was aching." - xx - xx - xx, -x - - -
   
   Notice how the "was" slows down the meter and makes it monotone.
   
   "I studied maths for six hours" - xx - xx -
   "I was studying maths for six hours. - - xxx - xx -
   
   Notice how the "-ing" ending that was enforced by the passive created a disturbance in the meter with another short syllable that deviated from the rhythm.
   
   "Passive voice is a part of English language." - x - xx - x - x - x
   Notice the interjected short syllable, "is" creating a double "x" to break the meter.
   
   On the same note, lots of "was" in past tense passive tend to create redundancy in a text. Same goes to all the '-ly' adverbs.
   
   "He flicked towards her with an abrupt motion." - - xx - xx - x - x
   "He flicked towards her quickly." - - xx - - -
   
   Adverbs tend to "stop" the rhythm of a sentence. This applies mostly to the "-ly" endings though. That's it.
   
   I think ... this is all the explanation you need. It's avoided because it subconsciously irks some people who prefer sticking to a meter, even when reading texts.

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