Strunk & White's "The Elements of Style" urges readers to avoid the passive voice — the active voice is more direct and vigorous.

The classic writing manual didn't mention that the passive voice creates mystery, Joseph Neff reports.

An example of the passive voice is the following sentence: Former Gov. Mike Easley and his wife were given a $137,470 discount on their Cannonsgate lot on Bogue Sound.

R.A. North Development, the company that developed Cannonsgate, gave the discount. But who was the person behind it? The passive voice hides the identity.

The passive voice shows up in other Cannonsgate matters.

Ace Smith, Easley's spokesman, the former governor "was assured he received the same offer as everyone else."

Who assured Easley?

Smith declined to say.

Richard Stanley, the closing attorney, told Dome that he was instructed to put the 25 percent seller's discount into the closing documents.

Who instructed Stanley to do so?

Stanley declined to say.

Stanley wrote a letter about the deal to the Carteret County News Times.

More after the jump.

   Comments (7)