What distinguishes active voice from passive voice in writing?

Active voice is characterized by its focus on the subject who performs the action, making the sentence direct and dynamic. In sentences written in active voice, the subject comes before the verb, which clearly attributes the action to the doer, thereby enhancing clarity and engagement. For example, in the sentence "The technician fixed the computer," the technician (the subject) performs the action (fixed) directly on the object (the computer).

This clarity and directness make active voice particularly effective in technical writing, where precise communication is critical. It allows readers to easily identify who is responsible for actions, which facilitates understanding and reduces ambiguity in instructions or information conveyed in a document. In contrast, passive voice tends to obscure the subject and can lead to vagueness about who is performing the action, which is less desirable in most technical contexts.

The other options provided do not accurately capture the essence of distinguishing active from passive voice. Therefore, emphasizing the subject's role in active voice is the primary distinguishing factor.