Scans drafts for passive-voice constructions, classifies each as weaken/neutral/justified, and provides active-voice alternatives. Useful for style-guide compliance and editing coaching.
How this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/autopunk-media-skills:passive-voice-checkerThe summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
Identifies every passive-voice construction in a draft, assesses whether each weakens or serves the prose, and offers active-voice alternatives for those that should be changed — while leaving justified passives alone.
Identifies every passive-voice construction in a draft, assesses whether each weakens or serves the prose, and offers active-voice alternatives for those that should be changed — while leaving justified passives alone.
Required: The draft text to be reviewed.
Optional: The article type (news, feature, opinion, investigative) — this affects how strictly passive voice is treated; your tolerance level ("flag all passives" vs. "flag only those that weaken the prose"); any passages where passive voice is intentional and should not be flagged.
Identifies all passive constructions. Scans the draft for every instance of passive voice — both obvious forms ("was arrested," "has been criticised") and subtler constructions ("is considered to be," "remains unaddressed"). Counts the total and calculates the passive-voice ratio as a percentage of all finite verbs.
Classifies each instance. Not all passive voice is bad. Assigns each instance to one of three categories:
Provides active alternatives. For every "weaken" and "neutral" instance, rewrites the sentence in active voice. The rewrite preserves the original meaning and stays as close to the writer's style as possible. Does not rewrite "justified" instances unless the user requested "flag all passives."
Summarises the pattern. After the flagged list, provides a brief assessment: the overall passive-voice ratio, whether it is high for the article type, where the passives cluster (often in attribution-heavy or context-heavy paragraphs), and whether the pattern suggests a habit the writer should address.
A numbered list of flagged passive-voice instances, each with the original sentence, the classification (weaken/neutral/justified), and an active-voice alternative where recommended. Followed by a summary with the passive-voice ratio and pattern analysis.
**Passive Voice Report**
*Total passive constructions: [N] | Passive-voice ratio: [X]%*
1. **[Weaken]** (Para [N]): "[Original sentence]"
→ Active: "[Rewritten sentence]"
2. **[Justified]** (Para [N]): "[Original sentence]"
→ No change recommended. [Brief reason.]
3. **[Neutral]** (Para [N]): "[Original sentence]"
→ Active (optional): "[Rewritten sentence]"
---
**Pattern Summary:** [2-3 sentences on overall ratio, clustering, and recommendation]
Article type: News report Tolerance: Flag all passives, but distinguish justified from problematic Draft (220 words):
A new policy requiring background checks for all volunteer coaches was approved by the city's parks department on Tuesday. The policy was developed over eight months in response to complaints from parents who said the existing vetting process was inadequate.
Under the new rules, all volunteers will be required to undergo a criminal background check and complete a safeguarding course before being permitted to work with children. The cost of the checks will be covered by the department.
The decision was welcomed by the Parents' Coalition, which had campaigned for stricter oversight since 2024. "This is what accountability looks like," said coalition spokesperson Nadine Park. "We were told for years that the system was working. It wasn't."
The parks department said the policy was expected to take effect in September. Officials acknowledged that implementation had been delayed by budget constraints and staffing shortages in the department's human resources division.
Passive Voice Report Total passive constructions: 9 | Passive-voice ratio: 47%
[Weaken] (Para 1): "A new policy requiring background checks for all volunteer coaches was approved by the city's parks department on Tuesday." → Active: "The city's parks department approved a new policy on Tuesday requiring background checks for all volunteer coaches."
[Neutral] (Para 1): "The policy was developed over eight months in response to complaints from parents who said the existing vetting process was inadequate." → Active (optional): "The department developed the policy over eight months in response to complaints from parents who said the existing vetting process was inadequate."
[Neutral] (Para 2): "All volunteers will be required to undergo a criminal background check and complete a safeguarding course before being permitted to work with children." → Active (optional): "The new rules require all volunteers to undergo a criminal background check and complete a safeguarding course before working with children."
[Justified] (Para 2): "The cost of the checks will be covered by the department." → No change recommended. The cost is the subject the reader cares about here — leading with it answers the natural question ("who pays?") more directly than "The department will cover the cost."
[Weaken] (Para 3): "The decision was welcomed by the Parents' Coalition, which had campaigned for stricter oversight since 2024." → Active: "The Parents' Coalition, which had campaigned for stricter oversight since 2024, welcomed the decision."
[Weaken] (Para 3): "We were told for years that the system was working." → Active: "Officials told us for years that the system was working." Note: This is a direct quote — the writer cannot change it. Flag for awareness only.
[Justified] (Para 3): "It wasn't." → No change recommended. This is not passive voice — it is an active-voice contraction of "it was not [working]." Included for completeness; no flag needed.
[Weaken] (Para 4): "The policy was expected to take effect in September." → Active: "The parks department said the policy would take effect in September."
[Neutral] (Para 4): "Implementation had been delayed by budget constraints and staffing shortages in the department's human resources division." → Active (optional): "Budget constraints and staffing shortages in the department's human resources division had delayed implementation."
Pattern Summary: At 47%, the passive-voice ratio is high for a news report — most news style guides target under 20%. The passives cluster in paragraph openings, which gives the piece a flat, bureaucratic cadence: things happen but nobody visibly does them. Converting the four "weaken" items to active voice would drop the ratio to approximately 25% and make the reporting feel more direct and authoritative. The two justified passives are correctly deployed and should stay.
npx claudepluginhub ur-grue/autopunk-media-skills --plugin autopunk-media-skillsApplies five-category line-editing passes (redundancy, nominalisations, passive voice, rhythmic monotony, throat-clearing) to repair clunky or wordy prose at the sentence level.
Applies Strunk's Elements of Style principles to writing or editing prose: omit needless words, use active voice, prefer positive form, and keep related words together.
Applies a three-pass revision system to polish drafts: cuts clutter, reduces cognitive load, improves rhythm.