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Why you might sound rude in English

Why you might sound rude in English

Listen up team leads and managers!

Sophie @ Speak Tech English
March 10, 2025

There’s a popular expression in English: “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”

Find out why your instructions might come across too direct.

Part 1: When to use passive voice?
Part 2: Why use passive voice? (case study)
Take Quiz!

COMMUNICATION

When to use passive voice?

When giving instructions, use passive voice to sound less direct and more polite.

Passive voice shifts the focus from who is doing the action, to the action itself.
(Not sure what passive voice is? Learn more)

Active Voice: “You need to fix this bug.”
Passive Voice: “This bug needs to be fixed. Do you have time today?”

More examples

Who is passive voice important for?
Team Leads, Managers, Client/Customer Service Teams, Project Managers, Legal Teams, HR Teams

RECOMMENDATION

Introducing: English for Programmers Textbook

Master communication skills for technical roles, such as:

→ Engage stakeholders when presenting results

→ Guide and flow discussions through language cues

→ Speak with a natural rhythm

→ Give positive and constructive feedback

CASE STUDY

Why use passive voice?

You might be sounding too direct, impolite or negative due to using the wrong ‘voice.’

Why is example 2 better?

Focus on actions, not people. The purpose of the message is to summarise the actions that caused the crash.
Avoids direct blame. In this context, it’s unprofessional to point out exactly who made the mistake.