Language Explainers

Topic:

Financial English Part 1

In financial English, the passive voice is used constantly in formal writing and reporting, often more than in everyday English. When you write "The invoice has been approved" or "Expenses are processed monthly", you sound professional and natural. Native speakers use it because it puts the focus on the action, not the person doing it. Try replacing active sentences in your next work email with passive ones and notice the difference in tone.

One thing that trips up many learners is the difference between similar-sounding terms. Revenue is not the same as profit; a company can have high revenue and still make a loss if expenses are too high. And an invoice is not the same as a receipt; one requests payment, the other confirms it. Getting these distinctions right will immediately make you sound more confident in financial conversations.