Essentials of Business Communication 8th Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey

Exercise 8

Passive-voice verbs may be preferable in breaking bad news because they enable you to emphasize actions rather than personalities. Compare these two refusals:
Active voice : I cannot authorize you to take two weeks of vacation in August.
Passive voice: Two weeks of vacation in August cannot be authorized.
Your Task. Revise the following sentences to present the bad news with passive-voice verbs.
This hospital has a strict policy of not admitting patients until we have verified their insurance coverage.