Understanding Active and Passive Voice

The Path to Effective Writing Understanding Active and Passive Voice

Verbs and Voice • Voiceis the form a verb takes to indicate whether the subject of the verb performs or receives the action. • There are two types of voice: active voice and passive voice.

Wait, what’s a subject again? The subject is whom or what the sentence is about. To find the subject, find the verb. Mary wrote the book. Mary is the subject.

Active Voice • Active Voice– indicates that the subject of the verb is acting Mary wrote the book. The subject (Mary) is doing something (writing).

Active Voice • These examples show that the subject is doing the verb's action. • The dog jumped onto the boy. • The dog (subject) is doing the jumping (verb). • Kristy will give a book report to the class. • Kristy (subject) is doing the giving (verb). • The computer ate my paper. • The computer (subject) is doing the eating (verb).

Passive Voice • In a passive voice sentence, the subject and object switch places. Now the subject receives the action. The book was written by Mary.

Passive Voice • These examples show the subject being acted upon by the verb. • The boy was jumped on by the dog. • Boy (subject) was being jumped on (verb) • A book report will be given by Kristy to the class. • Report (subject) will be given (verb). • My paper was eaten by the computer. • Paper (subject) was being eaten (verb).

Is Active Voice Better? • Usually, active voice is more clear. • Compare • Active: The waiter dropped the tray of food. • Passive: The tray of food was dropped by the waiter.

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. The statue is being visited by hundreds of tourists every year. PASSIVE

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. Hundreds of tourists visit the statue every year. ACTIVE

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. Mr. Ross broke the antique vase as he walked through the store. ACTIVE

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. The vase was broken by Mr. Ross as he walked through the store. PASSIVE

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. These books had been left in the classroom by a careless student. PASSIVE

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. I walked ten miles yesterday. ACTIVE

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. I almost got hit by a bus. PASSIVE

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. I bought a Jolly Rancher at the corner store. ACTIVE

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. The man was arrested by three officers. PASSIVE

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. His car was stolen on Monday.

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. The student lowered his whiteboard. ACTIVE

WHITEBOARD:Write ‘A’ for active or ‘P’ for passive. The large man was chased by a dog. PASSIVE

PARTNER WORK Write a sentence on your whiteboard using ACTIVE VOICE. Then, underneath that, have your partner rewrite the sentence using PASSIVE VOICE. Every pair should produce two sentences.

YOUR TURN Work on identifying active and passive voice using the worksheet.

Let’s Practice • Directions: Change the sentences below to the passive voice. • Children cannot open these bottles easily. • The government built a road right outside her front door. • Mr. Ross broke the antique vase as he walked through the store. • When she arrived, the changes amazed her. • The construction workers are making street repairs all month long. My books were stolen by someone yesterday. • These books had been left in the classroom by a careless student. • Coffee is raised in many parts of Hawaii by plantation workers. • The house had been broken into by someone while the owners were on vacation.

Understanding Active and Passive Voice