This
booklet
belongs to
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Learning Objectives
• I can recognise when a sentence is passive or active and
use the passive in my own writing.
Success Criteria
• I can identify the subject, verb and object in an active
sentence.
• I can identify the past participle and preposition phrase
in a passive sentence.
• I can recognise if a sentence is active or passive.
• I can change a sentence from active to passive.
• I can use the passive in my own writing.
Why use the passive?
- It draws attention to the person or thing being
affected by the verb (the object is the most I mportant thing
in the sentence).
e.g. Jabba the Hut captured Princess Leia. (emphasis on
Jabba the Hut)
Princess Leia was captured by Jabba the Hut. (emphasis on
Princess Leia)
- When use passive?
- to make a text more formal (less personal)
- to make a text seem less immediate (timeless)
- to make a text more mysterious
- News reports
- Sports reports
- Police reports
- Accounts of events (description of a battle)
- Explanation of how something was built / fixed / created
Passive Episode 1 – SAMPLE TEXT / LONGER WRITING
TASK BASED ON A MODEL
DESTROYING THE DEATH STAR
After many attempts to blow up the Death Star,
Luke was one of the only X-wing pilots left.
Darth Vader led the Imperial pilots. Luke flew
his X-wing at high speed to out run the Imperial
TIE fighters. Luke flew his X-wing at full
throttle. Luke’s partner covered him. A missile
broke the stabiliser on Luke’s X-wing.
R2D2
locked down the stabiliser. The Death Star guns
fired at Luke’s X-wing. The bullets hit Luke’s
partner. The TIE fighters caught up to the Xwing pilots. The TIE fighters attacked the rebel
pilots. R2D2 increased their power. Darth Vader
shot Luke’s partner. Luke zoomed in on the
radar. Obi Wan Kenobi told Luke to use the
force. Darth Vader felt the force. A missile hit
R2D2. Darth Vader shot at Luke. Suddenly, Han,
who came to help Luke, attacked the TIE
fighters. Han flew the Millennium Falcon. Luke
aimed at the targets on the Death Star. Luke hit
the target with two shots. Luke pulled up his Xwing just in time. The missiles blew up the
Death Star.
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Passive Episode 2 – SORTING GAME /
GRAMMAR
THE REBELS – PART ONE
The rebels were helped by the brave Ewoks.
Han Solo hid from the Star Destroyer in an
asteroid field.
The Millennium Falcon was hidden by the asteroid
field.
The brave Ewoks helped the rebels.
The disgusting monster was killed by Luke.
Luke killed the disgusting monster.
Leia attacked the stormtroopers.
The stormtroopers were attacked by Leia.
R2D2 hid the secret plans in his memory.
The secret plans were hidden.
The rebels blasted the door open.
The door was blasted open by the rebels.
C3PO translated the strange language.
The strange language was translated by C3PO.
The droids were abandoned on a sandy planet.
The escape pod left the droids
abandoned on a sandy planet.
The rebels protected the base.
The base was protected by the rebels.
THE REBELS – PART TWO
A subject is the person or
thing doing the verb. An object
has something done to it.
1. Highlight the subject/verb/object in
each of the sentences below.
a. The brave Ewoks fought the enemy.
b. The stormtroopers attacked the forest
moon of Endor.
c. Luke Skywalker flew his X-wing right
up to the Death Star.
d. Jabba the Hut captured Princess Leia.
e. Leia used her chains to defeat Jabba
the Hut.
f. Obi-Wan Kenobi escaped from the fierce
monster.
g. Obi-Wan’s friends arrived just in
time.
h. The rebel pilots defeated the AT-AT
tanks.
2. Look at options a) – c)
below.
Write an ‘S’ in the boxes next
to the underlined parts that are subjects
Write an ‘O’ in the boxes next to the
underlined parts that are objects.
a. Yoda fought Lord Dooku with a light
sabre.

b. A Star Destroyer chased a rebel chip
called the Millennium Falcon. 
c. On Friday, Han Solo led a dangerous
attack mission.

3. Highlight the object in
each sentence below. Then
rewrite each sentence
replacing the object with your
own object. The first one has been done
for you.
Han Solo and Chewbacca welcomed the
visitors onto the ship.
Han Solo and Chewbacca welcomed the year
six children onto the ship.
He saw a droid on the roof.
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Luke Skywalker met Han Solo at the alien
restaurant.
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THE REBELS – PART THREE
An active sentence has a
subject that does something.
In passive sentences, something is done
to the subject.
1. Draw lines to show whether each
sentence is active or passive.
The planet sparkled
in the moonlight.
Active
The ship was damaged
in the battle.
The damaged droids
were quickly
repaired.
The light sabre
ripped through his
chest.
Passive
2. Rearrange these words to form a
passive sentence.
the
the
awarded
medal
were
rebels
a
general
by
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Now rewrite the sentence as an active
sentence.
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3. Rewrite this active sentence as a passive
sentence.
The stormtroopers captured the droids.
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4. Rewrite this passive sentence as an active
sentence.
Luke was chased by a sand monster.
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Passive Episode 3
DARTH VADER
SPOT THE PASSIVE GAME – PART 1
Cut out the sentence cards and lie them face down on
the table.
Take turns to turn over a card and read the sentence.
If you think the sentence is passive, call out passive
as quickly as you can.
If you are correct and the first to call, you keep the
card.
If you are incorrect, the other player keeps the card.
If the sentence is active, leave it face up on the
table.
Continue playing until only active sentences are left.
The man
The droids
who made
with the
the
information
mistake
were
was
discovered.
strangled.
The
Darth Vader
general
terrified
was
the men.
threatened
by Darth
Vader.
Darth
The men
Vader
were
threatened
terrified
his
by Darth
general.
Vader.
Darth
Vader
controlled
the Death
Star.
The Empire
was led by
Darth
Vader.
The
The two
secret
droids worked
plans
together to
were
save the
saved by
plans.
R2D2.
Princess
Darth Vader
Leia was
was ignored.
captured.
Darth
Vader
ordered
the
troops to
search
the ship.
Darth
Vader
breathed
heavily
through
his black
mask.
The
stormtroopers
were ordered
to attack by
Darth Vader.
The force was
used by Darth
Vader to stop
the man.
DARTH VADER – PART TWO
Change the following active
sentences to passive AND improve
each sentence with adverbials,
adjectives, relative clauses etc.
Example:
Darth Vader controlled the Death Star.
The mighty Death Star which was floating through
space was always completely controlled by the
evil Darth Vader who would never give up.
1. Darth Vader killed the man.
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2. Darth Vader wanted the droids.
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3. Darth Vader ordered the attack.
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Now change passive sentences to
active AND improve each sentence
with adverbials, adjectives,
relative clauses etc.
4. The rebels were hated by Darth Vader.
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5. A black suit was worn by Darth Vader.
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6. Terror was struck into the hearts of anyone
who met Darth Vader.
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DARTH VADER – PART THREE
Subject
Darth Vader
Verb
attack
Object
Luke
Skywalker
Stormtroopers protect Stormtroopers
Princess Leia
take
The Death
Star
Vader’s
general
Han Solo
help
Princess Leia
order
Han Solo
The droids
capture
Darth Vader
Write a passive sentence using a word from each
column.
Add adverbials, adjectives and relative clauses
to improve each sentence.
Example:
The droids / help / Princess Leia
Brave Princess Leia was usually helped by the
clever droids who could speak many languages.
1.
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2.
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3.
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Passive Episode 4
USE THE FORCE
1. Read two accounts of the same event (one active,
one passive)
- Discuss which is more effective and why
USE THE FORCE
Active or Passive – Which is better?
1.a This text is written in ________________________
voice.
A suspicious chest was found on a far away planet by a
young girl who was following a strange sound. The
silver chest was opened to reveal an unusual, old
light sabre. The green light sabre was taken by the
girl because she thought it might be valuable. At the
time, she didn’t realise the power that was held by
the light sabre.
1.b. This text is written in ________________________
voice.
A young girl, who was following a strange sound, found
a suspicious chest on a far away planet. She opened
the silver chest to reveal an unusual, old light
sabre.
The girl took the green light sabre because
she thought it might be valuable. At the time, she
didn’t realise the power the light sabre held.
2.a. This text is written in ________________________
voice.
Last month, the Skywalker home was destroyed by a
sandstorm. The roof was ripped off during the storm.
The sand buggy was picked up by strong winds and
dropped 2 miles from the house. Most of their
possessions were lost in the storm. The Skywalkers
were housed and fed during the ordeal by family and
friends. Luckily, the Skywalkers were able to find
help to rebuild their home. The walls are being
repaired, the roof is being rebuilt, and all of the
rooms are being repainted. A lot of money is being
spent to repair the house but at least the family
wasn’t killed by the storm.
2.b. This text is written in ________________________
voice.
Last month, a sandstorm destroyed the Skywalker home.
The storm ripped the roof off. Strong winds picked up
the sand buggy and dropped it 2 miles from the house.
The family lost most of their possessions in the
storm. Family and friends housed and fed the
Skywalkers during the ordeal. Luckily, their home will
be rebuilt with help. Friends are repairing the walls,
friends are rebuilding the roof and friends are
repainting all of the rooms. The Skywalkers are
spending a lot of money to repair the house but
luckily the storm did not kill the family.
USE THE FORCE
Active or Passive – Which is better?
3.a. This text is written in ________________________
voice.
Stealthily, Luke crept down the stairs, dodging the
fourth step in case it creaked. At the bottom, he
paused but all he could hear was a silence that filled
the corridor. Suddenly, something opened a door and a
lone droid rolled towards him.
3.b. This text is written in ________________________
voice.
Stealthily, the stairs were crept down by Luke. The
fourth step was dodged in case it creaked. At the
bottom, the walking was paused by Luke. The corridor
was filled with silence. Suddenly, a door opened and
towards him was rolling a lone droid.
4.a This text is written in ________________________
voice.
A mechanic attaches the pedals on a sand bike to a
toothed wheel – the chain wheel. Someone else fixes a
smaller wheel, which an engineer calls a sprocket, to
the middle of the rear wheel of the bike. Another
person in the team connects the chain wheel and the
sprocket using a link chain. If anyone breaks the
chain, the back wheel cannot turn.
4.b This text is written in ________________________
voice.
The pedals on the sand bike are attached to a toothed
wheel – the chain wheel. A smaller wheel, which is
called a sprocket, is fixed to the middle of the rear
wheel of the bike. The chain wheel and the sprocket
are connected by a linked chain. If the chain is
broken, the back wheel cannot turn.
Episode 5
CHOOSE YOUR CHALLENGE
Choose one of the four Star Wars writing activities.
Be sure to include at least 5 passive sentences in
your writing.
Plan your passive sentences carefully. Only use them
where they are appropriate.
Remember, you may make up as many interesting details
as you wish.
Choices:
1.
Poe’s Mission –
Write a report of
what happened on
Poe’s mission to
the planet Jakku.
2.
X-wing
Explanation – Write
an explanation of how
an X-wing is built.
Use mechanical and
technical language.
3.
Ewok Battle – Write a
report of the battle
between the Ewoks and the
Stormtroopers on the
forest moon of Endor.
4.
Han Solo’s Escape –
Write a description of
how Han Solo manages to
escape from Darth
Vader’s Star Destroyer.
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Destroying the Death Star
Episode 1 Teacher’s notes
Is Active or Passive more appropriate?
1. Watch a video clip of a mission from Star
Wars. The most important thing is what happened
– not who did each action. (Episode 4 – 1:49 –
1:53)
2. Read an account of the mission written in
active. Emphasise how awkward and repetitive it
is.
3. How would we rewrite this as passive? Would it
read better? Think it, say it, write it ... for
every sentence. Discuss together as they write.
The paragraph may not get finished.
4. Sample answer to help the member of staff give
advice.
5. Discuss how a piece of writing isn’t best in
all active or all passive. There should be a
combination when it’s appropriate.
Possible answer:
(Passive Voice)
After many attempts to blow up the Death
Star, Luke was one of the only X-wing
pilots left. The Imperial pilots were led
by Darth Vader.
His X-wing was flown at
high speed to out run the Imperial TIE
fighters. It was flown at full throttle.
Luke was covered by his partner. The
stabiliser was broken. It was locked down
by R2D2. Luke’s X-wing was fired at by the
Death Star guns. Luke’s partner was hit.
The
X-wings
were
caught
by
the
TIE
fighters. The rebel pilots were attacked.
Their power was increased by R2D2. Luke’s
partner was shot by Darth Vader. The Radar
was zoomed in. Luke was told to use the
force. The force was felt by Darth Vader.
R2D2 was bit by a missile. Luke was shot at
by Darth Vader. Suddenly, the TIE fighters
were attacked by Han Solo who came to help
Luke.
The Millennium Falcon was flown by
Han.
The targets on the Death Star were
aimed at by Luke. The target was hit with
two shots. The X-wing was pulled up just in
time. The Death Star was blown up.
THE REBELS
Episode 2 Teacher’s Notes
Is it Active or Passive?
1. Sort the sentences into Active or
Passive hoops
- Be able to explain each decision
- Compare similar active/passive sentences.
Discuss which is more effective and why.
Which noun needs to be emphasised in the
sentence?
2. SPAG test type questions based on Star
Wars – “Subject & Object” and “Active &
Passive Voice”
DARTH VADER
Passive Episode 3 Teacher’s Notes
PARTNER GAME / CHANGING & IMPROVING SENTENCES /
SENTENCE BUILDING
1. Spot the Passive Game (Resource example:
Activity Sheet Spot the Passive)
- 7 sets prepared ahead of time (partner game)
2. Change active to passive / passive to active
AND improve each sentence with adverbials,
adjectives, relative clauses etc (Resource
example: Activity sheet Active to Passive)
3. Passive sentence builder (Given a table with
subject / verb / object, write a passive
sentence BUT add extra description) (Resource
example: Activity Sheet Passive Sentence
Builder)
USE THE FORCE
Passive Episode 4 Teacher’s Notes
– COMPARING LONGER TEXTS, LOOKING AT PRACTICAL
EXAMPLES
1. Read two accounts of the same event (one active,
one passive)
- Discuss which is more effective and why
2. Repeat with other pairs of texts.
- Emphasis on text 4 where the passive is very helpful
in the explanation text.
- Text 4 in passive takes away the unnecessary
language (we don’t need to know who did what)
3. GAME
- Volunteers go up to the front to act out
instructions
– Only give instructions to a volunteer in active or
passive depending on the decision of the group