Focus on activity : Active and Passive Voice
Target audience (age): EM
Aim: This is a written exercise that aims at practicing or reviewing the active and passive voices.
Material: Copies of the activity for each student.
Organization: Individually or in pairs.
Description: This exercise can be done in class or sent as homework.
Passive Voice
1. Rewrite or complete the following sentences using the passive voice.
Example
They don’t make Ferraris in Portugal.
Ferraris aren’t made in Portugal.
a) Americans love baseball.
Baseball is loved by Americans.
b)Archaeologists discovered a new temple in Egypt.
A new temple was/has been discovered by Archeologists in Egypt.
c) They built this house in the 18th century.
This house was built in the 18th century.
d)They won’t recognize her in the dark.
She won’t be recognized in the dark.
e) Someone is decorating the house for Christmas.
The house is being decorated for Christmas.
f) The Chinese printed the first books.
The first books were printed in China.
g)Has anyone printed the reports yet?
Have the reports been printed yet?
h)Somebody killed that actor last night.
The actor was killed last night.
i) They stole my wallet from under my nose.
My wallet was/has been stolen from under my nose.
j) They put the letters into my mail box.
The letters were put into my mail box.
Photocopiable – Teacher’s copy
Focus on EM activity
Active Voice
2. Rewrite the following sentences using the active voice.
Example
This god is loved by them.
They love this god.
a) Spanish is spoken here.
They speak Spanish here.
b)The most famous murderers were arrested by the FBI.
The FBI arrested the most famous murderers.
c) Our house is being decorated at the moment.
They are decorating our house at the moment.
d)Whiskey is made in Scotland.
They make whisky in Scotland.
e) This store was bought by an American company.
An American company bought this store.
f) The president has been killed by that serial killer.
That serial killer killed/has killed the president.
g)A message was left on our front door last night.
Someone left a message on our front door last night.
h)Star Wars was directed by George Lucas.
George Lucas directed Star Wars.
i) The songs were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote the songs.
j) A UFO was seen in the USA last night.
People saw a UFO in the USA last night.
Photocopiable – Teacher’s copy
Focus on activity : Active and Passive Voice
Target audience (age): EM
Aim: This is a written exercise that aims at practicing or reviewing the active and passive voices.
Material: Copies of the activity for each student.
Organization: Individually or in pairs.
Description: This exercise can be done in class or sent as homework.
Passive Voice
1. Rewrite or complete the following sentences using the passive voice.
Example
They don’t make Ferraris in Portugal.
Ferraris aren’t made in Portugal.
a) Americans love baseball.
Baseball _______________________________________
b)Archaeologists discovered a new temple in Egypt.
A new temple _______________________________________
c) They built this house in the 18th century.
This house _______________________________________
d)They won’t recognize her in the dark.
She _______________________________________
e) Someone is decorating the house for Christmas.
The house _______________________________________
f) The Chinese printed the first books.
_______________________________________
g)Has anyone printed the reports yet?
Have the reports _______________________________________
h)Somebody killed that actor last night.
_______________________________________
i) They stole my wallet from under my nose.
_______________________________________
j) They put the letters into my mail box.
The letters _______________________________________
Photocopiable – Student’s copy
Focus on EM activity
Active Voice
2. Rewrite the following sentences using the active voice.
Example
This god is loved by them.
They love this god.
a) Spanish is spoken here.
They _______________________________________
b)The most famous murderers were arrested by the FBI.
_______________________________________
c) Our house is being decorated at the moment.
_______________________________________
d)Whiskey is made in Scotland.
They make _______________________________________
e) This store was bought by an American company.
_______________________________________
f) The president has been killed by that serial killer.
_______________________________________
g)A message was left on our front door last night.
Someone _______________________________________
h)Star Wars was directed by George Lucas.
_______________________________________
i) The songs were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
_______________________________________
j) A UFO was seen in the USA last night.
People _______________________________________
Photocopiable – Student’s copy