• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjLc0Mwj
UrE
Active and Passive Verbs/Voice
With a little help from the animals of Madagascar
Subject and Action
• Marty jumped over the fence.
• Marty ate the apple.
• Subject: The object that the verb is
primarily concerned with.
• Action: the thing that is being
done.
• Subject comes before the verb and
object in an ACTIVE sentence.
• Subject (S), Verb (V), Object (O)
Agent
• The apple had been eaten
by Melman.
• The fence was jumped over
by Melman.
•
•
•
Agent: the initiator and cause of
an action/ the one doing the
action.
Agent occurs in PASSIVE
sentences, not active when the
object becomes the subject and
the original becomes an agent.
Subject (S), Verb (V), Agent (A).
Active Verb/Voice
• In active voice sentences the
subject does the action. e.g.
Gloria walked across the
tightrope.
• The active voice is strong,
uses fewer words and clearly
shows who has performed
the action.
• The subject normally comes
at the start.
Passive Verb/Voice
• In passive voice sentences the action is
done to the subject by an agent. e.g. The
tightrope was walked across by Gloria.
• The passive voice is weaker and less
direct. It is not incorrect to use it though.
• It usually uses more words.
• The original subject usually moves to after
the verb and becomes the agent.
• The original object moves to before the
verb and becomes the subject.
• The verb has a word like ‘was’ or ‘were’
added to it and the word ‘by’ to show
who did the action.
Alex chased after Marty.
The penguins saved the Madagascar
animals.
King Julian was entertained by Mort.
The key was found by Melman.
The fence was broken by Marty.
Mort entertained King Julian.
The trapeze was swung from by Alex.
LO: to understand and identify the
differences between the active and
passive voice/verb.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Success Criteria:
I understand what makes a sentence active.
I understand what makes a sentence passive.
I can identify whether a sentence is active or passive.
I can turn an active sentence into a passive sentence
I can turn a passive sentence into an active sentence.
I have used a ruler when I have drawn straight lines.
I have written my work neatly.
Remember!
• The subject comes before the verb in active
sentences. The subject does the action.
• The action is done by an agent in passive
sentences. The action is done to the subject.
• The words ‘was’, ‘were’ and ‘by’ are usually in a
passive sentence.
• Active sentences are usually shorter.
Group Taboo
• Subject.
• Passive sentence.
• Agent.
• Verb.
• Active sentence.
• ‘Was’, ‘Were’ and ‘By’.