Active vs. Passive
Active vs. Passive Voice
What is the difference?
Active vs. Passive Voice
Which uses the active voice? Which uses the passive
voice?
Jose kicked the ball.
The ball was kicked by Jose.
Active vs. Passive Voice
Which uses the active voice? Which uses the passive
voice?
Jose kicked the ball. - active
The ball was kicked by Jose. -passive
Active vs. Passive Voice
Which uses the active voice? Which uses the passive
voice?
Jose kicked the ball. - active
The ball was kicked by Jose. -passive
Who can explain the difference?
Jose
subject
Jose kicked the ball.
subject is doing the action. The subject is being active.
The ball
subject
The ball was kicked by Jose.
subject is receiving the action. It’s being passive.
Active vs. Passive Voice
Which uses the active voice? Which uses the passive
voice?
I threw the pen.
The pen was thrown by me.
Active vs. Passive Voice
• I threw the pen.
• active
• Active = the subject performs the action
• The pen was thrown by me.
• passive
• Passive = the subject receives the action
Easy way to remember…
Passive =
Helping verb +
Past participle
am, is, was, were, will be,
has been, have been, had
been
kicked
The broken furniture is repaired by Mr. G.
The site was chosen by Mr. Lappin.
WARNING!
Common misconception!
Kids confuse tense and voice.
Tense
TENSE = TIME
Past
Yesterday, Jose
________ the
ball.
Present
Now, Jose
________ the
ball.
Future
Tomorrow, Jose
________ the
ball.
Voice
Active
Jose ________ the ball.
Passive
The ball ________ by
Jose.
Tense and Voice are
TOTALLY DIFFERENT CONCEPTS
Tense
Voice
Jose kicked the ball. = past tense.
Jose kicked the ball. = active.
Jose will kick the ball. = future
tense.
Jose will kick the ball. = active.
Practice
For each sentence:
a) If the sentence is active, write active. If it is passive,
rewrite it so it is active.
b) Indicate what tense the verb is in (past, present, or
future.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The virus on the software made our computer crash.
The check will be returned to its owner by the bank.
Jessica mailed the letter to her friend.
Mariana breaks hearts.
The hamburgers were grilled by Carlos in the backyard.
Why this is important…
Active voice is used more often than passive voice, because
passive voice sounds weak and awkward.
Why this is important…
Active voice is used more often than passive voice, because
passive voice sounds weak and awkward.
Weird
The book was enjoyed by
me.
Why this is important…
Active voice is used more often than passive voice, because
passive voice sounds weak and awkward.
Weird
The book was enjoyed by
me.
Better
I enjoyed the book.
However…
You will WANT to use the passive voice…
…to call attention to the receiver of the action.
Five ESAT students won awards for their essays. Four
of the five essays were written by Ms. Fayloga’s
students.
However…
You will WANT to use the passive voice…
…to call attention to the receiver of the action.
Five ESAT students won awards for their essays. Four
of the five essays were written by Ms. Fayloga’s
students.
… when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious.
By the time we arrived, all the best seats had already
been taken.
YOU Practice…
• Complete worksheet.