Passive vs Active

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

The Passive 

If you see the pencil person, copy the slide. 

Let's look at how we make an active sentence...

Subject + Verb + Object

  The cat                               eats                    the mouse.  

The cat does the action.

How do we make the passive?

Subject + be + past participle

The mouse     is       eaten by the cat

The mouse receives the action.

When do we use the passive?

When do we use the passive?

When the action is more important than the person who does it.

1. When the action is more important than who or what did it

English is spoken in Peekaboo.

2. When we don't know who/what did the action. 

My bike was stolen.

3. Use by to say who did it.

The book was written by Ariana Grande. 

Remember!

When the subject changes, the verb needs to match the new subject. 

The kids are making art. 

The art is made by the kids. 

Active 

Wild penguins attacked 

my sister yesterday.

Passive 

My sister was attacked by wild penguins.

Subject

Subject

Action

Action

Is the sentence active or passive?

The lion bit the man.

1. Passive
2. Active

The traffic was stopped by the zebra.

1. Passive
2. Active

The teacher teaches the student.

1. Active
2. Passive

am / is / are + past participle

active:       Someone cleans the office everyday.

passive      The office is cleaned every day.

active:        My boss doesn't ask me to work late.

passive:     I am not asked by my boss to work late.

Put the sentence in order.

dog man bitten the is by the

Make this sentence into the passive:

The students write the articles.

Make this sentence into the passive:

The teacher explains the lesson.

was / were + past participle 

Active:         Someone painted our house last month.

Passive:      Our house was painted last month.

Active:        The noise did not wake me up.

passive:       I was not woken up by the noise. 

Put the sentence in the correct order.

built house year the was last

Make this sentence into the passive.

The fire destroyed the trees.

Make this sentence into the passive.

Grandma baked a cake.

Remember!

Focus on the verb tense that is used! If it is the present simple the answer needs to have 'be' in the present simple.  

The boy opens the present. 

The present is opened by the boy. 

Change the active to the correct passive.
Mr. Jones watches films.

1. Flims are watched by Mr. Jones.
2. Films are being watched by Mr. Jones.
3. Films will be watched by Mr. Jones.
4. Films were watched by Mr. Jones.

Change the active to the correct passive.
He took photos.

1. The photos are taken by him.
2. The photos were taken by her.
3. The photos were taken by him.
4. The photos are taken by her.

Let's practice more!

Kids like to play soccer.

1. passive
2. active

This room was painted blue.

1. Passive
2. Active

Cricket is played in Australia.

1. Passive
2. Active

The search was stopped because of the storm.

1. Passive
2. Active

The Government is planning a new road near my house

1. Passive
2. Active

Make a passive.
Start with: The oranges ...

Make a passive.
Start with: A goal ...

Make a passive.
Start with: The problem ...