English Year 10

Cursos de Cincias e Tecnologias;

Econmico-Social e Lnguas e Humanidades

AGRUPAMENTO DE ESCOLAS

ESCOLA SECUNDRIA
Time: 30-45 minutes

Grammar work

3rd Term

Ensino Secundrio

Everything you wanted to know about the Passive Voice

Grammar Test on the Passive Voice

Is there a difference between the structures of these two sentences?
Sentence a) Lots of people love computer games.
Who is the active subject? In sentence a) is __________________________

Sentence b) Computer games are loved by lots of people.

What is the subject in sentence b)? It is ______________________________.
In sentence a) the active subject is at the at the beginning / at the end of the sentence.
In sentence b) the active subject is at the at the beginning / at the end of the sentence.
In sentence a) we have a simple verb tense, in sentence b) we have _______ + past participle + by agent
In a) we have an example of the
1) Reported Speech
2) Passive Voice
3) Active Voice
In b) we have an example of the
1

1) Reported Speech

2) Passive Voice

3) Active Voice

But you were afraid to ask!!!

Student name: ____________________________________________

I. Exercise A: Identify if the sentences are using the Active or the Passive Voice.

1. Before the semester was over, the new school programme had been approved by the Committee and the
Board of Teachers. Active / Passive
2. With five seconds left in the game, an illegal time-out was called by one of the players. Active / Passive
3. Later in the day, the students were informed of their results by the teacher herself. Active / Passive
4. The important points of the lesson were as quickly learnt as they were forgotten by them. Active / Passive
5. For several years, Sean has been brought up by his grandmother. Active / Passive
6. An unexpected storm destroyed several homes and uprooted trees near Tomar. Active / Passive
7. I was surprised by the pupil's lack of consideration.
8. "Harry Potter" was written by JK Rowling.

Active / Passive

Active / Passive

9. Participants in the game were asked their opinion about the final result.

Active / Passive

10. Buildings and mountains were avoided by Samuel because he had such a fear of heights.
Active / Passive

Still having doubts?

(subject/active)

J K Rowling

Have a look at this example:

(main verb/active) (object/active)

wrote

the Harry Potter books.

(the main verb is in the simple past tense.)

JK Rowling is a famous writer. She is famous, so is her Harry Potter character. In the Active Voice the message
refers to the woman/writer and what she did, what her action was, we look at JK Rowling as a doer of different
actions, she was the active actor of her successful books.
In the Passive Voice the message emphasises the work of the woman, of the writer, for in this case they (the
books written, the actions done) are the proof of her success.

(subject/passive)

The Harry Potter books

(verb/passive)

were written

(object/passive)

by JK Rowling.

Auxiliary verb to be is in the simple past (the same tense as the main verb in the active voice)+the past
participle of the main verb (the action done) + by-agent, thats the rule!
Exercise B: All these sentences are in the Active Voice, but we need you to decide the word(s)
you are going to start with: The new subject, the Passive Subject.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Somebody had hit Joo on the nose. And the new subject is: ________________________________
They expected Ana to join 10E. And the new subject is: ________________________________
10C tell amusing stories about everyone. And the new subject is: ________________________________
Yoni asked 10CE Who are we?. And the new subject is: ________________________________
Carolina wishes to become a marine biologist. And the new subject is: ______________________________

Exercise C: All these sentences are in the Active Voice, but we need you to decide which verb
tense is present in the sentence:

6. Somebody had hit Joo on the nose. And the verb tense is: ________________________________
7. They expected Ana to join 10E. And the verb tense is: ________________________________
8. 10C tell amusing stories about everyone. And the verb tense is: ________________________________
9. Yoni asked 10CE Who are we?. And the verb tense is: ________________________________
10. Carolina wishes to become a marine biologist. And the verb tense is: _______________________________
Student name: ____________________________________________

Exercise D: Now change these sentences which are in the Active Voice into the Passive Voice:

(obs. If you dont know who did the action, its not necessary to use the by-agent!!)
11. Somebody had hit Joo on the nose ____________________________________________________
12. They expected Ana to join 10E. ________________________________________________________
13. 10C tell amusing stories about everyone. _____________________________________________________
14. Yoni asked 10CE Who are we?. __________________________________________________________
15. Carolina wishes to become a marine biologist. _________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Exercise E: Change these sentences which are in the Active Voice into the Passive Voice:
Note: Some of the information may be incorrect, but dont blame the teacher, she doesnt know better!

1. 10CE students arent doing a good job. ______________________________________________________

2. 10CE girls kissed their friends goodbye. ____________________________________________________
3. Joo loves football. _______________________________________________________________
4. Antnio holds the wildest jump record. _______________________________________________________
5. Mikas has sung the most creative rap song ever. (Who needs 50 Cents when we have Mikas?)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Carolina Paiva and Celina usually see their e-mails at the library. (Check them out on Tuesdays )
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Pedro got the best if-clause mark. (No one beat his record!!)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Marisa has put Carolina Pereira to work. (At least you tried, better luck next time.)
________________________________________________________________________________________

II. Do you think you are ready for some extra work? Are U? Show us the stuff you are
made off

1. The news article surprises me.

I ____________________ ______________________ by the news article.
2. The story is fascinating Carolina.
Carolina ____________________ ______________________ by the story.
3. Ana helps me often.
I ___________________ often ___________________________ by Ana.
4. Samuel opened the letter.
The letter ____________________ ______________________ by Samuel.
5. The teacher has asked me about my homework.
I ____________________ ______________________ by the teacher about my homework.
6. Joo studies Maths everyday. (Dont tell this to the Maths teacher!)
Maths ____________________ ______________________ by Joo everyday.
7. The teacher asked for more computers yesterday.
More computers ____________________ ______________________ by the teacher yesterday.
8. My sister bought the coolest pair of jeans.
Student name: ____________________________________________

The coolest pair of jeans ____________________ ______________________ by my sister.

9. The teacher's class bored us to death today.
We ____________________ ______________________ by the teacher's class today.
10. 10CE students are writing these answers.
These answers ____________________ ______________________ by 10CE.

III. Now, seriously? Are you ready for some grown-up action? These are the difficult
ones, the first exercises were childish play Start with the underlined word.
1. Celina hurt her leg in an accident. /// __________________________________________________
2. People speak English all over the world. /// __________________________________________________
3. They punished me for something I didnt do. /// ______________________________________________
4. Somebody left Pedro in the classroom. /// __________________________________________________
5. We will discuss your doubts next week. /// __________________________________________________
6. They gave Mikas a cinema ticket. /// __________________________________________________
7. Samuel promised the teacher a good mark. /// ________________________________________________
8. Nobody has answered my question properly. /// _____________________________________________
9. People will simply laugh at you, if you do that. /// ____________________________________________
10. The VIP gave Antnio a 50 reward. (Because he found the VIPs wallet!).
____________________________________________________________________________
11. They have told her to go away. /// __________________________________________________
12. An unseen hand opened the door. (ooohhhh creepy!! Harry Potter and his invisibility cloak)
__________________________________________________

Mark: _______________________

Teacher: _____________________

Student name: ____________________________________________