Active/Passive Voice Notes

Passive vs. Active Voice
Student Name: __________________________________Date: _______ Period: _____
Read the following information:
In a sentence using active voice, the subject of the sentence ___________________________________ expressed
in the verb. Active voice is generally considered stronger, more direct writing.
The arrow points from the subject performing the action (the dog) to the individual being acted upon (the boy). This is
an example of a sentence using the active voice.
In a sentence using passive voice, the subject is __________________________; he or she receives the action
expressed by the verb. The agent performing the action may appear in a "by the..." phrase or may be omitted.
The dog is acting upon the sentence subject (the boy), meaning it uses the passive voice.
Active Voice
The coach instructed us.
The author provides helpful diagrams.
Will Cather wrote My Antonia.
Someone has erased the tapes.
Passive Voice
We were instructed by the coach.
Helpful diagrams are provided by the author.
My Antonia was written by Will Cather.
The tapes have been erased.
Directions: Identify the following as either active voice (“A”) or passive voice (“P”).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
_____Corrosion had damaged the hull of the ship.
_____Have you seen the new movie that was directed by Ron Howard?
_____My books were stolen by someone yesterday.
_____Some children were visiting the old homestead while I was there.
_____A woman was being carried downstairs by a very strong firefighter.
_____The bottles cannot be opened easily.
_____The government built a road right outside her front door.
_____My son ate all the homemade cookies.
_____When she arrived, the changes amazed her.
_____The streets were being repaired all month long.
_____The party will celebrate his retirement.
_____These books had been left in the classroom by a careless student.
Directions: Change the following sentences from active to passive voice. If the sentence is in past tense, please keep it in
past tense. If the sentence is in present tense, please keep it in present tense. Etc.
1) Julia rescued three cats.
2) The students handed in the reports.
3) Maria crashed into the blue car.
4) Alex learns the poem.
5) Steven will definitely forget the book.
Directions: Change the following from passive to active voice.
1. The new nursing program was approved by the Curriculum Committee.
2. An illegal time-out will be called by one of the referees.
3. The employees were informed of their benefits by the boss.
4. The major points of the lesson were quickly learned by the class.
5. For several years, Chauncey was raised by his elderly grandmother.
Ultimate Goal: Edit the following excerpt from a literary analysis paragraph for BOTH literary present AND active voice.
Both Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, and Nicholas Carr, author of Is Google Making Us Stupid,
agree that technology imputing a negative effect on our minds and our memory. In the novel Fahrenheit 451 it
is written, ” Denham’s Dentifrice.” Shut up, thought Montag. Consider the lilies of the field.” The information
is trying to be held by Montag or in other words, the “sand” is being held in the sieve, but he is distracted by
the constant blaring and focus couldn’t be maintained by him. The technology in Montag’s case is used as a
nuisance not allowing him to focus. Similarly, in the article “Is Google making Us Stupid?” it is stated, “Now my
concentration often starts to drift after two or three pages.” It is conveyed that it was so easy for him before
to easily “immerse” himself in a book, but now his “concentration starts to drift”. Technology had negative
impact on Nicholas and he was affected in his reading and writing. It is conveyed in both texts how technology
has caused a setback in their lives.