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English lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 45 minutes

Rewriting passive sentences in the active voice

Grammar

CCSS L.8.1.BCCSS L.8.3.AEngland: KS3 English (grammar)England: GCSE English Language (AO6)England: ACT English (style)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Rewriting passive sentences in the active voice.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Active and passive voice

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Active and passive voice). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence is the passive version of this sentence? Thousands of fans watched the final. • Thousands of fans were watched by the final. • The final was watched by thousands of fans. • The final is watching by thousands of fans. • The final watched thousands of fans. (Thousands of fans were watched by the final. / The final was watched by thousands of fans. / The final is watching by thousands of fans. / The final watched thousands of fans.) → The final was watched by thousands of fans.Prompt: In a passive sentence, the thing the action is done TO becomes the subject.
  2. Is this sentence active or passive? The window was broken by a football. (active / passive) → passivePrompt: Who or what is the subject? Is the subject DOING the action or RECEIVING it?
  3. Choose the best answer. Which sentence puts the focus on the painting rather than on the painter? (The artist, in 1890, completed the painting. / In 1890 the artist completed it. / The painting was completed in 1890. / The artist completed the painting in 1890.) → The painting was completed in 1890.Prompt: The passive voice lets a writer leave out the doer or put the focus on what was affected.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Rewriting passive sentences in the active voice. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which sentence is the correct active version, keeping the same tense? The match was won by our team. • The match won our team. • Our team wins the match by it. • Our team was won by the match. • Our team won the match.
  • Step 1: To make a sentence active, move the 'by' phrase to the front as the subject and change be + past participle to the matching active form.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: Our team won the match.
  • Answer: Our team won the match.
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which sentence is the correct active version, keeping the same tense? The match was won by our team. • Our team was won by the match. • Our team wins the match by it. • Our team won the match. • The match won our team. (Our team was won by the match. / Our team wins the match by it. / Our team won the match. / The match won our team.) → Our team won the match.Prompt: Who did the action? That person or thing becomes the subject.
  2. This sentence is passive. Who or what actually does the action? Type it (or type 'nobody' if the doer isn't named). The window was smashed by the hailstones. → the hailstonesPrompt: Look for the 'by…' phrase.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. This sentence is passive. Who or what actually does the action? Type it (or type 'nobody' if the doer isn't named). The window was smashed by the hailstones. → the hailstonesPrompt: Look for the 'by…' phrase.
  2. Which sentence is the correct active version, keeping the same tense? The decision had been taken by the committee. • The decision had taken the committee. • The committee has taken the decision. • The committee had taken the decision. • The committee took the decision by itself. (The decision had taken the committee. / The committee has taken the decision. / The committee had taken the decision. / The committee took the decision by itself.) → The committee had taken the decision.Prompt: Who did the action? That person or thing becomes the subject.

Watch out for

  • Naming the feature but not using it in their own sentences.
  • Thinking a sentence is right because it sounds right when spoken casually.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Active and passive voice.
  • Use concrete materials: sentence strips.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-8.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Rewriting passive sentences in the active voice

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    This sentence is passive. Who or what actually does the action? Type it (or type 'nobody' if the doer isn't named). The prize was presented by a famous author.

    Answer

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence is the correct active version, keeping the same tense? The new library will be opened by the mayor. • The new library will open the mayor. • The mayor opened the new library. • The mayor will be opened by the library. • The mayor will open the new library.

    • A. The new library will open the mayor.
    • B. The mayor opened the new library.
    • C. The mayor will be opened by the library.
    • D. The mayor will open the new library.

  3. Question 3

    This sentence is passive. Who or what actually does the action? Type it (or type 'nobody' if the doer isn't named). Our garden was dug up by a fox.

    Answer

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence is the correct active version, keeping the same tense? The match was won by our team. • Our team won the match. • Our team wins the match by it. • The match won our team. • Our team was won by the match.

    • A. Our team won the match.
    • B. Our team wins the match by it.
    • C. The match won our team.
    • D. Our team was won by the match.

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence is the correct active version, keeping the same tense? The decision had been taken by the committee. • The committee had taken the decision. • The committee took the decision by itself. • The decision had taken the committee. • The committee has taken the decision.

    • A. The committee had taken the decision.
    • B. The committee took the decision by itself.
    • C. The decision had taken the committee.
    • D. The committee has taken the decision.

  6. Question 6

    This sentence is passive. Who or what actually does the action? Type it (or type 'nobody' if the doer isn't named). The results will be checked by two teachers.

    Answer

  7. Question 7

    Which sentence is the correct active version, keeping the same tense? The road is being repaired by the council. • The council is being repaired by the road. • The council repaired the road. • The road is repairing the council. • The council is repairing the road.

    • A. The council is being repaired by the road.
    • B. The council repaired the road.
    • C. The road is repairing the council.
    • D. The council is repairing the road.

  8. Question 8

    Which sentence is the correct active version, keeping the same tense? The thief was caught by a security guard. • The thief caught a security guard. • A security guard catches the thief. • A security guard was caught by the thief. • A security guard caught the thief.

    • A. The thief caught a security guard.
    • B. A security guard catches the thief.
    • C. A security guard was caught by the thief.
    • D. A security guard caught the thief.

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Answer key: Rewriting passive sentences in the active voice

  1. 1. a famous author

  2. 2. D. The mayor will open the new library.

  3. 3. a fox

  4. 4. A. Our team won the match.

  5. 5. A. The committee had taken the decision.

  6. 6. two teachers

  7. 7. D. The council is repairing the road.

  8. 8. D. A security guard caught the thief.