• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Perfect tenses (past, present, future)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Choose the correct perfect tense. By the time we arrived, the film ___ (start). (will have started / had started / has started / starts) → had startedPrompt: Is the action finished before a past time, before now, or before a future time?
2. Choose the correct perfect tense. We ___ (visit) the museum twice this year. (had visited / will have visited / visiting / have visited) → have visitedPrompt: Is the action finished before a past time, before now, or before a future time?
3. Choose the correct perfect tense. By tonight, I ___ (read) the whole book. (had read / will have read / have read / am reading) → will have readPrompt: Is the action finished before a past time, before now, or before a future time?

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

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Which sentence is the passive version of this sentence? The children have planted the trees. • The trees has been planted by the children. • The trees have planted the children. • The trees have been planted by the children. • The children have been planted by the trees.
• Step 1: Move the object to the front, use be + past participle in the same tense, and put the doer after 'by' (or leave it out).
• Step 2: So the answer is: The trees have been planted by the children.
• Answer: The trees have been planted by the children.
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• 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 passive version of this sentence? The chef cooks the meals. • The meals are cooked by the chef. • The meals cook the chef. • The meals were cooking by the chef. • The chef is cooked by the meals. (The meals are cooked by the chef. / The meals cook the chef. / The meals were cooking by the chef. / The chef is cooked by the meals.) → The meals are cooked by the chef.Prompt: In a passive sentence, the thing the action is done TO becomes the subject.
2. Is this sentence active or passive? Heavy rain flooded the main road. (active / passive) → activePrompt: Who or what is the subject? Is the subject DOING the action or RECEIVING it?

• 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.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Choose the best answer. Which sentence puts the focus on the painting rather than on the painter? (The artist, in 1890, completed the painting. / The artist completed the painting in 1890. / In 1890 the artist completed it. / The painting was completed 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.
2. Which sentence is the passive version of this sentence? The storm destroyed the old barn. • The storm was destroyed by the old barn. • The old barn was destroyed by the storm. • The old barn destroyed the storm. • The old barn is destroying by the storm. (The storm was destroyed by the old barn. / The old barn was destroyed by the storm. / The old barn destroyed the storm. / The old barn is destroying by the storm.) → The old barn was destroyed by the storm.Prompt: In a passive sentence, the thing the action is done TO becomes the subject.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-6.