ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE VOICE - assets.ltkcontent.com

1 ACTIVE PASSIVE VS. VOICE . S E N T E N C E S I N A C T I V E A N D PA S S I V E V O I C E. Here are examples of sentences written in both the ACTIVE VOICE and the PASSIVE VOICE , with the ACTIVE VOICE sentence appearing first: PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . Harry ( subject ) ate (verb) six Beautiful giraffes ( subject ) roam (verb) Sue ( subject ) changed (verb). shrimp (object) at dinner. the savannah (object). the flat tire (object). VS. VS. VS. At dinner, six shrimp (object) were The savannah (object) is roamed (verb) The flat tire (object) was changed (verb). eaten (verb) by Harry ( subject ). by beautiful giraffes ( subject ). by Sue ( subject ). PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . We ( subject ) are going to watch (verb) I ( subject ) ran (verb) the obstacle The crew ( subject ) paved (verb) the entire a movie (object) tonight.

2 Course (object) in record time. stretch of highway (object). VS. VS. VS. A movie (object) is going to be The obstacle course (object) was run (verb) The entire stretch of highway (object). watched (verb) by us ( subject ) tonight. by me ( subject ) in record time. was paved (verb) by the crew ( subject ). PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . Mom ( subject ) read (verb) the novel (object) The critic ( subject ) wrote (verb). in one day. VS. ACTIVE VOICE a scathing review (object). VS. Tells what a person The novel (object) was read (verb) by A scathing review (object). Mom ( subject ) in one day. or thing does. was written (verb) by the critic ( subject ). T he subject performs the action and typically comes before the PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . I ( subject ) will clean (verb) the The staff ( subject ) is required to watch (verb).

3 Action (verb). house (object) every Saturday. a safety video (object) every year. T he object is who or what VS. VS. receives the action and typically A safety video (object) will be The house (object) will be cleaned (verb). by me ( subject ) every Saturday. comes after the action (verb). watched (verb) by the staff ( subject ). every year. PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . Tom ( subject ) painted (verb) the The teacher ( subject ) always answers (verb). entire house (object). PASSIVE VOICE the students' questions (object). VS. VS. Tells what is done to The entire house (object) was someone or something. The students' questions (object) are always painted (verb) by Tom ( subject ). answered (verb) by the teacher ( subject ). T he subject performs the action and typically comes after the PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE .

4 Tom ( subject ) will finish (verb) action (verb). The forest fire ( subject ) destroyed (verb). his project (object) by tomorrow. the whole suburb (object). VS. The object is who or what VS. receives the action and typically His project (object) will be finished (verb) The whole suburb (object) was by Tom ( subject ) tomorrow. comes before the action (verb). destroyed (verb) by the forest fire ( subject ). PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . The cleaning crew ( subject ) vacuums and Larry ( subject ) generously donated (verb) Mary ( subject ) is going to make (verb) a dusts (verb) the office (object) every night. money (object) to the homeless shelter. special dinner (object) for her husband. VS. VS. VS. Every night the office (object) Money (object) was generously donated (verb) to the homeless shelter A special dinner (object) is going to be is vacuumed and dusted (verb) by the by Larry ( subject ).

5 Made (verb) by Mary ( subject ) tonight. cleaning crew ( subject ). PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . Alex ( subject ) posted (verb) the video (object) No one ( subject ) responded (verb) to The wedding planner ( subject ) is on Facebook. my sales ad (object). making (verb) all the reservations (object). VS. VS. VS. All the reservations (object). The video (object) was posted (verb) My sales ad (object) was not responded will be made (verb) by on Facebook by Alex ( subject ). to (verb) by anyone ( subject ). the wedding planner ( subject ). PASSIVE ACTIVE . Susan ( subject ) will bake (verb). PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . The director ( subject ) will give (verb) you Thousands of tourists ( subject ) view (verb). two dozen cupcakes (object). instructions (object). the Grand Canyon (object) every year. for the bake sale.

6 VS. VS. VS. For the bake sale, two dozen The Grand Canyon (object) is viewed (verb). Instructions (object) will be given (verb). cookies (object) will be baked (verb) by thousands of to you by the director ( subject ). by Susan ( subject ). tourists ( subject ) every year. PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . The homeowners ( subject ) remodeled (verb) The team ( subject ) will celebrate (verb) The saltwater( subject ) eventually the house (object) to help it sell. their victory (object) tomorrow. corroded (verb) the metal beams (object). VS. VS. VS. The house (object) was remodeled (verb) The metal beams (object) were The victory (object) will be celebrated (verb). by the homeowners ( subject ) eventually corroded (verb) by by the team ( subject ) tomorrow. to help it sell. the saltwater ( subject ). PASSIVE ACTIVE .

7 PASSIVE ACTIVE . PASSIVE ACTIVE . The kangaroo ( subject ) carried (verb) Some people ( subject ) raise (verb) sugar She ( subject ) faxed (verb) her her baby (object) in her pouch. cane (object) in Hawaii. application (object) for a new job. VS. VS. VS. The baby (object) was carried (verb) by Sugar cane (object) is raised (verb) by The application (object) for a new the kangaroo ( subject ) in her pouch. some people ( subject ) in Hawaii. job was faxed (verb) by her ( subject ).