Active and Passive Voice, Answer Key and Teaching Tips 1

Active and Passive Voice, Answer key/Teaching Tips

http://www.grammar-worksheets.com
1.

When the Phillies's Shane Victorino overran him, third base was stolen by Johnny Damon.

This sentence is written in the passive voice; the active voice makes more sense.
Active Voice Response 1 (preferred): Johnny Damon stole third base when the Phillies's Shane
Victorino overran him.
Active Voice Response 2: When the Phillies's Shane Victorino overran him, Johnny Damon stole third
base.

Teaching Tip: The judicious use of the active voice or the passive voice requires thought. Impress on
students that it is up to them, as writers, to determine when the active voice makes sense and when the
passive voice makes sense.
In this sentence, the focus, the agent, the IMPORTANCE is carried by Johnny Damon.

Remind students that in active voice sentences, the agent (the one who does the action) is the
grammatical subject.

2. A happy Thanksgiving is wished by me for everyone.

This sentence is written in the passive voice; the active voice makes more sense.
Active Voice Response: I wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving.

Teaching Tip: For American students, this sentence is fairly simple. I is the agent, and should be the
grammatical subject of the active voice construction.

3. The attorney general indicted the notorious gangster, Al Capone, for federal income tax
evasion.
This sentence is written in the active voice; the passive voice makes more sense.
Passive Voice Response 1 (preferred): The notorious gangster, Al Capone, was indicted for federal
income tax evasion.
Passive Voice Response 2: The notorious gangster, Al Capone, was indicted for federal income tax
evasion by the attorney general.
Passive Voice Response 3: Al Capone was indicted for federal income tax evasion.

Teaching Tip: This sentence forces students to choose. They must determine what the focus of the

sentence should be. Should it be the attorney general? Should it be Al Capone? Most readers would find
that the focus should be Al Capone. In fact, the agent seems insignificant compared to the receiver of the
action. The trailing prepositional phrase (by the attorney general) is best left out.

Active and Passive Voice, Answer Key and Teaching Tips 2

4. The student services committee forwarded revised disciplinary procedures to the campus
president.
This sentence is in the active voice; the passive voice makes more sense.
Passive Voice Response 1 (preferred): The revised disciplinary procedures were forwarded to the
campus president.
Passive Voice Response 2: The revised disciplinary procedures were forwarded to the campus president
by the student services committee.

Teaching Tip: Again, students must discern that the revised disciplinary procedures carry more

weight than the student services committee. Its a judgment call. Some students may even put the
emphasis on the campus president as in
Active Voice Response: The campus president received the revised disciplinary procedures from the
student services committee.

5. Six Thousand shares of Disney stock were bought by Jenny Allen when she was only
nineteen.
This sentence is in the passive voice; the active voice makes more sense.
Active Voice Response (preferred): Jenny Allen bought six thousand shares of Disney stock when she
was only nineteen.

Teaching Tip: The focus really should be on the agent, a young woman who had enough foresight (and
money!) to buy 6000 shares of Disney at age 19.

6. People can view the dazzling meteor shower from the observation tower at the planetarium.
This sentence is in the active voice; the passive voice makes more sense.
Passive Voice Response 1 (preferred): The dazzling meteor shower can be viewed from the
observation tower at the planetarium.
Passive Voice Response 2: The dazzling meteor shower can be viewed from the observation tower.

Teaching Tip: I like to point out that the focus should be the dazzling meteor shower. Who (or what)
else could view it, if not people? Again, although the word people is the agent, the focus should be on
the recipient of the action, the meteor shower.

7. The acceptance letter from Harvard was received by Jenny Arteaga last Tuesday.
This sentence is in the passive voice; the active voice makes more sense.
Active Voice Response (preferred): Jenny Atreaga received the acceptance letter from Harvard last
Tuesday.

Active and Passive Voice, Answer Key and Teaching Tips 3

8. An invitation to Francis Suarezs victory party was received by Mr. Packer, the state party
chairman.
This sentence is in the passive voice; the active voice makes more sense.
Active Voice Response 1 (preferred): Mr. Packer, the state party chairman, received an invitation to
Francis Suarezs victory party.
Active Voice Response 2: Mr. Packer received an invitation to Francis Suarezs victory party.

Teaching Tip: Although the idea is not related to active/passive voice, some students will want to omit
the appositive the state party chairman from the revised sentence. I tell them that using an appositive
is a good way of defining a term within the flow of the sentence.

9. The Baseball Writers Association of America named Joe Mauer, the Minnesota Twins catcher
who led the American League with a .365 batting average, MVP for 2009.
This sentence is in the active voice; the passive voice makes more sense.
Passive Voice Response 1 (preferred): Joe Mauer, the Minnesota Twins catcher who led the American
League with a .365 batting average, was named MVP for 2009.
Passive Voice Response 2: Joe Mauer was named MVP for 2009.

Teaching Tip: It always surprises me that so few students follow baseball . In a class of 30, at most
two (usually none!) will know who Joe Mauer is. Oh well. The focus of this sentence should clearly not be
The Baseball Writers Association of America; it should be Joe Mauer.

Active and Passive Voice, Answer Key and Teaching Tips 4

Active and Passive Voice, Worksheet 2, 16 Exercises

1. The window was broken.
Active Voice Response: Jim broke the window.
Teaching Tip: Well, does the writer want to inform the reader about who broke the window? If
so, then the active voice response works well. If not, then stick with the passive.
In general, though, the easiest sentence structure for speakers of English to understand is the
Subject + Verb + Object (S + V + O) structure, where the subject is the doer of the action (the
agent).
For the sake of simplicity and readability, writers should stick with the active voice unless they
have a compelling reason to use passive.

2. Whenever my family went camping, the emergency flashlight was left behind.
Active Voice Response: Whenever my family went camping, my brother always forgot the
emergency flashlight.
Teaching Tip: In the original passive voice, the sentence focuses on the flashlight, while the
active voice sentence focuses on my brother. Its a matter of choice. The active voice
response sounds more intimate and real than the passive voice, but thats a subtle matter of
opinion.

3. Marlon Byrd of the Chicago Cubs was knocked down by Alfredo Aceves with a hard, inside
fastball.
Active Voice Response: Alfredo Acevez knocked down Marlon Byrd of the Chicago Cubs with a
hard, inside fastball.
Teaching Tip: Use active or passive voice, depending on the focus of the sentence.

4. Fifteen oak seedlings were planted by Mrs. Vigils second grade class.
Active Voice Response: Mrs. Vigils second grade class planted fifteen oak seedlings.
Teaching Tip: When discussing young children, writers usually make the children the focus.
Therefore, the active voice response works well here.

Active and Passive Voice, Answer Key and Teaching Tips 5

5. Biological diversity is considered a crucial survival issue by Professor Edward O. Wilson of

Harvard University.
Active Voice Response: Professor Edward O. Wilson of Harvard University considers biological
diversity a crucial survival issue.
Teaching Tip: We could go either way with this sentence, but the focus really seems to be on
Professor Edward O. Wilson. If that is indeed the case, then the active voice response works
well. If not, then stick with the passive. Students may even replace Professor Edward O.
Wilson with prominent scholars.
Passive Voice Response: Biological diversity is considered a crucial survival issue by
prominent scholars.

6. The cashier was commended by the branch manager for her tactful handling of an irate
customer.
Active Voice Response (focus on branch manager): The branch manager commended the
cashier for her tactful handling of an irate customer.
Teaching Tip: The original passive voice construction places the focus on the cashier. The
active voice response places the focus on the branch manager. In fact students may opt to
eliminate the agent in the original passive voice:
Passive Voice Response (eliminating the agent): The cashier was commended by the
branch manager for her tactful handling of an irate customer.
7. The wet umbrella was removed from the table by the server.
Active Voice Response: The server removed the wet umbrella from the table.
Passive Voice Response (eliminating the agent): The wet umbrella was removed from the
table by the server.
8. The police officer was angered by Jason when Jason refused to present his identification card.
Active Voice Response: Jason angered the police officer when Jason refused to present his
identification card.
Passive Voice Response (eliminating the agent): The police officer was angered by Jason
when Jason refused to present his identification card.

Active and Passive Voice, Answer Key and Teaching Tips 6

9. The 2010 - 2011 budget was not approved by the appropriations committee.
Active Voice Response: The appropriations committee did not approve the 2010 - 2011
budget.
Passive Voice Response (preferred): The 2010 - 2011 budget was not approved.
Teaching Tip: Most readers wont care who did not approve the budget. The issue, and
therefore the focus of the sentence, is the 2010 2011 budget. In this case, the passive voice
works better than the active.

10. The playground area was left in a shambles after the birthday party.
Active Voice Response: The children left the playground area in a shambles after the
birthday party.
Teaching Tip: Again, most readers find it easier to understand a Sub. + Verb + Object
structure (where the subject is the agent) than passive voice. The active voice response makes
it clear who left the playground area in a shambles.

11. Dirk Nowitzki was guarded by Lebron James during the third quarter of Wednesday nights
championship game.
Active Voice Response: LeBron James guarded Dirk Nowitzki during the third quarter of
Wednesday nights championship game.
Teaching Tip: Unless the writer wants to focus on Dirk Nowitzki, theres really no good reason
to use the passive. The active voice is strong, clear, and easy to understand.

12. Five hundred pounds of illegal drugs were confiscated by the Coast Guard in January of
2011.
Active Voice Response: The Coast Guard confiscated five hundred pounds of illegal drugs in
January of 2011.
Teaching Tip: The active voice construction is easier to read, but the passive puts the focus on
the illegal drugs. What is the intent of the author?

Active and Passive Voice, Answer Key and Teaching Tips 7

13. Thirty-seven migrants were found by Homeland Security inside a small van trying to cross
the border in the middle of the desert.
Active Voice Response (preferred -- maybe): Homeland Security found thirty-seven
migrants inside a small van trying to cross the border in the middle of the desert.
Teaching Tip: If the focus of the sentence is on the 37 migrants, then encourage students to
leave the sentence in the passive voice. However, if the focus is on Homeland Security, then the
active voice works better.

14. The Toyota Prius is manufactured in Japan by Japanese workers.

Active Voice Response (May not be the best choice.): Japanese workers manufacture the
Toyota Prius.
Passive Voice Response: The Toyota Prius is manufactured in Japan by Japanese workers.
Passive Voice Response: The Toyota Prius is manufactured in Japan by Japanese workers.
Teaching Tip: The focus of the sentence seems to be on the car brand itself and not the
nationality of the workers who manufacture it. Encourage students to think about the purpose
of the sentence and choose active or passive voice depending on the focus. Sometimes the
passive voice serves the rhetorical purpose of the writer better than the active voice.

15. A bill to force state employees to contribute to the retirement plan was signed by Governor
Rick Scott yesterday.
Active Voice Response: Yesterday, Governor Rick Scott signed a bill to force state
employees to contribute to the retirement plan.
Revision: Yesterday, Governor Rick Scott signed a bill that requires state employees to
contribute to the retirement plan.
Teaching Tip: The active voice response works well if the focus is on the governor; if the focus
is on the bill, then students should leave the sentence in the passive voice. The revision
softens the rhetoric somewhat by rephrasing to force into that requires. Students should
determine what focus and tone they want to create through the different choices.

Active and Passive Voice, Answer Key and Teaching Tips 8

16. Victor was given the science award by the selection committee for his outstanding project
on salt-water intrusion in the Biscayne aquifer.
Passive Voice Response 1 (preferred): Victor was given the science award by the selection
committee for his outstanding project on salt-water intrusion in the Biscayne aquifer.
Passive Voice Response 2: The science award was given to Victor by the selection
committee for his outstanding project on salt-water intrusion in the Biscayne aquifer.
Active Voice Response (not really appropriate): The selection committee gave Victor the
science award for his outstanding project on salt-water intrusion in the Biscayne aquifer.
Teaching Tip: Both passive voice constructions are better than the active voice because the
passive voice puts the emphasis of the sentence on Victor OR on the award. Thats the correct
focus. Active voice puts the focus on the selection committee, which is important, but not really
the item of interest in most contexts.