esl worksheets passive voice

Passive voice - 1

Passive voice - 2

Passive voice - 3

Worksheets - handouts

Passive voice

Worksheets - pdf exercises.

• Worksheet - the passive pdf
• Passive - simple present
• Passive voice - present simple
• Passive voice - level 1
• Passive voice - pdf worksheet
• Passive worksheet 1 -> answers
• Passive worksheet 2 -> answers
• Passive voice - worksheets
• Passive voice 1 - pdf worksheet
• Passive voice 2 - pdf worksheet
• Passive voice 3 - pdf worksheet
• Passive voice 4 - pdf worksheet
• Passive: present simple
• Passive: past simple
• Change from active to passive 
• Passive: future simple
• Passive: present continuous
• Passive: past continuous
• Passive: present perfect
• Passive: past perfect
• Fill in the correct verb form  
• Make sentences
• Active / passive - exercises
• Change from active to passive 1
• Change from active to passive 2 
• Change from active to passive 3 
• Change from active to passive 4
• Passive voice - sentence building  
• Active and passive voice  
• Passive - worksheet
• Change from active to passive 1  
• Change from active to passive 4  
• Change from active to passive 5
• Passive voice - modal verbs
• Verbs with two objects
• Grammar notes and exercises

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Passive Voice ESL Printable Worksheets and Exercises

Passive voice simple present and past esl worksheet.

Passive Voice Simple Present Tense ESL Exercise Worksheet

7 Listening/Speaking and Vocabulary Passive Voice Exercises

The passive voice is useful in academic writing  because it allows the writer or speaker to emphasize  a subject  by rearranging a sentence. In business the passive voice is often used to describe processes .  Exercises using pictures encourage students to use critical thinking skills and help illustrate the passive voice in a memorable way.

1 Passive voice listening/speaking exercise (with audio and answers)

This is a passive voice listening/speaking exercise for English language learners. First, students listen to the audio and match the items to the pictures. Then, they listen again complete the sentences.  

Passive voice listening/speaking exercise (PDF)

(Passive voice conversations Youtube video)

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2 Writing (and listening) to passive voice sentences (with  answers)

This is a  passive voice listening and sentence writing exercise. Listen and match a passive sentence to the correct picture.

Writing passive voice sentences (PDF)

3 Passive voice icebreaker/brainstorming

Sometimes really simple icebreakers work best. If you are teaching the passive voice, the exercise below should work nicely. Students have to complete the sentences ..ie. “Apples are grown in New Zealand.” And they can suggest sentences to fill in the chart. It’s a great way to assess students’ knowledge of the passive voice at the beginning of a class. It’s also a great way to begin a discussion about passive voice.

Passive voice icebreaker (PDF)

4 Passive voice worksheet (with answers)

This is a passive voice sentence writing exercise for English language learners. Students complete the sentences using their own ideas generated by the pictures. The verbs below the pictures and the “Useful vocabulary” at the bottom of the page may assist them. Click on the image below or the link  to download the PDF file.

P assive voice worksheet (PDF)

Related Resources:

Comparative adjective exercises

Teaching Gerunds and Infinitives

Indirect and Reported Speech

Passive voice home

8 comparison/contrast templates and exercises

10 cause/effect writing activities

11 essential basic exercises for paragraph/essay writing 

3 kinds of exercises for teaching transitions

5 Passive voice sentences for  environmental issues (with answers)

The exercise below is for exploring the language of environmental issues in the classroom by writing passive voice sentences. It is a good way to gauge the level of knowledge about environmental issues. While students work independently the teacher can walk around and choose some of the best sentences and write them on the the on the board.

Writing passive voice sentences for the environment (PDF)

6 Processing cotton writing exercise

This exercise helps students understand how to write sentences in the active or passive voice when describing a process.

Processing cotton (PDF)

7 Passive toast classroom activity

This is a classroom miming activity for the passive voice. Below are the instructions.

Warm the class to this activity by miming and eliciting from them the instructions for making toast.

2. Group Work/writing

Next, give out the handout and tell the students to rewrite the instructions in the passive tense.

3. Speaking

Finally, with the students in groups of three, one looks at the instructions and mimes while the other two reproduce the instructions as they are acted out.

Passive toast handout (PDF)

10  Adjectives Exercises Including Adjectives for People and Things 

3 Parts of Speech Exercises

6 Picture-Based Present Continuous Worksheets (PDF)

8 Preposition Exercises for Location, Time and Movement (PDF)

6  Present Perfect Language and Speaking Worksheets

7 Incredibly Useful Past Tense Simple Teaching Activities (PDF)

Great Exercises for the Conditionals (PDF)

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ESL Speaking

Games + Activities to Try Out Today!

in Activities for Adults

Passive Voice ESL Games, Activities, Worksheets & Lesson Plans

In English, the passive form is used when you want to emphasize the person or object that experiences the action rather than the person or object doing the action. If you’re looking for some of the best passive voice games and activities for ESL, then you’re in the right place!

Keep on reading for our top picks, along with worksheets, lesson plans and other resource recommendations for the passive.

Passive voice speaking games and activities

Passive Voice Games and Activities for ESL

Let’s get into the best passive games and activities for English learners.

#1: Famous Inventions

This is a simple task-based activity that gets students to use the passive form. Put students into pairs or small groups and then have them come up with 3 of the most important inventions of all time. Elicit some answers from the class and then each group can choose a unique one.

After that, each group can do some research using their smartphones about the invention and then make a few sentences using the passive form. I generally require 2-3 sentences/person. For example:

• The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.
• It was invented in _____.

Then, each group can do a short presentation. I make sure to point out that the passive form is a nice choice for this activity because the focus is on the invention, not on the person who invented it.

#2: Why is the Passive Being Used?

A simple activity to help students understand the passive voice is to have them read a passage with examples of both voices. Students can underline the passive sentences and then compare them with their partners.

After that, they can discuss with their partner why that sentence might be passive, instead of active. After that, talk about them together as a class.

#3: Vocabulary Auction

#4: Name 3 Things (Passive Voice Style)

3 things is an activity that I use as a quick warmer. However, it can also make a nice review for a lesson on the passive voice. Put students into pairs or groups of three.

Then, ask a question using the passive. Some examples:

• Name 3 types of transportation that were invented in the last 100 years.
• Name 3 programs that are installed on your computer.
• Name 3 animals that can be found in Africa.

Students have to come up with 3 things and then put up their hands. The first team has a chance to answer the question using a passive sentence For example:

• ____, _____, and _____ were invented in the last 100 years.
• _____, ______, and _____ are animals that can be found in Africa.

The teacher can emphasize the passive form by asking:

• Who invented them? (students…I don’t know!)
• Who found them (students…I don’t know!)

#5: Sentence Correction

Try out this simple error correction exercise in class or assign it for homework. Write some sentences using the passive voice with errors in them. The errors could be related to form or meaning. Get students to correct them and discuss them together as a class.

passive voice ESL

#6: Passive Voice Videos

I sometimes think that my students get tired of hearing me talk! If you think that might be the case with your students, consider having another teacher do the heavy lifting. There are lots of nice options on YouTube for explanations and examples of how to use it properly and in what situations.

#7: Dialogue Substitution

#8: Passive Voice Songs and Chants

I love to use some songs and chants in my classes to reinforce concepts in a way that just talking about them can’t. If you’re not musical though (like me!), not to worry. That’s where YouTube comes in. It’s some ESL teaching gold and you’re sure to be able to find something that’ll work in just a few minutes.

#9: Passive Voice ESL Speaking Lesson

It’s possible to plan a speaking lesson to cover just about any topic, including the passive voice. Have a look here at the simple steps you can follow:

#10: What Changed?

Try out this simple activity to get students to make some sentences using the passive voice. Put some things on a tray (for a smaller class) or use a simple picture on a PowerPoint slide (for a bigger class).

Then, have students study it for a minute. After that, cover up the tray and change a couple of things. Or, have another PowerPoint slide prepared. Then, students have to make some sentences. For example:

• The ball was moved to the right side of the picture.
• The pen was removed.

Of course, point out to the students why you might use the passive voice in this case—because the emphasize is on the objects, not on the teacher who changed them.

#11: Dictogloss

Create bingo cards with sentences in the passive voice. Read out active voice sentences, and students need to find the corresponding passive voice sentence on their cards. The first student to get a row or column of correct answers shouts “Bingo!”

#13: Passive Voice Puzzles

Write active voice sentences on one set of puzzle pieces and their corresponding passive voice sentences on another set. Students must match the active and passive voice sentences to complete the puzzle.

#14: Movie Poster Activity

Show students a movie poster or book cover with a passive voice sentence describing it. Ask students to create their own movie posters or book covers with passive voice sentences to describe a film or book they invent.

#15: Storytelling

Provide students with a set of pictures or a short comic strip. Have them create a story using passive voice sentences to describe the actions in the pictures.

#16: Board Game

Create a board game with different spaces containing sentences in the active voice. When a player lands on a space, they must convert the active voice sentence into passive voice correctly to proceed.

#17: Scavenger Hunt

Write passive voice sentences describing objects hidden around the classroom. Students work in pairs or teams to find the objects based on the descriptions.

#18:Role-Play

Assign roles and scenarios where passive voice is used, such as a job interview or a news report. Students must practice using passive voice while playing out their roles.

#19: Quiz Show

Create a quiz show-style game with questions related to the passive voice. Divide the class into teams and have them compete to answer questions correctly.

#20: Story Rewrite

Provide students with a short story in the active voice. Ask them to rewrite the story in the passive voice, discussing the changes in meaning and structure.

#21: Passive Voice Debate

Assign students topics to debate, and require them to use this voice when presenting their arguments. Encourage discussions and counterarguments using passive voice sentences.

More Ideas for Teaching the Passive Voice

Passive ESL Worksheets

If you’re a teacher, then you already know how much time it can save to use what other teachers have created. That’s where these TEFL worksheets come in. Why reinvent the wheel? Here are the top recommendations:

ISL Collective 

English Worksheets

Passive Voice TEFL Lesson Plans

Save a ton of time when planning lessons! Check out some of the top options for ESL passive lesson plans right here:

LinguaHouse

TEFL Handbook

Passive Voice FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about teaching this important concept. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

How do I teach the passive voice?

There are a few steps to teaching a lesson on the passive voice. First, set the context and then introduce the passive through a reading or listening passage. Have students notice the examples from the text and explain why the passive, instead of the active voice is used. After that, have students do some practice using the passive.

How do you explain the passive voice?

You can explain the passive voice this way: It’s used when the person or object being acted upon by the verb is more important than the object or thing doing the action. For example, “The police case was solved” emphasizes the case, not the policeman/woman who solved it.

What is the passive voice of, “The teacher teaches the students?”

The passive voice of, “The teacher teaches the students” is, “The students were taught by the teacher.”

When should I use the passive voice?

You should use the passive when you want to emphasize the object of a sentence instead of the subject. However, it often creates wordy, unclear and less direct sentences so should only be used in very specific situations and not throughout an entire piece of writing.

When is the passive voice commonly used?

It’s quite common to use the passive voice in legal and scientific writing. It’s also used when talking about crimes when the person who did the crime is unknown.

Did you like these Passive Voice Games?

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Bolen, Jackie (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 87 Pages - 10/24/2019 (Publication Date)

Yes? Then you’re going to love this book: 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Grammar Activities and Games . The key to better English grammar classes is a wide variety of interesting activities and this book will help you get there in style.

You can find the book in a wide variety of formats. Pick up your copy today and get ready for better English lessons tomorrow:

Teaching the Passive Voice: Join the Conversation

Do you have any favourite passive activities or games that you like to use in TEFL classes? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think about it . We’d love to hear from you.

p.s. You can see even more ideas for teaching English here: ESL Lesson Plans .

Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 15 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 100 books for English teachers and English learners, including 101 ESL Activities for Teenagers and Adults and 1001 English Expressions and Phrases . She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

You can find her on social media at: YouTube Facebook TikTok Pinterest Instagram

Wow, what an amazing resource for teaching passive voice! I love how this website provides such creative and engaging games to help students grasp this challenging grammar point. The game ideas are not only educational but also incredibly fun, ensuring that learners stay motivated and focused during lessons. The clear instructions and helpful tips make it easy for both teachers and students to understand and implement these games in the classroom. Thank you, ESL Speaking, for making passive voice learning enjoyable and effective! Keep up the great work! Gary Ford.

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English Practice Downloadable PDF Grammar and Vocabulary Worksheets

Passive voice (b1).

• PA016 - A Local Sports Centre - Passive Voice
• PA015 - Verb Tenses - Active or Passive Voice
• PA014 - Passive Voice - Change from active to passive
• PA013 - Passive Voice - Change from active to passive
• PA012 - Passive Voice - Change from active to passive
• PA011 - Passive Voice - Change from active to passive
• PA010 - Passive Voice - Change from active to passive
• PA009 - Active and Passive Voice
• PA008 - Passive Voice - Change from active to passive
• PA007 - Passive Voice - Fill in the correct verb form
• PA006 - Passive Voice - Make sentences using the tenses in brackets
• PA005 - Passive Voice - Change from active to passive
• PA004 - Passive Voice - Change from active to passive
• PA003 - Passive Voice - Change from active to passive
• PA002 - Passive Voice - Change from active to passive
• PA001 - Passive Voice - Sentence Building
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Active/passive voice worksheets terms of use.

• Active/\Passive Voice Worksheet

The active/passive voice worksheet involves labeling sentences as active or passive and identifying the doer of action. Then, rewriting sentences from active to passive and vice versa. The printable worksheet includes a space for students to write one of their own active and passive sentences.

• Active/Passive Voice Worksheet Answers

Answers to the Active/Passive Voice Worksheet.

• Inverted Sentences Worksheet

The inverted sentences worksheet involves choosing the correct form of the verb, inverting 3 regular sentences, and then writing 2 or your own inverted sentences. Inverting sentences is a great way to put emphasis on prepositional phrases, and can be an effective way to set moods and setting. Just ask Yoda from Star Wars !

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ESL Activities

ESL Games, Activities, Lesson Plans, Jobs & More

in Reading · Speaking · Writing

Passive Games and Activities ESL | Resources for Passive Voice

If you’re looking for some passive games for ESL, then you’re certainly in the right place. Keep on reading for all the details you need to know about ESL passive voice activities, along with worksheets, lesson plans and more.

ESL passive voice activities and games

ESL Passive Games and Activities

Are you ready for the best passive games for English learners? Then read more to find out our top picks with these fun activities!

#1: Name 3 Things

In this passive game, you can have students make questions that they will then have to answer. You can make a bunch of playing cards using the following form. For example:

Name 3 books that _____ (made) into movies.

Students have to make the correct passive question:

Name 3 books that were made into movies.

Then, students can race to answer the question. I generally put students into groups of 4 for this activity and then have them compete 2 against 2. Each team can take turns drawing a card and then making the question that everyone has to answer.

Some more possible questions include the following:

• Use-artists
• Invent-last 50 years
• Install-programs on computer
• Play-sports in high school
• Find-animals in Africa
• Produce-things in your country
• Speak-languages in Europe
• Show-movies this year
• Born-famous people in the USA

#2: Passive Concentration Game

If you teach more advanced learners, you can try out this challenging memory game that helps students make sentences using the passive. The way it works it that you make up a set of cards. Half will have verbs while the other half will have nouns.

Going in groups of 4, students place them face down in an organized fashion on their desk. The first student draws two cards and if they get a noun as well as verb, they have a chance to make a sentence using the passive. If they draw “leak” and “document,” they could make the following sentence, “The document was leaked to the media.”

If correct, they keep the two cards and get 1 point. Then, the next person goes. If not a match, they place the two cards facedown in the same spot and the game continues on.

Does it sound like a fun activity for your students to try out? You can find out more right here: Concentration Memory Game. 

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Bolen, Jackie (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 87 Pages - 10/24/2019 (Publication Date)

#3: Running Dictation 

#4: Proofreading and Editing

I love to do this activity at the beginning of the next class after teaching about the passive voice as a kind of review. The way it works is that I make up a short passage that uses the passive, except that I include a number of mistakes. Students have to go through it to try and find them.

Depending on the level of your students, you may want to focus exclusively on verbs, or you could also make other mistakes with things like punctuation or vocabulary choices. You can find out more details here: ESL Proofreading and Editing .

#5: Passive Voice ESL Videos

I love to use videos to introduce the passive voice, or as a way to review this concept at the end of a lesson. The good news for English teachers is that there is a video for any level, topic, vocabulary set or grammar point, including the passive on YouTube.

Except that there’s more to it than just popping on a video and pressing play. To get the most educational value out of videos, you’ll need to do some pre and post activities. Here are some of our recommendations: ESL Video Activities .

#6: Famous Inventions Passive Voice ESL Activity

Together as a class, work together to make a list of the 10 most important inventions of all time. Then, put students into pairs and they can use their smartphones to research who invented each thing along with the year and to write a grammatically correct passive sentence.

For example, “The telephone was invented by Alexanders Graham Bell in 1876.”

The first team to complete all 10 sentences correctly is the winner.

• 146 Pages - 06/18/2020 (Publication Date)

#7: ESL Grammar Activities

If you want to spice things up a little bit in your ESL grammar lessons, then consider using some of these games and activities. And the passive voice is ALL about the intricacies of English grammar. Here are some of our top tips and recommendations for teaching grammar, including ESL phrasal verbs , along with activity ideas:

ESL Grammar Games and Activities .

#8: Is that Passive Sentence Correct?

A quick and easy way for students to get some practice with passive forms is to make some sentences. Some have mistakes while others do not. Students have to spot the ones with errors and then make them correct. It’s simple, and also makes a nice homework assignment.

Do you want to try it out? You can see all the details here: Sentence Correction Activity .

#9: Sentence Structure Activities and Games

The structure of passive voice sentences can be a little bit tricky and students often struggle with them a little bit when they’re first learning about them. There are lots of activities and games that you can use to help your students out with this though. Here are some of our top recommendations:

ESL Sentence Structure Games .

#10: ESL Reading Lesson Plan

A nice fit for teaching the passive voice is through a reading lesson. Have a look here for the five simple steps you can follow:

#11: How to Teach Grammar

Do you want to find out the steps you can use for teaching an ESL grammar lesson? Then you’ll definitely want to check out this CELTA style ESL lesson plan template for all the goods. It’ll make your life easier for real!

How to Teach an ESL Grammar Lesson .

#12: ESL Passive Voice Song

There are a ton of fun songs on YouTube that you can use to teach your students about the passive voice. Have a look and you’ll be able to easily find whatever you’re looking for.

#13: Dialogue Substitution with Passive Verbs

A common way that the passive is introduced in ESL textbooks is through a dialogue of some kind. But, have you ever noticed that most students just kind of mindlessly read them with their partners and don’t really take in what they’re reading. This is totally normal but it’s not really our students’ fault. It’s just that we haven’t given them a reason to pay attention.

Instead, you may want to try removing the verbs from the dialogue. Or, you keep the verbs in but remove some of the key nouns. This turns it from just a simple reading activity to one that also focuses on meaning and it’ll make the dialogue more memorable.

Do you want to find out more about how to do this with your English learners? Check it out here: ESL Dialogue Substitution Reading Activity.

#14: Remember This ESL Passive Game

This is a fun memory game that you can use to help your students with the passive voice. Put a number of small objects on a tray of some kind and then give students a minute or two to try to remember what’s on it and the positions.

Take the tray away and move 3-5 objects around. Then, students have to make passive voice sentences about what’s different. For example:

• The pencil was moved to the other side.
• The eraser was removed.

#15: Dictogloss 

This is perfect as a passive voice ESL activity for more advanced students. Find or write a passage that contains lots of passive forms in it. The textbook you’re using may be a good source for this.

Then, read it out at a faster than normal pace for the level of your students. They have to take notes and then work with a partner to try to recreate what they heard. Read it out again quickly and get students to do the same thing. At the end, each pair can compare what they have with the original version. Check it out for yourself:

ESL Dictogloss Listening Activity .

#16: Error Correction Relay Race

#17: Sentence Transformations

Provide students with a set of active voice sentences and ask them to transform them into passive voice sentences. For example, “They built the house” can be transformed into “The house was built by them.” This activity helps students practice recognizing and constructing passive voice structures.

#18: Picture Descriptions

Give students a series of pictures that depict different actions or processes. Ask them to describe what is happening in each picture using passive voice sentences. For example, “The car is being washed by the mechanic.” This activity encourages students to use the passive voice in context and stimulates their creativity.

#19: News Headlines

Collect a variety of newspaper headlines that use the passive voice. Display the headlines to the students and discuss their meanings. Then, ask students to rewrite the headlines using active voice sentences. This activity helps students recognize the passive voice in authentic language and understand its use in news reporting.

#20: Role Plays

Create role play scenarios where students can practice using the passive voice. For example, a doctor-patient dialogue where the patient describes an accident and the doctor asks questions using the passive voice. This activity encourages students to use the passive voice in realistic situations and promotes speaking and listening skills.

More Ideas for Teaching the Passive Voice

Passive Voice Worksheets

Are you looking for some passive or active voice worksheets that you can just print and go? I’m sure you are! Why reinvent the wheel if someone has already done the hard work already, right? Here are some of our favourite resources for passive worksheets:

ISL Collective

Busy Teacher

Passive Voice ESL Lesson Plans

If you’re super busy and want a lesson plan for the passive voice that you can just print and go, then you’re in the right place. Here are some of our top recommendations:

TEFL Handbook

Lingua House

Passive vs Active Voice

In English, the active voice is when a sentence has a subject that acts upon the verb. Here are some examples of sentences made using the active voice:

• Cats love tuna.
• She counted out the change.

The passive voice means that the subject is a recipient of the verb’s action.  Here are some examples:

• Tuna is adored by cats.
• The change was counted by the woman.

In general, use the active voice when speaking or writing. However, you may want to use the passive voice in English in the following cases:

• You want to focus on the person of thing affected by the action (Mary was invited to the party by her boss). The focus is on Mary, not her boss.
• We don’t know who the agent is (My dog has been let out of the yard). It’s unclear who let the dog out.
• When it’s obvious who the agent is (I’d been instructed to make my emails more formal). It’s clear that the agent is his boss.
• When the agent is not important (Do you need a ride? No thank, I’m being picked up).
• When people in general are the agents (Books can be borrowed at the library).

ESL passive voice activities

5 Tips for Teaching the Passive Voice to English Learners

Here are a few key teaching tips for the passive voice. It’s a bit of a tricky grammar point so please keep the following in mind.

#1: Focus on 1-2 situations

As you can see from the section above, there are a number of situations when you might consider using the passive voice in English. However, it can be a bit overwhelming to throw all these out to our students at the same time. Instead, focus on only 1 or 2 of them.

In my personal opinion, the most important usage of the passive is for when the agent is not know and it’s in this context that I generally introduce the passive to my students.

#2: Don’t Forget About Context

When teaching anything, it’s so, so important to set the context first. After all, students need to know some situations in which they can actually use the language if your lesson is going to be useful. I generally introduce the passive through a listening or reading exercise so it’s clear to my students how to use the language in a natural way.

#3: Practice is Key!

Just because you teach students about the difference between the passive and active voices once or twice doesn’t mean that they’re going to remember it. The key is to give your students lots of opportunities to keep working on it and be patient if they don’t remember.

#4: Explain it in Different Ways

You’ll have some students that are great at listening to something and picking it up. Others like to see if in writing while others may find it useful to see a chart of some kind. However, the best combination is usually all of these approaches together!

Help your students out by explaining things in a few different ways. Try to make it as simple as possible and your students will really appreciate it. I generally don’t throw out a bunch of exceptions until the end of the a lesson. I wait until my students have the gist of it until throwing a monkey wrench into the whole thing.

#5: Use a Variety of Passive Games

Teaching about the passive doesn’t have to be boring and dry! Use a variety of fun, engaging games and activities like the ones from this list and you’ll go a long towards ensuring that your students can remember your lesson.

There are a number of common questions that people have about teaching this verb tense. Here are the answers to some of the most common ones.

Why is it important to teach the passive voice to English learners?

Teaching the passive voice helps learners understand and use more varied sentence structures, improves their overall grammar skills, and enhances their ability to comprehend written and spoken English.

 When should I introduce the passive voice to my students?

The passive voice is typically introduced after students have a good grasp of the basic sentence structure and verb tenses in English, usually at an intermediate level.

What are some common indicators of the passive voice?

Some common indicators of the passive voice include the use of the auxiliary verb “to be” (e.g., is, am, are, was, were), past participles, and the preposition “by” when indicating the agent of the action.

What are some strategies to teach the passive voice effectively?

Engaging students in activities such as sentence transformations, picture descriptions, news headline analysis, role plays, error correction, and using song lyrics can be effective in teaching the passive voice.

How can I help students understand the difference between the active and passive voice?

Providing clear explanations, offering plenty of examples, and encouraging students to practice transforming active voice sentences into passive voice sentences and vice versa can help them grasp the difference.

What are some challenges learners may face when using the passive voice?

Some challenges learners may face include correctly identifying when to use the passive voice, choosing the appropriate auxiliary verb and verb tense, and understanding the role of the agent in passive voice sentences.

How can I encourage students to use the passive voice in their speaking and writing?

Encourage students to use the passive voice by providing opportunities for practice, modeling its use, discussing its relevance in different contexts, and highlighting its advantages in specific situations.

Did you Like these Passive Games and Activities?

Yes? Thought so! Then the book you’re going to love is this one over on Amazon: 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Grammar Activities . If you teach grammar to English learners, don’t do it the boring way! Instead, use a variety of fun, engaging and student-centred activities and games.

There are more than 3 dozens activities in this book which will help you make it through an entire semester in style, no matter which grammar points you’re teaching. If that’s not some ESL teaching awesome, I’m not sure what is.

You can find the book in both digital and print formats. Take a copy with you on your phone or tablet to your favourite coffee shop or library for a serious lesson planning session. Or, consider picking up a copy to keep on the bookshelf in your office or teacher’s resource room to use as a handy reference guide.

Does it sound like exactly what you need to level up your English teaching game? It mostly likely is! Check out the book for yourself over on Amazon:

Have your Say about these Passive Voice EFL Activities

What do you think about these ESL passive voice activities? Did you try out some of them from this list or do you have another that you’d like to recommend? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’ll help other busy teachers, like yourself find this useful teaching resource.

Last update on 2022-07-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 15 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 60 books for English teachers and English learners, including Business English Vocabulary Builder and 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities for Teenagers and Adults . She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

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Passive Voice – Free Exercise

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the passive.

• I don’t have to buy the paper because it (deliver)     to our house every day. simple present (signal: every day )|3 rd person singular: is + past participle
• When Kylie went to school, she (pick up)     by her parents every day. simple past (signal: went )|3 rd person singular: was + past participle
• You don’t have to clean the bathroom. It (clean/already)     by someone else. present perfect (signal: already, first clause in simple present)|3 rd person singular: has + adverb + been + past participle
• Relax! From now on, I promise that everything (do)     for you. will future (signal: from now on, I promise )| will be + past participle|irregular verb: do-did-done
• When I came home, dinner (cook/not)     yet. past perfect (signal: yet, first clause in simple past)| had been + past participle

Rewrite the sentences in the passive voice. Use the same tense as in the active sentence. Only use by if necessary.

• They offer free trials twice a year. simple present|3 rd person plural: are + past participle|Do not include the agent when it is unknown/unimportant/obvious.   twice a year.
• Someone is cutting the grass next door. present progressive|3 rd person singular: is being + past participle|irregular verb: cut-cut-cut |Do not include the agent when it is unknown/unimportant/obvious.   next door.
• All parties have signed the contract. present perfect|3 rd person singular: has been + past participle|Use by to introduce the agent.   .
• A car hit the traffic light. simple past|3 rd person singular: was + past participle|irregular verb: hit-hit-hit |Use by to introduce the agent.   .

Rewrite the sentences in two ways: once in the impersonal passive and once in the personal passive.

• Visitors say that these museums have wonderful exhibits. It   these museums have wonderful exhibits. it is + participle of reporting verb + that |irregular verb: say-said-said These museums   wonderful exhibits. reporting verb: say (simple present) →|subject (3 rd person plural) + are + participle of reporting verb + main verb infinitive: to have |irregular verb: say-said-said
• Everybody agrees that this sculpture is the artist’s greatest work. It   this sculpture is the artist’s greatest work. it is + participle of reporting verb + that This sculpture   the artist’s greatest work. reporting verb: agrees (simple present)|subject (3 rd person singular) + is + participle of reporting verb + main verb infinitive: to be
• Experts assume that the diamond is priceless. It   the diamond is priceless. it is + participle of reporting verb + that The diamond   priceless. reporting verb: assume →|subject (3 rd person singular) + is + participle of reporting verb + main verb infinitive: to be
• Experts believe that this jewellery belonged to Cleopatra. It   this jewellery belonged to Cleopatra. it is + participle of reporting verb + that This jewellery   to Cleopatra. reporting verb: believe (simple present) →|subject (3 rd person singular) + is + participle of reporting verb + main verb perfect infinitive: to have belonged |Use the perfect infinitive when the active main verb is in the past.

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English Grammar Online Exercises and Downloadable Worksheets

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All downloads are in PDF Format and consist of a worksheet and answer sheet to check your results.

Levels of Difficulty : Elementary Intermediate Advanced

Passive Voice - All tenses

• PV008 - Make passive sentences with the tenses given Elementary
• Change to passive voice - PV 4 Intermediate
• Change to passive voice - PV 5 Intermediate
• Change to passive voice - PV 6 Intermediate
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• Translation - Passive Voice PV 1 Intermediate
• Translation - Passive Voice PV 2 Intermediate
• Translation - Passive Voice PV 3 Intermediate

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Active vs Passive Voice

Active voice means the subject does the action . For example, “The cat chased the mouse.” The cat is doing something; it’s active.

Passive voice flips it around, making the action done to the subject . Like, “The mouse was chased by the cat.” It’s more indirect.

While active voice often makes sentences more dynamic, passive voice can be useful too. Let’s explore active vs passive voice .

Active Voice

Active voice emphasizes the subject, the person or thing carrying out the verb. In an active voice, the subject comes first. Then, the verb follows the subject.

Here are some examples of using active voice:

• “The chef cooks a delicious meal.”
• “Lightning strikes the tree.”
• “The artist paints a beautiful picture.”

Each sentence shows someone or something actively doing an action . It makes it clear and straightforward who is performing the action.

Passive Voice

Passive voice is when the action of the sentence is done to the subject. Now, the focus is on the action and what receives it , not who does it.

Using the same sentences as above, here they are in passive voice:

• “A delicious meal is cooked by the chef.”
• “The tree is struck by lightning.”
• “A beautiful picture is painted by the artist.”

Passive voice can make sentences sound formal or emphasize the action more than the subject. It’s also useful in scientific writing or when the doer is unknown. But, it can make things less direct.

Converting Passive to Active Voice

Let’s go through a couple of examples of converting passive to active voice.

Passive = The breakthrough was made by the scientists. Active = The scientists made a breakthrough.

In the sentence “The breakthrough was made by the scientists,” the big discovery is the main point, not who found it. But, “The scientists made a breakthrough” puts the spotlight on the scientists doing something amazing.

Passive = The bank was robbed by two men. Active = Two men robbed the bank.

In “The bank was robbed by two men,” the sentence focuses on the bank being robbed, not so much on the robbers. But, “Two men robbed the bank” shines the light on the two men doing the robbing. How you say it switches what part grabs your attention.

Passive = The burglar was arrested by police. Active = Police arrested the burglar.

Similar to the above, it’s all about what part of the story you want to stand out. “The burglar was arrested by police” focuses on the burglar getting caught. Less focus is on who caught him. On the flip side, “Police arrested the burglar” highlights the police’s action.

When To Use Passive Voice

Most readers prefer active voice for its directness. If possible, that’s why we always encourage you to use it. Although passive voice can be less direct, it’s okay to use passive voice in several situations.

Here are some key ones:

1. When the subject is unknown

It’s okay to use passive voice when you don’t know who performed the action. “The window was broken.” The emphasis is on the event because we don’t know who did it. Another example is, “The car was stolen overnight.” The subject again is unknown.

2. To focus on the action or result

In scientific and academic writing, the outcome or the action itself is more significant than who performed it. “A cure for the disease was discovered.” This emphasizes the discovery of the cure, not the person who discovered it.

3. When the subject is less important than the action

There are times when the action’s impact is more important than who performed it. “The painting was sold for a record price.” Here, the emphasis is on selling at a record price. This can help keep the audience’s attention on the results rather than on the individuals.

4. To sound more formal or academic

The passive voice has a formal tone that suits academic writing, legal documents, and formal reports. “The experiment was conducted according to the protocol.” This style makes the process the focus rather than the researchers.

5. To avoid assigning blame

When wanting to soften the delivery of bad news, passive voice can soften the action. “Mistakes were made.” This approach is less direct and can reduce the perception of finger-pointing.

Today, we pointed out the differences between active and passive voice. Active voice means the subject does the action . But passive voice flips it around and the action is done on the subject .

While passive voice can be less direct , it still has its place. We use it when the subject isn’t known and in formal writing. It’s all about using it wisely to suit your message .

Do you have any questions about using the active or passive voice? Please add them to our comment section below. We’ll be happy to get back to you.

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Passive Voice, present and past

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