Active & passive voice

In the active voice, the subject performs the action ("The dog chased the ball"). In the passive voice, the subject receives the action, and the doer is often introduced with "by" or left out entirely ("The ball was chased by the dog", or just "The ball was chased"). Active voice is usually clearer and more direct; passive voice is useful when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or when you want to emphasise the receiver of the action.

Key terms

Active voice:

A sentence structure where the subject performs the action.

Passive voice:

A sentence structure where the subject receives the action.

Questions

1. 1. In active voice, the subject:

   • Receives the action
   • Performs the action
   • Is always missing
   • Is a question

2. 2. In passive voice, the subject:

   • Performs the action
   • Receives the action
   • Is always the doer
   • Is a pronoun

3. 3. Which sentence is in active voice?

   • The ball was kicked by the boy.
   • The boy kicked the ball.
   • The ball, kicked, was there.
   • Kicked was the ball.

4. 4. Which sentence is in passive voice?

   • The boy kicked the ball.
   • The ball was kicked by the boy.
   • The boy kicks the ball daily.
   • The boy will kick the ball.

5. 5. Active voice is generally considered:

   • Less clear and less direct
   • Clearer and more direct
   • Always incorrect
   • A type of punctuation

6. 6. Passive voice often uses the word:

   • And
   • By
   • Because
   • Or

7. 7. In "The cake was eaten", the doer of the action is:

   • Clearly stated
   • Not stated
   • Always "the cake"
   • A question

8. 8. Which sentence uses passive voice correctly?

   • The experiment was conducted by the scientist.
   • The scientist conducted the experiment.
   • The scientist, experiment, conducted.
   • Conducted the scientist the experiment.

9. 9. Passive voice can be useful when:

   • The doer is unknown or unimportant
   • Every sentence should always be passive
   • Active voice is grammatically wrong
   • It never has any use

10. 10. Which sentence best emphasises the action's receiver rather than the doer?

    • The mechanic fixed the car.
    • The car was fixed.
    • The mechanic, fixing, the car.
    • Fixed the car the mechanic.

11. 11. Turning "The teacher graded the essays" into passive voice gives:

    • The essays were graded by the teacher.
    • The teacher, essays, graded.
    • Essays graded the teacher.
    • The teacher was graded by the essays.

12. 12. Overusing passive voice in writing can make it feel:

    • More direct and lively
    • Vague or less direct
    • Always clearer
    • Grammatically incorrect

13. 13. Which sentence is written in active voice?

    • The house was built in 1990.
    • Builders built the house in 1990.
    • The house, built, 1990.
    • Built was the house in 1990.

14. 14. In "Mistakes were made", the passive voice is often used to:

    • Clearly name who is responsible
    • Avoid naming who is responsible
    • Always clarify the doer
    • Ask a question

15. 15. Which sentence is a strong example of when passive voice is genuinely useful?

    • The dog ate the food. → The food was eaten by the dog.
    • The window was broken. (doer unknown)
    • The chef cooked the meal. → The meal was cooked by the chef.
    • Sam read the book. → The book was read by Sam.

16. 16. Why might a scientific report often use passive voice (e.g. "the sample was heated to 100°C")?

    • To make the writing more confusing
    • To focus on the procedure and results rather than who performed them
    • Passive voice is required by law
    • Active voice is grammatically incorrect in science

17. 17. Which best explains why active voice is usually recommended for clear, direct writing?

    • It typically uses fewer words and states clearly who does what
    • Passive voice is always shorter
    • Active voice hides the doer of the action
    • There is no real difference between the two

18. 18. A politician saying "mistakes were made" rather than "I made mistakes" is likely using passive voice to:

    • Take clear responsibility
    • Avoid directly naming who is responsible
    • Make the sentence longer
    • Ask a question

19. 19. Which sentence correctly converts "The committee will announce the results" into passive voice?

    • The results will be announced by the committee.
    • The committee, results, announced.
    • Announced will be the results the committee.
    • The results announce the committee.

20. 20. Understanding the difference between active and passive voice mainly helps a writer:

    • Choose the most effective structure for their purpose
    • Always avoid passive voice completely
    • Always avoid active voice completely
    • Remove all verbs