1. This is going to be fun! I promise!! Passive Voice

2. Active vs. Passive Voice Active voice: Pedro answered the question. Passive voice: The question was answered by Pedro.

3. Changing Active Voice to Passive Pedro answered the question. The question was answered by Pedro. Be (in correct tense)+ past participle and add “by” phrase

4. Let’s try it! Bol did all the homework. All the homework was done by Bol. Sercan doesn’t do homework. Homework is not done by Sercan. The choir will sing his song. His song will be sung by the choir. The class was studying articles. Articles were being studied by the class.

5. Be careful Only sentences with direct objects (receivers of the action) can be put into passive voice. Millions of people watched that program. Passive? That program was watched by millions of people. That accident happened on I-435 last night. Passive? No way! John heard the little boy’s complaint. Passive? The little boy’s complaint was heard by John. The Smiths can buy a new house next week. Passive? A new house can be bought by the Smiths.

6. By Phrase or not? Use a by phrase when the agent is important and known. Grace made her prom dress. The prom dress was made by Grace. Someone made Gabby’s prom dress in New York. Gabby’s prom dress was made in New York. John’s father built their vacation home. The vacation home was built by John’s father. They built my house in 1995. My house was built in 1995.

7. More Practice! Such fun!! Students should always study these lessons. These lessons should always be studied by students. Peter will work hard this weekend. (Be careful!) Not possible!! The bank robber shot the bank clerk. The bank clerk was shot by the bank robber. The storm may destroy their new house. Their new house may be destroyed by the storm.

8. Let’s do some more! I know you want to! The students wrote excellent essays. Excellent essays were written by the students. They built the Carlsen Center in 1994. The Carlsen Center was built in 1994. Edith will write her essay tonight. The essay will be written by Edith tonight. Lala should write her essay tonight also. The essay should be written by Lala tonight.