Activity 1: Identifying Passive & Active Voice

In the following sentences, underline the complete subject and bold the verb or verb phrase.
Then, identify whether the sentence is in the active voice or the passive voice.

Example: The children were sitting listlessly under the only tree on the playground. (Active)

1. According to the instructions, the application must be completed in blue or black ink
only. (Passive)

2. The water for your tea is boiling in the kettle. (Active)

3. The performers received a standing ovation from the loud, enthusiastic audience.
(Active)

4. During the school’s hotly contested student council election, the ballot boxes were
locked in the principal’s office.(passive)

5. The gate number for this afternoon’s flight to Chicago will be announced shortly.
(passive )

Activity 2: Changing Passive Voice to Active Voice

In each of the following sentences, change any passive voice constructions to active voice.

Example: As I jogged around the lake at dawn, the attention of a stray dog was attracted by the
sound of my footsteps.

Revision: As I jogged around the lake at dawn, the sound of my footsteps attracted the attention
of a stray dog.

1. She was struck by an overwhelming feeling of relief after the movers had loaded the final
piece of furniture onto the truck.
- As the movers loaded the final piece of furniture onto the truck,
2. Who could have predicted that so many mistakes would be made by the people who
were in charge?
- Who could predict that the people in charge would make so many mistakes?
3. Every spring, our campus is visited by hundreds of prospective students, and most of
them are expected to apply for financial aid.
- Every spring, hundreds of prospective students visit our campus and are expected to
apply for financial aid.
4. After their initial match had been won, the members of the math team hoped to reach the
national competition.
- the math team hoped to reach the national competition after winning their initial match.
5. The clock on the car’s dashboard was never reset after daylight saving time ended, so it
was wrong all winter.
- The clock on the car’s dashboard was wrong all winter because it was never reset after
the end of daylight savings time.