Yr 6 Active and Passive Ptexts

YEAR 6 WORD
OBJECTIVE
Use of the passive to affect the
presentation of information in a
sentence
www.primarytexts.co.uk
Presenting information in sentences
To understand the use of the passive voice we must first look at how information is
usually presented in simple sentences. Look at the following sentence:
The girl ate an ice-cream.
• The subject of the sentence is the girl: this is who or what the sentence is about.
• The verb is ate.
• The object of the sentence is an ice-cream: the thing the verb is focused on.
Subject Verb Object
The girl ate an ice-cream.
In English, information within sentences is usually presented in the order: subject – verb –
object (S-V-O). www.primarytexts.co.uk
Have a go!
Identify the subject, verb and object in each of these
sentences.
Remember: In English,
1. Amy read a book. information within
sentences is usually
2.Zain likes football. presented in the order:
3. Toni collects stamps. subject – verb – object
(S-V-O).
4.The girl threw a stone.
5.Sunita had a terrible headache.
6.James opened his birthday present.
7. She lost it.
Note: objects may be nouns, noun phrases or pronouns .

How did you do?
Subject Verb Object
Amy read a book.
Zain likes football.
Toni collects stamps.
The girl threw a stone.
Sunita had a terrible headache.
James opened his birthday present.
She lost It.
Changing the presentation of information
Look at these pairs of sentences. Describe the differences between the
sentences in each pair:
1a. The girl fed the cats.
1b. The cats were fed by the girl.
2a. The waves hit the ship.

2b. The ship was hit by the waves.
3a. Mr Smith used the phone.

3b. The phone was used by Mr Smith.
How did you do?
Did you notice that within each pair the
1a. The girl fed the cats. second sentence:
1b. The cats were fed by the girl.
• Uses mainly the same words but with
the order changed.
2a. The waves hit the ship.
• Includes the verb auxiliary were or
2b. The ship was hit by the waves. was
• Includes the preposition by.
3a. Mr Smith used the phone.
3b. The phone was used by Mr Smith. This type of sentence structure is
known as using the passive voice.
Active and Passive Sentences
The first sentence in each of these pairs is
1a. Sam made a model. written in the active voice. This means that the
1b. The model was made by Sam person or thing doing the action is positioned
first before the verb. This is a sentence
structure you are probably familiar with.
2a. The angry dog chased the The second sentence in each pair uses the
postman. passive voice. This means that the person or
thing receiving the action is positioned first.
2b. The postman was chased by The person or thing performing the action is
the angry dog. positioned last. The preposition by and the
verb auxiliaries was or were help to facilitate
this.
3a. Anita found the keys.
3b. The keys were found by Anita.
The Agent
Compare the sentences below. When the original object changes places with the
original subject new terminology is needed to describe this. The original subject
becomes the agent. The original object becomes the subject: the focus of the
sentence.
Active Voice
Subject Verb Object
The cat chased the rat.
Passive Voice
Subject Verb Preposition Agent
The rat was chased by the cat.
Have a go!
Identify the agent in each passive sentence.
Remember the agent is
thing or person doing the
1. The grass was eaten by the cow.
action and is positioned at
the end of a passive
2.My purse was found by Henry. sentence.
3. This beautiful artwork was created by
Lisa.
4.Five goals were scored by Fiona.
5.Fizzy drinks were banned by the

headteacher.
How did you do?
1. The grass was eaten by the cow.
2.My purse was found by Henry.
3. This beautiful artwork was created by Lisa.
4.Five goals were scored by Fiona.
5.Fizzy drinks were banned by the headteacher.
Note: Passive sentences do not always have an agent. This is because sometimes
the agent is not viewed as important, is unknown or obvious. See examples below:
The purse was found.
The ring was stolen.
The window in the greenhouse was broken.
How to spot passive sentences.
• The subject in a passive sentence is not the thing or person who does the
action.
• In past tense sentences was or were is used.
• In present tense is or are may be used. For example: Zoos are visited by
thousands of people every year.
• The preposition by is usually included.
Identify passive sentences
1. Lucy ate five bananas.
2.The game was played by the entire class.
3. The obstacle course was completed by me in record time.
4.The building was destroyed by the fire.
5.The house was destroyed by the fire.
6.The boys looked up at the stars.
7. The treasure was discovered by the evil pirates.
8.The broken laptop was repaired.
9.These mountains are visited by hundreds of people each day
10.There were lots of people at the football match.

How did you do?
1. Lucy ate five bananas.
2.The game was played by the entire class.
3. The obstacle course was completed by me in record time.
4.The building was destroyed by the fire.

Sentences 2,3,4,5 and
7,8,9 use the passive
5.The house was destroyed by the fire. voice. Sentence 8 uses
the passive voice
6.The boys looked up at the stars.
without an agent. We
7. The treasure was discovered by the evil pirates. don’t need to know who
repaired the laptop.
8.The broken laptop was repaired.
9.These mountains are visited by hundreds of people each day
10.There were lots of people at the football match.

Why use the passive voice?
The passive voice is used when we wish to place the focus on the action or the
person/ thing receiving the action. We use the passive to direct attention to the
important part of the sentence. The person/thing performing the action is not of
vital importance within the sentence or not known. Look at the examples of
using the passive voice below:
• The lion was killed. (The focus is on the lion. We don’t know who performed the
action of killing it.)
• My bike was stolen. (In this instance, we cannot say who performed the action
of stealing the bike as it is not known.)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was written by Roald Dahl. (The focus here is
on the book rather than Roald Dahl)
The passive voice is often found in formal or scientific texts.
Have a go!
Identify the sentences in the newspaper article below which use the passive voice.
LION ATTACKS TOURISTS!
Yesterday, a lion attacked visitors at Allendale Safari Park. The park is visited by many
tourists every year. However, after what occurred yesterday, some visitors may be
reluctant to return.
Somehow, a lion escaped from the enclosure and made its way to the Safari Park
restaurant. Panic ensued. Two visitors were hurt by the lion – luckily, no-one was killed.
First Aid was administered to the victims by qualified park staff. The lion was shot by
park-rangers with a tranquillizer gun. Staff transported the lion back to the lion
enclosure. It has now fully recovered and is in good health.
A safety review is being carried out by the managers of the zoo.
How did you do?
LION ATTACKS TOURISTS!
Yesterday, a lion attacked visitors at Allendale Safari Park. The park is visited by
many tourists every year. However, after what occurred yesterday, some visitors
may be reluctant to return.
Somehow, a lion escaped from the enclosure and made its way to the Safari Park
restaurant. Panic ensued. Two visitors were hurt by the lion – luckily, no-one was
killed.
First Aid was administered to the victims by qualified park staff. The lion was shot
by park rangers with a tranquillizer gun. Staff transported the lion back to the lion
enclosure. It has now fully recovered and is in good health.
A safety review is being carried out by the managers of the zoo.
Reflect and Discuss
• What is the object of a sentence?
• What is the subject of a sentence?
• In what position is the person/thing doing the action placed in a
passive sentence?
• In what position is the person/thing receiving the action placed in
a passive sentence?
• Which preposition is frequently used in passive sentences?
• Can you give an example of a passive sentence?
To find more SPAG PPTS for year 6 visit:
https://primarytexts.co.uk/vocabulary-grammar-and-punctuation/

Yr 6 Active and Passive Ptexts

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YEAR 6 WORD

5.Sunita had a terrible headache.

6.James opened his birthday present.

7. She lost it.

Note: objects may be nouns, noun phrases or pronouns .

2a. The waves hit the ship.

3a. Mr Smith used the phone.

5.Fizzy drinks were banned by the

2.My purse was found by Henry.

3. This beautiful artwork was created by Lisa.

4.Five goals were scored by Fiona.

5.Fizzy drinks were banned by the headteacher.

2.The game was played by the entire class.

3. The obstacle course was completed by me in record time.

4.The building was destroyed by the fire.

5.The house was destroyed by the fire.

6.The boys looked up at the stars.

7. The treasure was discovered by the evil pirates.

8.The broken laptop was repaired.

9.These mountains are visited by hundreds of people each day

10.There were lots of people at the football match.

2.The game was played by the entire class.

3. The obstacle course was completed by me in record time.

4.The building was destroyed by the fire.

9.These mountains are visited by hundreds of people each day

10.There were lots of people at the football match.

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