Introduction:

This is an activity for FCE students to practise the passive and the active voice in a fun and competitive way. Students change the sentences from the active into the passive voice or from the passive into the active voice. The activity could also be used as a warmer or a plenary if the students are already able to use the target language confidently.

Level: B2

Time: 30 minutes

Objectives:

1. To change the sentences from the active into the passive voice or from the passive into the active voice.
2. To get a winning line of four noughts or four crosses in either a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row.

Materials (Click on the worksheets below to download the PDF files):

1. Round One Worksheet, one per pair.
2. Round Two Worksheet, one per pair.

Procedure:

1. Divide the students into pairs and hand out a Round One Worksheet to each pair.
2. The players start with Round One.
3. Each player takes a turn to change one of the sentences from active into passive voice. If they manage to do it correctly, they add either an O or an X to the board. The first player to line up 4 of their symbols in a row wins. The students must write each answer in the space provided below the table.
4. Repeat the procedure with Round Two Worksheet.
5. Monitor at all times and go through some of the most problematic sentences together at the end of the class.

Fast finishers:

1. Ask students to write 4 sentences in the active voice and 4 in the passive voice using a variety of tenses, e.g. Stuart is going to buy Karolina coffee this afternoon. Karolina was invited to a storytelling event by Brittany. When the students have finished they swap their sentences with their partner and change the eight sentences into active or passive voice.

Related posts:

Noughts and Crosses

P.S. “Never use the passive where you can use the active.” George Orwell