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:
- To change the sentences from the active into the passive voice or from the passive into the active voice.
- 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):
- Round One Worksheet, one per pair.
- Round Two Worksheet, one per pair.
Procedure:
- Divide the students into pairs and hand out a Round One Worksheet to each pair.
- The players start with Round One.
- 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.
- Repeat the procedure with Round Two Worksheet.
- Monitor at all times and go through some of the most problematic sentences together at the end of the class.
Fast finishers:
- 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.
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P.S. “Never use the passive where you can use the active.” George Orwell