Active voice is the usual voice of the verb. The object receives the action of the verb.

Example: The children decorated the Christmas tree. Santa delivered the presents.
Subject verb object Subject verb object
Passive voice turns the object of the active verb into the subject of the passive verb.
Example: The tree was decorated by the children. The presents were delivered by Santa.
Subject verb agent Subject verb agent
Put the number of the active sentences in an ornament on the left tree, passive sentences on the right.
.tree.
1. Carolers sing 2. Children hang up 3. Families put up their 4. Hopeful boys and
Christmas carols stockings on the Christmas tree and girls put out cookies,
for appreciative fireplace for small gifts. decorate it with ornaments milk, and carrots for
neighbors. Santa and his reindeer.

5. Many 6. Caring people

people bake mail Christmas
traditional cards to their
cookies and beloved family and
_ _
Christmas friends to show they
_ _
care.
cakes for their _ _
family and _ _ _ 8. Santas elves at
friends. _ _ _
_ the North Pole
_ _ _ make toys for
7. Santa will _ _ _
_ _ Santa to give to
deliver the _
_
_ _
_ children on
Christmas _ _ Christmas Eve.
_ _ _ _ _
presents on _ _
_ _ _ _ 10. The families
Christmas _
_ _ also decorate their
Eve. _ _ houses, hanging
lights on the
outside and
Photo by Ikescs, Creative Commons 3.0 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christmas_decoration_(DSC04820).jpg decorations on the
inside.
9. The city is 12. The toys that 13. Traditional 14. Cookies, milk Merry Christmas!
decorating the Santa gives to and carrots are put Happy New Year!
cookies and
streets and children on out as a special
cakes are baked
store fronts Christmas Eve are treat for Santa and 11. They prepare
festively for made by his elves for family and his reindeer to special dishes
Christmas. at the North Pole. friends. enjoy. made from turkey,
ham or fish
16. The Christmas 17. The streets 18. Lights are hung on depending on their
15. Stockings presents will be and store fronts the outside of family ethnic background.
for small gifts delivered by Santa are being festively houses and Christmas
are hung on on Christmas Eve.. decorated for decorations are hung 22. Traditional and
the fireplace. Christmas. up inside. contemporary
Christmas carols are
19. A Christmas 21. Thoughtful Christmas cards sung door to door
20. Special dishes made
tree is put up and are mailed to beloved family for the appreciative
decorated with from turkey, ham, or fish
and friends to show them they neighbors by
colorful, dazzling depending on the familys
ornaments. are thought of and cared about. cheerful carolers.
ethnic background.
 Match the active sentences in column 1 with their passive counterparts in column 2.

Active Voice
1. Carolers sing Christmas carols for their
neighbors.
2. Children hang up stockings on the
fireplace for small gifts.
3. Families also put up a Christmas tree and
decorate it with ornaments.

4. Hopeful Boys and girls put out cookies,

milk, and carrots for Santa and his reindeer.

5. Many people bake traditional cookies and

Christmas cakes for their family and friends.
6. Caring people mail Christmas cards to
their family and friends.
7. Santa will deliver the Christmas presents
on Christmas Eve.
8. Santas elves at the North Pole make toys
for Santa to give to children on Christmas
Eve.
9. The city is decorating the streets and store
fronts festively for Christmas.
10. The families also decorate their houses,
hanging lights on the outside and
decorations on the inside.
11. They prepare special dishes made from
turkey, ham or fish depending on their ethnic
background.

Read these write ups. Underline the subjects and circle the objects in the 1st. Circle the agents in the 2nd.
ACTIVE
They dimmed the lights. The audience anxiously anticipated an entertaining evening of music and a light
show. The band began playing strains of an aria. Spectacular light and fireworks filled the sky. They
delivered volley after volley of bursts of light. Everyone had a wonderful time.
PASSIVE
The lights were dimmed. An entertaining evening of music and a light show was anxiously anticipated by
all. Strains of an aria were being played. The sky was filled with a spectacular display of light and
fireworks. Volley after volley of light bursts were delivered A wonderful time was had by all.

Then put this paragraph into the active voice.

Do They Know Its Christmas was written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for
relief of the 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released
by Band Aid on 29 November 1984. In late 1984 a report by Michael Burek was aired highlighting the
famine that had hit the people of Ethiopia. The report was seen by Irish singer Bob Geldof, who wanted
to raise money to help. An invitation was sent to Midge and the song was quickly co-written by Midge
and him. The group, Band Aid was assembled by Geldof consisting of leading Irish and British singers of
the era. The album was cut and more records were sold than any before. All records were broken. Over a
million copies were sold in the first week alone. The recording was attended by the worlds media, and
heavily advertized. Millions of dollars were made available to the famine victims relief fund. So, a huge
difference was made by one man with a will and an idea to help.
(Adapted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_They_Know_It%27s_Christmas%3F ).
Answer
Key
Active voice is the usual voice of the verb. The object receives the action of the verb.
Example: The children decorated the Christmas tree. Santa delivered the presents.
Subject verb object Subject verb object
Passive voice turns the object of the active verb into the subject of the passive verb.
Example: The tree was decorated by the children. The presents were delivered by Santa.
Subject verb agent Subject verb agent
Put the number of the active sentences in an ornament on the left tree, passive sentences on the right.
.tree.
1.Carolers sing 2. Children hang up 3. Families put up their 4. Hopeful boys and
Christmas carols for stockings on the Christmas tree and girls put out cookies,
appreciative fireplace for small gifts. decorate it with ornaments milk, and carrots for
neighbors. Santa and his reindeer.

5. Many 6. Caring people

people bake mail Christmas
traditional cards to their
cookies and
1 1
2 beloved family and
_

Christmas _ friends to show they

2 1 care.
cakes for their _
_
3

family and _ 1
4
3
_ _ 8. Santas elves at
friends. _ 1
4 5
_
_
1
6_
the North Pole
_ _
6
1_
_
_
make toys for
7. Santa will 5
_
_
_
_ 7 1 Santa to give to
deliver the 8
8

_
1
9
_
children on
Christmas 7
_ 9 _2
1 _ 22 Christmas Eve.
_
_ 0_ 21
8

presents on _ _
_
_10 10. The families
Christmas 1 1 _
0 1
_ also decorate their
Eve. houses, hanging
lights on the
outside and
Photo by Ikescs, Creative Commons 3.0 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christmas_decoration_(DSC04820).jpg decorations on the
inside.
9. The city is 12. The toys that 13. Traditional 14. Cookies, milk Merry Christmas!
decorating the Santa gives to and carrots are put Happy New Year!
cookies and
streets and children on out as a special
cakes are baked
store fronts Christmas Eve are treat for Santa and 11. They prepare
festively for made by his elves for family and his reindeer to special dishes
Christmas. at the North Pole. friends. enjoy. made from turkey,
ham or fish
16. The Christmas 17. The streets 18. Lights are hung on depending on their
15. Stockings presents will be and store fronts the outside of family ethnic background.
for small gifts delivered by Santa are being festively houses and Christmas
are hung on on Christmas Eve. decorated for decorations are hung 22. Traditional and
the fireplace. Christmas. up inside. contemporary
Christmas carols are
19. A Christmas 21. Thoughtful Christmas cards sung door to door
20. Special dishes made
tree is put up and are mailed to beloved family for the appreciative
decorated with from turkey, ham, or fish
and friends to show them they neighbors by
colorful, dazzling depending on the familys
ornaments. are thought of and cared about. cheerful carolers.
ethnic background.
Answer
Key
Match the active sentences in column 1 with their passive counterparts in column 2.

Read these write ups. Underline the subjects and circle the objects in the 1st. Circle the agents in the 2nd.
They dimmed the lights. The audience anxiously anticipated an entertaining evening of music and a light
show. The band began playing strains of an aria. Spectacular light and fireworks filled the sky. They
delivered volley after volley of bursts of light. Everyone had a wonderful time.
The lights were dimmed (by an unspecified agent). An entertaining evening of music and a light show
was anxiously anticipated by all. Strains of an aria were being played (by an unspecified agent). The sky
was filled with a spectacular display of light and fireworks. Volley after volley of light bursts were
delivered (by an unspecified agent). A wonderful time was had by all.
Then put this paragraph into the active voice.
Do They Know Its Christmas was written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for
relief of the 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released
by Band Aid on 29 November 1984. In late 1984 a report by Michael Burek was aired high-lighting the
famine that had hit the people of Ethiopia. The report was seen by Irish singer Bob Geldof, who wanted
to raise money to help. An invitation was sent to Midge and the song was quickly co-written by Midge
and him. The group, Band Aid was assembled by Geldof consisting of leading Irish and British singers of
the era. The album was cut and more records were sold than any before. All records were broken. Over a
million copies were sold in the first week alone. The recording was attended by the worlds media, and
heavily advertised. Millions of dollars were made available to the famine victims relief fund. So, a huge
difference was made by a few musicians with a will and an idea to help. (Adapted from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_They_Know_It%27s_Christmas%3F ).

Text adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_They_Know_It%27s_Christmas%3F

 Answer
Key
1. Do They Know Its Christmas was written
by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise
money for relief of the 1984-1985 famine in
Ethiopia.
2. The original version was produced by Midge
Ure and released by Band Aid on 29 November
1984.
3. In late 1984 a report by Michael Burek was
aired highlighting the famine that had hit the
people of Ethiopia.
4. The report was seen by Irish singer Bob
Geldof, who wanted to raise money to help.
5. An invitation was sent to Midge and the song
was quickly co-written by Midge and him.
6. The group, Band Aid was assembled by
Geldof consisting of leading Irish and British
singers of the era.
7. The album was cut and more records were
sold than any before.
8. All records were broken.
9. Over a million copies were sold in the first
week alone.
10. The recording was attended by the worlds
media, and heavily advertised.
11. Millions of dollars were made available to
the famine victims relief fund.
12. So, a huge difference was made by a few
musicians with a will and an idea to help.
1. Bob Geldof and Midge Ure wrote Do They
Know Its Christmas in 1984 to raise money for
relief of the 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia.
2. Midge Ure produced the original version, and
Band Aid released it on 29 November 1984
3. In late 1984, television aired a report by
Michael Burek, highlighting the famine that had
hit the people of Ethiopia.
4. Irish singer Bob Geldof saw the report and
wanted to raise money to help.
5. He sent an invitation to Midge, and they
quickly co-wrote the song.
6. Geldof assembled the group, consisting of
leading Irish and British singers of the era.
7. They cut the album, which sold more records
than any before.
8. It broke all records.
9. They sold over a million copies in the first
week alone.
10. The worlds media attended the recording
and heavily advertised it.
11. They made millions of dollars available to
the famine victims relief fund.
12. A few musicians with a will and an idea to
help made a huge difference.
 Webliography

Item Location License Attribution

http://en.wikipedia.org Creative Commons 3.0 Smb1001
Article: They
/wiki/Do_They_Know_ WP:CC-BY-SA
Know Its It%27s_Christmas
Christmas %3F
From
Wikipedia, the
free
encyclopedia

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edia.org/wiki/File:Chri Attribution Share Alike 3.0
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%28DSC04820%29.jp
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