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Active Voice Workshop Handbook
👇choose between the two main topics📖
"Prepare for the final exam by mastering active and passive voice, verb tenses, and modal verbs in detail."
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today." – Franklin D. Roosevelt
Leonidas Rubio Ibagué, Tolima
Introduction
Welcome back! In this session, we’ll dive deeper into active and passive voice by exploring different verb tenses and modal verbs. By the end of this entry, you'll feel confident using active and passive forms in more complex sentences and real-life scenarios.
Learning Objectives
- Apply active and passive voice transformations across a range of verb tenses.
- Use modal verbs correctly in active and passive constructions.
- Practice with real-life examples and context-based activities.
Reviewing Verb Tenses in Active and Passive Voice
Let’s briefly review how different tenses change in active and passive voice:
- Present Simple: Active: She writes reports. → Passive: Reports are written by her.
- Past Continuous: Active: They were building the bridge. → Passive: The bridge was being built by them.
- Present Perfect: Active: He has completed the project. → Passive: The project has been completed by him.
- Future with 'will': Active: She will deliver the speech. → Passive: The speech will be delivered by her.
Check out these resources for further examples:
Using Modal Verbs in Passive Voice
When using modal verbs, the structure changes slightly. Here’s how it works:
Active: They must finish the task. → Passive: The task must be finished by them.
Active: You can solve this problem. → Passive: This problem can be solved by you.
Practice forming sentences using modal verbs in both active and passive voice.
Check out this video!
Source "Youtube"
Let's Practice
Activity 1: Sentence Transformation with Verb Tenses
Transform the following sentences from active to passive voice:
- The team is discussing the new project.
- He has written three novels.
- The scientists will conduct the experiment next month.
- The manager must approve the request.
Activity 2: Modal Verbs in Context
Use modal verbs to transform these sentences to passive voice:
- We can solve this issue quickly.
- She might announce the results tomorrow.
- The teacher should explain the topic.
- They must follow the rules.
Assessment: Transform and Analyze
Transform the following passage to passive voice, then answer the questions below:
The government announced new regulations last week. They will implement these regulations over the next year. Citizens must comply with the new rules.
Questions:
- Identify the tense used in each sentence.
- Rewrite each sentence in passive voice.
⚠️ Attention! Please submit your answers and take a screenshot 📸, because your responses will not be saved.
Practice Activities
Try These Exercises:
🎧 Listen to conversations and report them to a friend
📝 Write down interesting things people say during the day
📺 Watch your favorite TV show and report the dialogue
Questions or Comments?
Feel free to ask questions or leave a comment. We’re here to help you master active and passive voice!
"With every challenge faced in learning, new insights and opportunities to grow emerge."
¡Let's review completely those contents!
Understanding Active and Passive Voice
Active Voice
In active voice, the subject performs the action:
- Juan writes a letter.
- María plays soccer.
- Students complete their homework.
Passive Voice
In passive voice, the subject receives the action:
- The letter is written by Juan.
- Soccer is played by María.
- The homework is completed by the students.
Basic Grammar Rules for Passive Voice
Structure for Passive Voice:
Subject + be (conjugated) + Past Participle + (by + agent)
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | They sell arepas. | Arepas are sold (by them). |
| Past Simple | They built the bridge. | The bridge was built (by them). |
| Present Perfect | They have painted the house. | The house has been painted (by them). |
| Future Simple | They will deliver the package. | The package will be delivered (by them). |
Complete Grammar Rules for Passive Voice
Formula for Passive Voice:
Subject + be (conjugated) + Past Participle + (by + agent)
| Tense/Aspect/Modal | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | They build houses. | Houses are built (by them). |
| Present Continuous | They are building houses. | Houses are being built (by them). |
| Present Perfect | They have built houses. | Houses have been built (by them). |
| Present Perfect Continuous | They have been building houses. | Houses have been being built (by them). |
| Past Simple | They built houses. | Houses were built (by them). |
| Past Continuous | They were building houses. | Houses were being built (by them). |
| Past Perfect | They had built houses. | Houses had been built (by them). |
| Past Perfect Continuous | They had been building houses. | Houses had been being built (by them). |
| Future Simple (will) | They will build houses. | Houses will be built (by them). |
| Future with 'going to' | They are going to build houses. | Houses are going to be built (by them). |
| Future Perfect | They will have built houses. | Houses will have been built (by them). |
| Future Continuous | They will be building houses. | Houses will be being built (by them). |
| Can/Could | They can build houses. They could build houses. |
Houses can be built (by them). Houses could be built (by them). |
| May/Might | They may build houses. They might build houses. |
Houses may be built (by them). Houses might be built (by them). |
| Must/Have to | They must build houses. They have to build houses. |
Houses must be built (by them). Houses have to be built (by them). |
| Should/Ought to | They should build houses. They ought to build houses. |
Houses should be built (by them). Houses ought to be built (by them). |
| Modal Perfect | They should have built houses. | Houses should have been built (by them). |
| Modal Continuous | They must be building houses. | Houses must be being built (by them). |
| Modal Perfect Continuous | They could have been building houses. | Houses could have been being built (by them). |
English Pronouns Guide
Understanding Pronouns:
Pronouns are words that replace nouns in sentences to avoid repetition and create smoother communication.
| Type of Pronoun | Function | Examples | In Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Pronouns (Subject) | Singular | I, you, he, she, it | "I am teaching." "He is learning." |
| Plural | we, you, they | "We are students." "They are teachers." |
|
| Gender-Neutral | they (singular), one | "They (singular) went to the store." "One must study." |
|
| Personal Pronouns (Object) | Singular | me, you, him, her, it | "Give it to me." "Tell her the news." |
| Plural | us, you, them | "Talk to us." "Help them study." |
|
| Possessive Pronouns | Adjective Form (before nouns) |
my, your, his, her, its, our, their | "This is my book." "Their car is red." |
| Standalone Form | mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs | "The book is mine." "That car is theirs." |
|
| Reflexive Pronouns | Singular | myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself | "I taught myself Spanish." "She hurt herself." |
| Plural | ourselves, yourselves, themselves | "We helped ourselves." "They fixed it themselves." |
|
| Demonstrative Pronouns | Near | this, these | "This is important." "These are mine." |
| Far | that, those | "That was interesting." "Those belong here." |
|
| Relative Pronouns | People | who, whom, whose | "The person who called..." "Students whose books..." |
| Things | which, that | "The book which/that I read..." "The car that broke down..." |
|
| Places/Times | where, when | "The place where we met..." "The time when we arrived..." |
|
| Interrogative Pronouns | People | who, whom, whose | "Who is coming?" "Whom did you invite?" |
| Things | what, which | "What happened?" "Which do you prefer?" |
|
| Reason/Manner | why, how | "Why did you leave?" "How does this work?" |
|
| Indefinite Pronouns | Universal | all, both, each, every, everybody, everyone, everything | "Everybody loves music." "Everything is ready." |
| Partial | any, some, somebody, someone, something | "Someone called." "Something is wrong." |
|
| Negative | no one, nobody, nothing, none | "Nobody came." "Nothing happened." |
|
| Quantity | many, few, several, enough | "Many were invited." "Few responded." |
|
| Reciprocal Pronouns | Mutual Actions | each other, one another | "They help each other." "We trust one another." |
Important Usage Notes:
- Always ensure pronoun agreement with the antecedent (the noun being replaced)
- Be mindful of formal vs. informal usage (whom vs. who)
- Consider gender-inclusive language when appropriate
- Pay attention to singular/plural agreement with verbs
- Avoid ambiguous pronoun references
Common Pronoun Errors to Avoid:
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| "Me and John went..." | "John and I went..." | Subject pronouns come first |
| "Between you and I..." | "Between you and me..." | Object pronouns after prepositions |
| "Them books..." | "Those books..." | Use demonstrative pronouns for pointing |
| "Who did you give it to?" | "To whom did you give it?" | Formal writing requires proper whom usage |
Important Notes:
- Not all continuous forms in passive voice are commonly used in everyday English.
- Perfect continuous forms in passive voice are especially rare and might sound awkward.
- The agent (by + doer) is often omitted when it's obvious or unimportant.
- Some verbs (like "have" or "become") are rarely used in passive voice.
Interactive Exercises
Exercise 1: Transform to Passive Voice
1. "Los estudiantes cultivan café en Tolima."
English: "Students grow coffee in Tolima."
2. "El Festival Folclórico atrae a muchos turistas."
English: "The Folkloric Festival attracts many tourists."
Exercise 2: Identify the Voice
1. "Arepa con queso is eaten for breakfast in Colombia."
2. "Local farmers produce the best coffee."
Real-Life Scenarios
Writing Task active and Passive Voice Exercise:
Read the text below and answer the questions based on your understanding of the active and passive voice.
The Importance of Recycling
Text:
Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new products. This practice has become increasingly important in recent years as concerns about environmental sustainability have grown. Landfills are reaching capacity, and the extraction of raw materials to produce new goods can be harmful to the planet.
Recycling offers several key benefits. It reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. This, in turn, conserves natural resources and energy. The recycling process also generally requires less energy than manufacturing products from scratch using new raw materials. As a result, recycling helps lower greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
Many common household items can be recycled, including paper, plastic, glass, and metals. Consumers are encouraged to sort their recyclables and place them in the appropriate bins for collection. Local municipalities then transport the materials to recycling facilities, where they are processed and eventually remanufactured into new products.
While recycling rates have improved in recent decades, there is still significant room for growth. Experts estimate that over 75% of the American waste stream is recyclable, but the current recycling rate hovers around 35%. Increasing public education and accessibility to recycling programs could help boost these numbers and further improve the environmental impact.
Instructions:
- Read the passage carefully.
- Identify the active voice and passive voice sentences in the text.
- For each active voice sentence, rewrite it in the passive voice.
- For each passive voice sentence, rewrite it in the active voice.
⚠️ Attention! Please submit your answers and take a screenshot 📸, because your responses will not be saved.
Speaking Task: How Coffee is Made
Instructions: Describe the coffee-making process using passive voice:
- "First, the coffee beans are picked by farmers."
- "Then, the beans are dried in the sun."
- "Next, the dried beans are roasted carefully."
- "Finally, the coffee is packaged and shipped."
⚠️ Attention! Please submit your answers and take a screenshot 📸, because your responses will not be saved.
Assessment Quiz
1. Transform to active voice:
"The Combeima Canyon is visited by many tourists."
2. Transform to passive voice:
"Local artists paint beautiful murals."
External Resources
🎥 BBC Learning English: Passive Voice Videos ✍️ Perfect English Grammar: Practice Exercises 🎮 English Club: Interactive GamesClosing Thoughts
Remember:
- Use active voice for clear, direct communication
- Use passive voice when:
- The doer of the action is unknown or unimportant
- Describing processes or scientific procedures
- Writing formal or academic texts
"Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere." - Chinese Proverb
Questions & Comments 📣
If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to leave a comment below. We'd love to help!
""In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." – Martin Luther King Jr."
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