Active and passive voice

Grade 8 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   News brief

   A water main broke on Elm Street on Monday. Facts for the next line: who: the Public Works crew; did: repaired; what: the main; when: Tuesday.

2. 1.

   Bo writes a news brief. The editor wants readers to see who is responsible for the repair. Which sentence does that best?

   • The Public Works crew repaired the main on Tuesday.
   • Someone repaired the main on Tuesday.
   • The main was repaired by the Public Works crew on Tuesday.
   • The main was repaired on Tuesday.

3. Note to a customer

   Your move was completed on Saturday. Facts for the next line: who: our movers; did: damaged; what: the fence; when: during the move.

4. 2.

   Esme edits a note from a moving company. Which sentence avoids saying who was responsible for the damage?

   • The fence was damaged by our movers during the move.
   • Something damaged the fence during the move.
   • Our movers damaged the fence during the move.
   • The fence was damaged during the move.

5. History report

   A treaty ended the war in 1783. Facts for the next line: who: delegates from both nations; did: signed; what: the treaty; where: Paris.

6. 3.

   Ari writes a history report. The writer wants the treaty to be the focus and still wants to name who signed it. Which sentence does both?

   • The treaty was signed in Paris by delegates from both nations.
   • Delegates from both nations signed the treaty in Paris.
   • The delegates were signed by the treaty in Paris.
   • The treaty was signed in Paris.
7. 4.

   The winners were announced during lunch on Saturday. Notes: doer = the judging panel. Pia edits a school notice. The notes name the doer. Which revision uses the active voice, keeps the tense and keeps every detail?

   • The judging panel announces the winners during lunch on Saturday.
   • The judging panel announced the winners on Saturday.
   • The judging panel announced the winners during lunch on Saturday.
   • The winners were announced by the judging panel during lunch on Saturday.
8. 5.

   The deadline for club sign-ups has been moved to March 3. Notes: doer = the activities office. Kira edits a club announcement. The notes name the doer. Which revision uses the active voice, keeps the tense and keeps every detail?

   • The activities office moved the deadline for club sign-ups to March 3.
   • The activities office has moved the deadline to March 3.
   • The deadline for club sign-ups has been moved by the activities office to March 3.
   • The activities office has moved the deadline for club sign-ups to March 3.

9. Draft

   The trail was closed after a landslide had been reported. Notes: closed by = park rangers; reported by = a hiker.

10. 6.

    Tala edits a park alert. The notes name two doers. Which revision fixes both verbs, keeps the tenses and keeps every detail?

    • Park rangers closed the trail after a landslide.
    • Park rangers closed the trail after a hiker reported a landslide.
    • Park rangers closed the trail after a hiker had reported a landslide.
    • The trail was closed by park rangers after a hiker had reported a landslide.

11. Draft

    A prize will be awarded to the team with the highest score, and the results will be posted online. Notes: doer of both = the committee.

12. 7.

    Luz edits a contest page. The notes name the doer of both verbs. Which revision uses the active voice and keeps the tense and every detail?

    • The committee awards a prize to the team with the highest score and posts the results online.
    • The committee will award a prize to the team with the highest score and will post the results online.
    • The committee will award a prize to the team with the highest score.
    • A prize will be awarded by the committee to the team with the highest score, and the results will be posted online.
13. 8.

    Four sentences from a club log. Ari checks the voices in two-part sentences. Which sentence has one active verb and one passive verb?

    • The committee has chosen a design, and the banner will be colorful and large.
    • The committee has chosen a design, and the banner will be sewn by volunteers.
    • The committee has chosen a design, and volunteers will sew the banner.
    • A design has been chosen by the committee, and the banner will be sewn by volunteers.
14. 9.

    Four sentences from a harbor log. Zee checks the voices in two-part sentences. Which sentence has one active verb and one passive verb?

    • The crew had loaded the cargo before the harbor police inspected the ship.
    • The crew had loaded the cargo before the ship was inspected.
    • The crew had loaded the cargo before the ship was ready for sea.
    • The cargo had been loaded before the ship was inspected by the harbor police.
15. 10.

    Four sentences from a league report. Milo checks the voices in two-part sentences. Which sentence has one active verb and one passive verb?

    • The field had been flooded by rain, so the game was postponed by the league.
    • Rain had flooded the field, so the league postponed the game.
    • Rain had flooded the field, so the game was impossible for either team.
    • Rain had flooded the field, so the game was postponed by the league.