Active and passive voice

Grade 8 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Four sentences. Ari reads a museum guide. Which sentence is in the passive voice?

   • Scientists were studying the samples in a sealed laboratory.
   • The samples were carried to Earth by the Apollo 11 crew.
   • The samples were rare and fragile.
   • Visitors walked by the glass case where the samples sat.
2. 2.

   Four sentences about an old bridge. Esme reads a town report. Which sentence is in the passive voice?

   • The old bridge must be repaired before the spring floods.
   • The old bridge is narrow and slippery before the spring floods.
   • Workers were repairing the old bridge before the spring floods.
   • The town council repaired the old bridge before the spring floods.
3. 3.

   Four sentences about a new mural. Jun reads a club newsletter. Which sentence is in the passive voice?

   • The art club painted the mural beside the gym doors.
   • The mural looks bright and cheerful on the wall.
   • The mural will be unveiled by the art club on Friday.
   • The art club is painting the mural this week.
4. 4.

   The championship was won by the Eastgate swim team after a tight relay. Kira reads a passive sentence from a sports page. Who or what did the winning?

   • the Eastgate swim team
   • the tight relay
   • the sentence does not say
   • the championship
5. 5.

   The window was cracked by a baseball during practice, according to the coach. Luz reads a passive sentence from a coach's report. Who or what cracked the window?

   • a baseball
   • the coach
   • the window
   • the sentence does not say
6. 6.

   The permission slips were collected by Ms. Reyes before the bus left. Milo reads a passive sentence from a field-trip note. Who collected the permission slips?

   • the principal
   • Ms. Reyes
   • the permission slips
   • the bus
7. 7.

   The lights in the hall were switched off after the assembly. Noah reads a passive sentence from an assembly report. Who switched off the lights?

   • the sentence does not say
   • the lights
   • the custodian
   • the assembly
8. 8.

   The new rule has been approved by the student council. Pia turns a passive sentence into an active one. Which active sentence says the same thing?

   • The new rule has been approved by the whole student council.
   • The new rule has approved the student council.
   • The student council approved the new rule.
   • The student council has approved the new rule.
9. 9.

   The goalpost was knocked over by a strong gust of wind. Tala turns a passive sentence into an active one. Which active sentence says the same thing?

   • A strong gust of wind knocked over the goalpost.
   • The goalpost knocked over a strong gust of wind.
   • The goalpost was knocked over by a strong gust of wind late on Tuesday.
   • A strong gust of wind knocks over the goalpost.
10. 10.

    Every locker is checked by the hall monitor each Friday. Zee turns a passive sentence into an active one. Which active sentence says the same thing?

    • Every locker is checked by the hall monitor on Fridays.
    • The hall monitor checked every locker each Friday.
    • Every locker checks the hall monitor each Friday.
    • The hall monitor checks every locker each Friday.