Active and Passive

Overview

This 10-minute focussed session is designed for Year 6 pupils aged 10-11, aligning with the National Curriculum for England’s English Programme of Study (Spoken Language and Writing) specifically targeting the grammar of active and passive voice. The lesson develops pupils’ understanding of how different sentence forms affect meaning and textual style, a key skill required for effective writing and comprehension.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

• Identify sentences written in active and passive voice.
• Explain the difference between active and passive voice.
• Transform simple sentences from active to passive voice and vice versa.

Curriculum Links

• English Programme of Study – Year 6: Grammar - Pupils should be taught to:
  • "recognise the difference between vocabulary typical of informal speech and vocabulary appropriate for formal speech and writing (including subjunctive forms)."
  • "use the passive voice to affect the presentation of information in a sentence."
  • "use the perfect form of verbs to mark relationships of time and cause."

(Department for Education, 2013)

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Resources

• Printed worksheet (28 copies) with 10 sentences: 5 active and 5 passive, plus transformation exercises
• Whiteboard and marker
• Timer

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Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Details
0-2m	Starter: Quick Recall Quiz	Ask pupils: “What is the active voice? What is the passive voice?” Use whiteboard to note key words: Subject, Verb, Object. This primes prior knowledge.
2-5m	Guided Explanation & Modelling	Using the whiteboard: Write one active sentence, e.g. “The cat chased the mouse.” Show the passive version: “The mouse was chased by the cat.” Highlight how the focus changes. Emphasise changes in verb form and sentence structure. Invite pupils to notice patterns.
5-8m	Independent Worksheet Task	Pupils complete the worksheet by:

• Identifying active/passive sentences
• Underlining the subject and object
• Transforming active sentences into passive and vice versa
  Circulate to support and provide instant feedback. Use a timer to keep pace. | | 8-10m | Plenary and Peer Review | Pupils pair up and swap worksheets for peer review, checking correct identification and transformations. Select 2-3 pupils to read a sentence aloud and explain why it’s active or passive. Summarise the importance of active/passive voice in writing choices. |

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative Assessment: During independent work, monitor pupils’ ability to identify and convert sentences, providing immediate corrective feedback.
• Peer Assessment: Pupils review their partner’s work, promoting collaborative learning and reinforcing understanding.
• Plenary: Oral questioning consolidates learning and identifies misconceptions for follow-up.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence stems and word banks for pupils who may struggle with transformation.
• Challenge: More able pupils can create their own sentences in active and passive voice or identify the effect of choosing passive voice within a text excerpt.

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Extension Idea

Encourage pupils to write a short, imaginative paragraph using both active and passive voice, demonstrating controlled use of sentence style for effect. Share these in a future lesson for peer feedback.

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Teacher’s Reflection Notes

• Monitor if pupils grasp the passive voice’s function in shifting emphasis and creating formality, important for Year 6 writing development.
• Adjust future lessons by incorporating more context-based activities if necessary (e.g., analysing text extracts).

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Embedding this concise yet dynamic session into your teaching sequence will build essential grammatical skills, boost confidence in language manipulation, and enrich pupils’ writing technique in line with the National Curriculum.