Passive Voice — Year 6 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: English Appendix 2 — Grammar: use of the passive to affect the presentation of information (Year 6)
Overview
Pupils learn to distinguish between active and passive voice, understanding how changing the voice shifts the focus of a sentence. They explore when writers choose the passive voice — particularly in formal, scientific, and journalistic writing — and practise transforming sentences between voices.
Learning Objectives
- Explain the difference between active and passive voice.
- Identify passive constructions in a range of texts.
- Transform active sentences into passive sentences and vice versa.
- Discuss the effect and purpose of using the passive voice in formal writing.
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Show two versions of the same event: 'The goalkeeper saved the ball' vs 'The ball was saved by the goalkeeper.' Ask pupils what they notice. Discuss which feels more dramatic or formal.
Introduce active vs passive with clear examples. Model the transformation: subject + to be + past participle (+ by + agent). Demonstrate how the agent can be omitted to conceal who did something ('Mistakes were made'). Share examples from science reports and news articles.
Pupils work in pairs transforming a set of sentences between active and passive. Focus on maintaining meaning while shifting focus. Share and check as a class.
Pupils rewrite a short active-voice paragraph as a formal science report using the passive voice, then annotate their choices.
Discuss: why might a writer choose to hide the agent? Pupils share an example where omitting the agent changes the effect. Consolidate the purpose and effect of passive voice.
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils often think passive sentences always include 'by' — the agent is frequently omitted.
- Confusion between past tense and passive voice: 'The dog ran' is past tense, not passive.
- Some pupils believe the passive is always 'better' in formal writing — reinforce that it is a deliberate choice depending on focus.
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Understanding of subject, verb, and object in a sentence.
- Knowledge of past tense and past participles.
- Familiarity with auxiliary verbs such as 'was' and 'were'.
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