Grammar/Structure: Active and Passive Verbs for JSS 3

Class: JSS 3
Term: First Term
Week: 9
Age: 14-15 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: English Language Studies
Curriculum Theme: Grammar/Structure
Previous Lesson: Listening and Speaking: Intonation, Stress and Rhythm, Passages and Poems
Topic: Grammatical Accuracy
Subject Matter: Active and passive verbs Identification of active and passive verbs e.g. active verb: “The cat chased the mouse” Passive verb: “The leaves are being eaten by caterpillars”

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Describe active and passive verbs.
• Describe the difference between active and passive verb forms.
• Change suitable sentences from active to passive and vice versa.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2014 Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Language textbook for JSS 3
• FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Whiteboard or chalkboard
• Markers or chalk
• Prepared sentence examples on flashcards or charts
• Students’ English textbooks and notebooks

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding active and passive verbs is essential for developing grammatical accuracy and clarity in written and spoken English. This lesson helps students to choose the most effective voice for their communication, thereby enhancing their overall language proficiency and analytical skills.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of verbs, subjects, and objects in a sentence.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Grammatical Accuracy

Active and Passive Verbs

Verbs can be expressed in either active or passive voice. The voice of a verb indicates whether the subject of the sentence performs or receives the action.

Active Voice

In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action of the verb. The structure is typically: Subject + Verb + Object.

Examples:

1. The cat chased the mouse. (The cat performs the action of chasing.)
2. The boy kicked the ball. (The boy performs the action of kicking.)
3. She wrote a letter. (She performs the action of writing.)
4. The students answered the questions. (The students perform the action of answering.)

Passive Voice

In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb. The doer of the action is often less important or unknown, or it may be mentioned in a “by” phrase. The structure is typically: Object of active sentence + form of “to be” + Past Participle of verb (+ by + Subject of active sentence).

Examples:

1. The mouse was chased by the cat. (The mouse receives the action.)
2. The leaves are being eaten by caterpillars. (The leaves receive the action.)
3. The ball was kicked by the boy. (The ball receives the action.)
4. A letter was written by her. (A letter receives the action.)
5. The questions were answered by the students. (The questions receive the action.)

Difference Between Active and Passive Verb Forms

The main difference lies in the focus of the sentence:

1. Focus: Active voice focuses on the doer of the action (the subject). Passive voice focuses on the receiver of the action (the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence).
2. Structure: Active voice is direct (Subject-Verb-Object). Passive voice uses a form of “to be” (is, am, are, was, were, been, being) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
3. Clarity and Conciseness: Active voice is generally more direct, clear, and concise. Passive voice can sometimes sound more formal or indirect.
4. Usage: Active voice is preferred for most writing because it is stronger and more engaging. Passive voice is used when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or when the focus needs to be on the action or the receiver of the action (e.g., in scientific reports or news headlines).

Changing Sentences from Active to Passive and Vice Versa

Steps to Change from Active to Passive Voice:

1. Identify the subject, verb, and object of the active sentence.
2. Make the object of the active sentence the new subject of the passive sentence.
3. Use the appropriate form of the verb “to be” (is, am, are, was, were, been, being) that matches the tense of the original verb and the new subject.
4. Change the main verb to its past participle form.
5. (Optional) Add “by” followed by the original subject if the doer of the action is important to mention.

Example 1 (Present Simple):

• Active: John cleans the room.
• Passive: The room is cleaned by John.

Example 2 (Past Simple):

• Active: My mother baked a cake.
• Passive: A cake was baked by my mother.

Example 3 (Present Continuous):

• Active: They are building a new house.
• Passive: A new house is being built by them.

Example 4 (Future Simple):

• Active: The teacher will explain the lesson.
• Passive: The lesson will be explained by the teacher.

Steps to Change from Passive to Active Voice:

1. Identify the subject of the passive sentence (which was the object in the active sentence) and the “by” phrase (which contains the original subject/doer).
2. Make the object of the “by” phrase (the doer) the new subject of the active sentence. If there is no “by” phrase, you may need to infer a general subject (e.g., “someone,” “people”).
3. Remove the form of “to be” and change the past participle back to its original verb form, ensuring it matches the tense of the passive verb and the new subject.
4. Make the original passive subject the object of the active sentence.

Example 1:

• Passive: The letter was written by Mary.
• Active: Mary wrote the letter.

Example 2:

• Passive: The car was repaired. (No “by” phrase, assume “someone”)
• Active: Someone repaired the car.

Example 3:

• Passive: The song is sung by the choir.
• Active: The choir sings the song.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Guided Practice, Individual Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating Prior Knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them to recall what a verb is and its function in a sentence. The teacher then introduces the concept of active and passive voice by giving a simple example like “The dog bit the man” vs. “The man was bitten by the dog,” asking students to observe the difference in focus.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to questions about verbs and observe the example sentences.

Learning Point: Introduction to verb voice

Step 2: Explaining Active Voice

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what active voice is, highlighting that the subject performs the action. The teacher writes several examples on the board, such as “The farmer plants yam,” and “My sister washes clothes,” and asks students to identify the subject and the action.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation, identify subjects and actions in examples, and copy notes.

Learning Point: Understanding active voice

Step 3: Explaining Passive Voice

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what passive voice is, emphasising that the subject receives the action. The teacher uses the previous active sentences and converts them to passive voice, e.g., “Yam is planted by the farmer,” “Clothes are washed by my sister,” explaining the structure (form of ‘to be’ + past participle).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the conversion of sentences, and ask questions for clarity.

Learning Point: Understanding passive voice

Step 4: Differentiating Active and Passive Voice

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Comparative Analysis

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a discussion on the key differences between active and passive voice, focusing on the subject’s role (doer vs. receiver) and the sentence structure. The teacher provides more examples and asks students to state whether they are active or passive.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in the discussion, identify active and passive sentences, and state the differences.

Learning Point: Active vs. passive distinction

Step 5: Guided Practice – Active to Passive

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides active sentences and guides students step-by-step to convert them into passive voice. For example: “The carpenter built the table.” (Teacher guides: “What is the object? What form of ‘to be’? What is the past participle?”).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils actively participate in converting sentences from active to passive under teacher guidance.

Learning Point: Converting active to passive

Step 6: Guided Practice – Passive to Active

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides passive sentences and guides students to convert them into active voice. For example: “The book was read by the student.” (Teacher guides: “Who is the doer? What is the original verb tense?”).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in converting sentences from passive to active under teacher guidance.

Learning Point: Converting passive to active

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is an active verb?
2. What is a passive verb?
3. State one difference between active and passive voice.
4. Change the sentence “The girl ate the apple” to passive voice.
5. Change the sentence “The car was driven by my father” to active voice.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Assessment of understanding

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on active and passive verbs, their differences, and conversion methods into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the main points of the lesson, reiterating the importance of choosing the appropriate voice for clear communication. The teacher encourages students to practice identifying and converting voices in their daily reading and writing.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and ask any final questions.

Learning Point: Consolidation of concepts

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Complete the following exercises in your notebooks.

1. Identify whether each sentence is in active or passive voice:
   1. The dog barked loudly.
   2. The ball was thrown by the boy.
   3. The book was written by a famous author.
   4. My mother cooks delicious meals.
2. Change the following active sentences to passive voice:
   1. The students cleaned the classroom.
   2. The tailor made a new dress.
   3. Birds build nests.
3. Change the following passive sentences to active voice:
   1. The letter was delivered by the postman.
   2. A song was sung by the girl.
   3. The house was painted last week.

Lesson Keywords

• Active Voice – A grammatical voice where the subject performs the action.
• Passive Voice – A grammatical voice where the subject receives the action.
• Subject – The noun or pronoun that performs the action in an active sentence or receives the action in a passive sentence.
• Object – The noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb in an active sentence.
• Past Participle – A form of a verb, typically ending in -ed, -en, -t, or -n, used in passive voice constructions.

Differentiation

For students who grasp the concept quickly, provide more complex sentences for conversion, including those with different tenses or modal verbs. For students requiring additional support, offer simpler sentences and provide a quick reference chart for “to be” verb forms and common past participles. Pair work can also be used to allow stronger students to assist their peers.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search YouTube for “Active and Passive Voice JSS 3 English Grammar” or “Understanding Active and Passive Verbs for Junior Secondary School”.