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Worksheet9th GradeLevel 2 · Standard

Free 9th Grade Active and Passive Voice for Effect Worksheet

Students go beyond identifying active and passive voice to choosing between them on purpose. They spot the passive (a form of be plus a past participle), convert sentences in both directions, and examine why writers use the passive to sound objective in reports, to keep the focus on what happened, or to hide who was responsible. They finish by rewriting a weak paragraph so that every choice of voice is deliberate.

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Grade
9th Grade
Subject
English
Topic
Sentences & Clauses
Difficulty
Level 2 · Standard
Estimated time
30 minutes
Curriculum
Texas grade levels (TEKS)
Questions
16
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practice

  • identifying active and passive voice
  • converting sentences between active and passive voice
  • explaining why a writer chooses the passive voice
  • explaining how the passive can hide responsibility
  • revising a paragraph for deliberate choices of voice

Curriculum: Texas grade levels (TEKS). We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.

What's next?

Completed: Active and Passive Voice for Effect

  1. 1Parallel Structure and Balanced Sentences

How to use this worksheet

  1. Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
  2. Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
  3. Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
  4. Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.

Common questions

Who is this worksheet for?

9th Grade students (typically ages 14–15) working on sentences & clauses. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.

Are the answers included?

Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.

How long does it take?

About 30 minutes for 16 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.

Do I need to sign up to download?

No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.

What should we do next?

Try Parallel Structure and Balanced Sentences.

Preview

Success TutoringWorksheets9th Grade · English · Sentences & Clauses

Active and Passive Voice for Effect

Name

Date

Score /

Ask two questions: who did the action, and does the reader need to know? The answers tell you which voice to use.

Part A: Active or passive?

In the active voice the subject does the action. In the passive voice the subject receives the action, and the verb uses a form of be with a past participle (was taken, is being built). Circle the voice of each sentence.

1.The committee approved the new timetable.
  1. Aactive
  2. Bpassive
2.The new timetable was approved by the committee.
  1. Aactive
  2. Bpassive
3.Mistakes were made during the investigation.
  1. Aactive
  2. Bpassive
4.The volunteers planted two hundred trees.
  1. Aactive
  2. Bpassive
5.The samples are being tested in the laboratory.
  1. Aactive
  2. Bpassive
6.Heavy rain flooded the lower streets overnight.
  1. Aactive
  2. Bpassive

Part B: Convert the sentence

Rewrite each sentence in the voice shown. Keep the same tense.

7.Change to passive: The chef prepared the meal. (answer space)
8.Change to passive: Scientists have discovered a new species of frog. (answer space)
9.Change to passive, leaving out the doer: Someone broke the front window last night. (answer space)
10.Change to active: The award was presented by the principal. (answer space)
11.Change to active: The roads will be cleared by council workers. (answer space)

Part C: Choosing a voice on purpose

Neither voice is wrong. Writers choose the active voice for clarity and energy, and the passive voice to sound objective, to focus on the action or result, or when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

12.Why is the passive used in this report sentence? The solution was heated to 80 degrees and then left to cool.
  1. Ato hide a mistake
  2. Bto keep the focus on the procedure rather than on the person doing it
  3. Cto make the sentence more emotional
  4. Dbecause the active voice is always wrong in science
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Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

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About this resource

Created by
Success Tutoring
Last reviewed
1 October 2026
How it was made
Written by our team

Free to print and share for personal, classroom and homeschool use. Please don't resell. Spotted an error? Let us know.