Active And

Passive Verbs
The queen was eating a jam sandwich.
The queen was eating a jam sandwich.

Can you tell me what is the subject in

this sentence?
The queen was eating a jam sandwich.

The queen is the subject of this

sentence.
The queen was eating a jam sandwich.

What is the verb in this sentence?

The queen was eating a jam sandwich.

The verb in this sentence is written in

red.
This is an active sentence. The
subject-the queen is actively
tucking into her jam sandwich!

But we could change the sentence

around.
The jam sandwich was being
eaten by the queen.
The jam sandwich was being eaten by
the queen.

Which is the subject in this

sentence?
The jam sandwich was being eaten by
the queen.

The jam sandwich is the subject of

this sentence.
The jam sandwich was being eaten by
the queen.

What is the verb in this sentence?

The jam sandwich was being eaten by
the queen.

The verb is written in red in this

sentence.
The jam sandwich was being eaten by
the queen.
This is a passive sentence. The subject-
the jam sandwich- is ‘passively’ having
something done to it. It is being eaten!
Perhaps this seems complicated!

But I bet you hear passive sentences

all the time!
“This ruler got broken, Miss.”
Is this sentence active or passive?

Mark was eating an apple.

Mark was eating an apple.

That’s right! This sentence is active.

Mark is actively eating the apple.
The picture was painted by Tom.

Is this sentence active or passive?

Well done! This sentence is
passive.

The subject of the sentence is the

picture. The picture is having
something done to it.
 Now it is your turn!

See if you can work out which

sentences are active and which
passive.