Post

Many ESL students find the passive voice to be both confusing and frustrating…
So, how do you teach a hard and challenging concept in a way that is fun and easy to understand? With fun activities, of course!

Classroom Game I: Changing the Room

Beginners & Pre-intermediate / Young Learners & Teens

This is a tried-and tested-game that is fun and easily adaptable to past and present tenses.

Divide your class into two teams and send one member from each team out of the room for 2 minutes. Have all the other students move some items around in the classroom, and then call the two members back in.

They try to find out how many things have been changed, e.g. ‘My books were put on another desk’ or ‘These chairs have been moved’. You can award a point for each correct full sentence in the passive voice (or other specified tense). Don’t forget to set a time limit so that as many students as possible can have a turn!

Classroom Game II: Solving the Crime

Beginners & Pre-intermediate / Young Learners & Teens

Are you ready to turn your students into detectives, investigating an exciting case?

Think of a crime that could have been committed in your classroom and create the crime scene. Your students must solve the crime, writing down all the clues they can find in the passive voice, e.g. ‘Muddy footprints were everywhere on the floor, and almost all our chairs were turned over!’.

* Tip: For younger learners, choose a non-frightening crime that could not be realistic, e.g. ‘A fire-breathing dragon tried to enter the classroom and destroy everything!’. You could also tell your students how many clues are hidden in the crime scene.

The Passive Voice Board Game

Pre-intermediate / Teens

Yes, the passive voice in English can be tricky. That’s why E-planet is here to help! You just need this amazing board game from our Voices 6 series to make learning and practicing the passive voice enjoyable!

Download it here: The Passive Voice Board Game.