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E9 E - Write a factual report using passive structures

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E9 E - Write a factual report using passive structures

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E9 E - Write a factual report using passive structures


Einleitung

Your task: Write a short factual report or process description. Use the passive voice when the action, result or process is more important than the person who does it.

Mini description: You learn to understand information, check sources, describe a process and write a clear factual text. You use passive structures for a real purpose, not in every sentence.

Look first – then speak: What do you notice about the form of the passive? Give one example before you read the grammar section.

Video laden
YouTube

Media task: Watch the BBC Learning English video once for the main idea. Then watch it again and note:

  1. When is the passive useful?
  2. Which two parts form a basic passive verb?
  3. Which example from the video helps you most?


I-can goals

After this aiMOOC, you can say:

  1. I can find the key facts in a short report, diagram or video.
  2. I can explain why active or passive voice is used.
  3. I can form useful present and past passive structures.
  4. I can describe a process in a clear order.
  5. I can write a short factual report with checked information.
  6. I can ask and answer spontaneous follow-up questions.
  7. I can revise my own text without losing my own wording.


Before you start: activate your knowledge

Answer in English.

  1. What is a fact?
  2. What is the difference between a fact and an opinion?
  3. Which linking words can show order?
  4. What is the past participle of make, write, build, collect and send?
  5. When might the person who performs an action be unknown or unimportant?

Quick hint: A factual text should be accurate, clear and based on evidence. A process description usually follows a logical sequence.


Input: From information to a factual report


Step 1: Understand the purpose

A factual report presents checked information. It does not mainly tell a personal story.

A process description explains how something happens or how something is done.

Useful questions are:

  1. What is the topic?
  2. What happened or happens?
  3. In what order?
  4. Which facts can be checked?
  5. Is the person who performs the action important?

If the performer is not important, the passive can keep the focus on the process:

Active: Workers sort the bottles.

Passive: The bottles are sorted.

Both sentences are correct. The focus is different.


Step 2: Use the passive for a reason

The basic pattern is:

subject + form of be + past participle

Situation Useful form Example
General process am / is / are + past participle Plastic is sorted by type.
Finished past action was / were + past participle The results were recorded yesterday.
Recent result has / have been + past participle New bins have been installed.
Rule or possibility modal + be + past participle The data must be checked.

Use by + agent only when the agent is useful information:

The report was written by the science team.

Do not add an agent when it is unknown, obvious or not relevant:

The samples were tested.

A passive sentence is not automatically better. If the person or group is important, active voice can be clearer:

The school council approved the plan.

Video laden
YouTube

Viewing challenge: While watching, pause after an example. Change it from active to passive or from passive to active. Then explain how the focus changes.


Step 3: Read a process image

Read the diagram, not just the labels.

Ask:

  1. Where does the process begin for your description?
  2. Which stages follow?
  3. Which actions happen naturally?
  4. Which verbs could be used in the passive?
  5. Where is active voice clearer?

Possible language: Water is heated by the sun. Water vapour is carried into the atmosphere. Clouds are formed when water vapour cools. Water is returned to the surface as precipitation.

Think: In a scientific process, the agent is often less important than the process itself.


Step 4: Reading model – process description

Model text: How plastic is processed

Used plastic is first collected and taken to a recycling facility. There, different materials are sorted. The plastic is then washed and shredded into smaller pieces. After that, the material is checked and separated. Finally, it can be processed further and used for new products.

Why the passive works here: The main topic is the plastic and the process. The individual workers or machines are not the main focus.

Reading check:

  1. Find five passive verb forms.
  2. Underline the sequencing words.
  3. Which step could be written in active voice without changing the main information?
  4. Which detail would need a source if this text made a specific claim about numbers, energy or environmental impact?


Step 5: Reading model – factual report

Training example – fictional school data

School recycling check

A one-week recycling check was carried out at Greenfield School. Five classroom bins were examined. Paper, plastic and general waste were recorded separately. In total, 18 kilograms of recyclable material were collected. Two bins were also found to contain food waste. The results were presented to the school council. A clearer labelling system was recommended.

Important: The school name and data above are fictional training material. In a real report, facts and sources must be checked.

Notice the structure:

  1. Topic and context
  2. Method
  3. Main results
  4. Short conclusion or recommendation


Listening and Viewing

Video laden
YouTube

British Council viewing task

First viewing – gist: What is the main grammar point?

Second viewing – detail:

  1. Note two passive forms.
  2. Note one situation in which the passive is useful.
  3. Compare one passive sentence with an active version.

After viewing – respond: Explain the difference to a partner in 30–45 seconds.

Ask: Your partner asks one spontaneous question, for example: Why is the agent not mentioned? or Could this sentence be active?


Context vocabulary

Use these words in a report or process description.

Word Useful meaning in context Example
collect bring things together Samples are collected.
sort put into groups The materials are sorted.
record write down data The results are recorded.
measure find a size, amount or value The temperature is measured.
process treat or change material The plastic is processed.
transport move from one place to another The goods are transported.
examine look at carefully The samples are examined.
evidence information that supports a claim The claim needs evidence.
source where information comes from The source is checked.
result what was found or produced The result is reported.

Use again: Choose five words and create a 50-word process description.


Pronunciation and Fluency

The goal is clear communication, not accent-free speech.

Practise these past participles in short chunks:

collected – sorted – recorded – measured – processed – transported – examined – checked

Read complete phrases:

is collected

are sorted

was recorded

were measured

has been checked

must be reported

Fluency task: Explain a four-step process for 45 seconds. Use pauses between stages, but do not stop after every word.

Self-check: Can your listener hear the difference between is collected and was collected?


Speaking

60–90 second process talk

Describe what could happen to plastic in a sorting facility.

Use:

  1. an opening sentence
  2. at least four ordered stages
  3. at least three useful passive structures
  4. one active sentence where the agent matters
  5. a final summary

After your talk, answer two spontaneous questions.

Question starters:

  1. Why is this step important?
  2. Who performs this action?
  3. Could the process be improved?
  4. Which detail would you need to verify?

Recording rule: Audio or video recording is optional. Keep recordings private unless you have actively agreed to share them. Do not upload recordings or personal data without permission.


Writing


Your target text

Write 120–170 words.

Choose one:

  1. Process description: Explain how a material, natural process or school procedure works.
  2. Factual report: Report checked information from a small investigation, survey, experiment or source set.

Your text should include:

  1. a clear title
  2. a short opening
  3. logically ordered information
  4. useful linking words
  5. passive voice where the process, result or unknown agent is central
  6. active voice where the agent matters
  7. a short conclusion
  8. checked facts and named sources if outside information is used

Do not invent real people, private accounts or personal social-media data. Use fictional profile data if a task needs a person.


Writing frame: process description

Opening: This process shows how ...

Stage 1: First, ... is / are ...

Stage 2: Next, ... is / are ...

Stage 3: After that, ... is / are ...

Stage 4: Finally, ... is / are ...

Closing: At the end of the process, ...


Writing frame: factual report

Title: ...

Purpose: The aim of this report is to ...

Method: Information was collected by ...

Results: It was found that ...

Key detail: ... was recorded / measured / observed.

Conclusion: The results show that ...

Use the frame only if you need it. You may organise your text differently if your structure is clear.


Functional grammar: choose the focus

Compare:

A technician measured the temperature every hour.

The temperature was measured every hour.

Ask yourself: What should be the topic of the sentence?

Use passive voice when:

  1. the process or result is central
  2. the agent is unknown
  3. the agent is obvious or not important
  4. a formal factual style needs focus on the information

Use active voice when:

  1. the agent is important
  2. responsibility should be clear
  3. the active sentence is shorter and easier to understand

Key principle: Do not change every sentence into the passive.


Help levels


Hint 1: Find the focus

Circle the thing or result that should be central.

Example:

Workers collect the bottles.

Focus on bottles → The bottles ...


Hint 2: Build the form

Choose the correct form of be.

The bottles are ...

Then add the past participle.

The bottles are collected.


Hint 3: Check the tense

Present process:

The bottles are collected.

Past event:

The bottles were collected.

Recent result:

The bottles have been collected.

Rule:

The bottles must be collected.


Hint 4: Decide about the agent

Ask: Does the reader need to know who did it?

If yes:

The samples were tested by the laboratory team.

If no:

The samples were tested.


Feedback and revision

Use this sequence:

1. Understand → 2. Respond → 3. Ask → 4. Hint → 5. Improve → 6. Use again

Peer feedback should be specific.

Useful feedback:

  1. Your order is clear because ...
  2. This passive form works because ...
  3. I do not understand this stage yet.
  4. Who did this action? Does the reader need to know?
  5. Check the form of be here.
  6. Check the past participle here.
  7. This fact needs a source.

Revision rule: Keep your own text. Make a copy before major changes. Do not replace the full text with an automatically generated version.


Error analysis

Correct the problem and explain it.

Error 1: The bottles sorted by type.

Think: Is a form of be missing?

Error 2: The results was recorded.

Think: Does the verb agree with the plural subject?

Error 3: The material is took to the factory.

Think: What is the past participle of take?

Error 4: The experiment was carried out by the students by the students.

Think: Is the agent repeated?

Error 5: Yesterday, the samples are tested.

Think: Does the tense match the time marker?

Error 6: The report was written by someone.

Think: If the person is unknown and unimportant, is the by-phrase useful?


Mediation

You receive short German notes from a school project:

Am Dienstag wurden drei Wasserspender geprüft. Zwei funktionierten ohne Probleme. Bei einem Gerät wurde ein defekter Knopf festgestellt. Die Hausmeisterei wurde informiert.

Write a short English message for an exchange-school partner. Do not translate word for word. Select the useful information for the reader.

Possible start:

Three water dispensers were checked on Tuesday. ...

Mediation focus: purpose, reader, key information and clear English.


Source and media check

Before you use outside information:

  1. Check who published it.
  2. Check when it was published or updated.
  3. Compare important claims with another reliable source.
  4. Separate fact from opinion.
  5. Check whether an image can legally be reused.
  6. Do not copy a full text when a short summary is enough.
  7. If AI is used for feedback, verify grammar suggestions and factual claims yourself.

Useful reference pages:

British Council LearnEnglish: Passives

Cambridge Dictionary: Passive voice

Wikipedia: English passive voice

Media on this page come from Wikimedia Commons or embedded educational YouTube channels. Check the original file or video page for current licence and source information.


Transfer

Imagine you are preparing a short museum or factory information text.

Write 80–100 words explaining what could happen on a production line. Use the picture only for visible information. Do not invent technical facts that cannot be seen or checked.

Then rewrite two sentences:

  1. one from passive to active
  2. one from active to passive

Explain which version is better for your purpose.


Can-do check

Give yourself one of these marks: not yet – partly – yes – confidently.

  1. I can identify passive structures.
  2. I can form present and past passive sentences.
  3. I can decide when an agent is needed.
  4. I can organise a factual process in a logical order.
  5. I can distinguish facts from unsupported claims.
  6. I can use media as evidence, not decoration.
  7. I can speak for about one minute and answer follow-up questions.
  8. I can write and revise a 120–170 word factual text.
  9. I can mediate key information for a specific reader.
  10. I can check sources and AI feedback before I use them.


Follow-up course

Next, continue with:

E9 E – Compare sources and write a balanced factual text

There you can compare perspectives, check evidence and connect information from more than one source.


Interaktive Aufgaben


Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

When is the passive especially useful in a process description? (When the process or result is more important than the agent) (!When every sentence must sound formal) (!When the writer wants to avoid all verbs) (!When the agent is always the main topic)




Which structure forms the basic English passive? (form of be plus past participle) (!form of have plus infinitive) (!modal verb plus present participle) (!past participle without an auxiliary)




Which sentence is a present simple passive? (The bottles are sorted by type.) (!The workers sort the bottles.) (!The workers are sorting the bottles.) (!The bottles sorted yesterday.)




Which sentence is a past simple passive? (The results were recorded yesterday.) (!The results are recorded every day.) (!The team records the results.) (!The results have recorded yesterday.)




Why can a by-phrase be omitted? (The agent may be unknown or unimportant.) (!A passive sentence can never name an agent.) (!The past participle replaces the agent.) (!A factual report must hide responsibility.)




Which sentence is best if the school council is important information? (The school council approved the plan.) (!The plan was approved.) (!The plan approving the school council.) (!The plan was approve by.)




Which word is useful for showing process order? (Finally) (!Probably) (!Luckily) (!Personally)




What should be checked before a factual claim is used? (The source and evidence) (!Only the text length) (!Only the number of passive verbs) (!Only the writer's opinion)




Which sentence contains the correct past participle? (The material is taken to the factory.) (!The material is took to the factory.) (!The material is take to the factory.) (!The material taken to the factory is.)




What is a good revision strategy? (Check focus form tense facts and sources.) (!Change every sentence into the passive.) (!Delete all active sentences.) (!Replace your whole text without checking it.)





Memory

passive voice focus on action or result
past participle third verb form
source check verify information
sequencing word shows order
by-phrase names the agent
factual report presents checked information





Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. Thema
First opening stage
Next following stage
After that later stage
Finally last stage
Conclusion final result or summary





Kreuzworträtsel

passive Which voice often focuses on an action or result rather than the agent?
source What should be checked before an outside fact is used?
result What word describes what was found in an investigation?
process What word describes a sequence of stages or actions?
evidence What supports a factual claim?
revise What verb means to improve a text after checking it?





LearningApps


Lückentext

Vervollständige den Text.
A factual report presents

information. In a process description, the passive can be used when the

is more important than the agent. A basic passive form contains a form of

and a past participle. For a general process, present simple passive forms such as “is collected” are often

. For a completed past action, forms such as “was recorded” can be

. A by-phrase is only needed when the

is useful information. Sequencing words help the reader follow the

of stages. Before an outside claim is included, its

should be checked. During revision, grammar, clarity and factual

should be reviewed. A good writer keeps their own text and uses feedback to

it.




Offene Aufgaben


Leicht

  1. Passive Voice finden: Markiere in einem kurzen Sachtext fünf passive Verbformen und erkläre bei zwei Beispielen, warum der passive Fokus sinnvoll ist.
  2. Aktiv oder Passiv: Schreibe sechs Satzpaare. Nutze jeweils einmal active voice und einmal passive voice und beschreibe den Fokuswechsel.
  3. Bildprozess beschreiben: Nutze eine Abbildung aus diesem aiMOOC und formuliere einen Prozess mit vier geordneten Schritten.
  4. Quellencheck: Wähle eine sachliche Internetquelle zu einem einfachen Prozess und notiere Autor oder Institution, Datum, Hauptaussage und einen Grund, warum die Quelle brauchbar ist.


Standard

  1. Mini-Factual-Report: Führe eine kleine, harmlose Beobachtung im Schulalltag durch und verfasse 120–150 Wörter mit klar gekennzeichneten Ergebnissen.
  2. Process Talk: Erkläre einen technischen oder natürlichen Prozess 60–90 Sekunden lang und beantworte anschließend zwei spontane Rückfragen.
  3. Media Comparison: Vergleiche ein Diagramm und ein Video zum gleichen Prozess. Notiere, welche Information in welchem Medium leichter zu verstehen ist.
  4. Peer Revision: Tausche einen eigenen Text mit einer Lernpartnerin oder einem Lernpartner aus. Gib drei konkrete Hinweise zu Fokus, passiver Form und Quellenklarheit.


Schwer

  1. Two-Source Report: Recherchiere ein altersgerechtes Sachthema in zwei seriösen Quellen und schreibe einen 150–170 Wörter langen Report, der Übereinstimmungen und Unterschiede klar macht.
  2. Fact versus Claim: Sammle zehn Aussagen zu einem Thema und ordne sie in überprüfbare Fakten, Meinungen und noch zu prüfende Behauptungen ein. Begründe Grenzfälle.
  3. Mediation for an Audience: Übertrage die wichtigsten Informationen aus kurzen deutschen Notizen in einen englischen Bericht für eine klar benannte Zielgruppe. Vermeide Wort-für-Wort-Übersetzung.
  4. Revision Log: Überarbeite einen eigenen factual report in zwei Runden. Dokumentiere mindestens fünf Änderungen und erkläre, warum jede Änderung den Text verbessert.




Text bearbeiten Bild einfügen Video einbetten Interaktive Aufgaben erstellen



Lernkontrolle

  1. Focus choice: Du erhältst sechs aktive und passive Satzvarianten. Entscheide für einen factual report, welche Version jeweils funktionaler ist, und begründe deine Wahl mit Fokus und Leserperspektive.
  2. Process reconstruction: Ordne ungeordnete Informationen zu einem Prozess, entscheide über passende linking words und schreibe anschließend einen kohärenten Absatz.
  3. Source judgement: Vergleiche zwei kurze Quellenbeschreibungen zu demselben Thema. Erkläre, welche Informationen du übernehmen würdest und welche du zuerst prüfen müsstest.
  4. Error diagnosis: Analysiere einen kurzen Text mit Fehlern bei be, past participle, tense und by-phrases. Verbessere ihn und erkläre die wichtigsten Korrekturen.
  5. Transfer writing: Schreibe aus einem neuen Diagramm einen factual report. Nutze active und passive voice bewusst und begründe anschließend zwei deiner Entscheidungen.
  6. Audience mediation: Formuliere dieselben Fakten einmal für eine englische Partnerschule und einmal für eine kurze Schulwebseite. Erkläre, wie sich Auswahl und Sprache verändern.




Lernnachweis

Für einen Lernnachweis sind wichtig:

  1. ein klar gegliederter factual report oder eine process description
  2. korrekte und funktionale passive structures
  3. bewusster Wechsel zwischen active und passive voice
  4. verständliche Reihenfolge und passende linking words
  5. überprüfte Fakten und nachvollziehbare Quellen
  6. adressatengerechte Sprache auf E9-E-Niveau
  7. eigenständige Überarbeitung mit dokumentiertem Feedback
  8. kurze mündliche Erklärung mit spontanen Rückfragen
  9. reflektierter und sicherer Umgang mit Medien und KI-Feedback

Externe Medien, Uploads oder eingebettete Inhalte sind für den Lernnachweis nicht erforderlich.




OERs zum Thema



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