More Suspense

Worksheet Description

This worksheet focuses on the use of passive voice to create suspense in writing. It describes the conditions under which passive voice is typically employed, such as when the agent is obvious, unimportant, or unknown, or when the writer wants to delay revealing the agent. The worksheet directs students to write a short story or paragraph that maintains suspense by utilizing passive voice and delaying the revelation of the agent performing the actions until the last sentence.

The worksheet teaches students how passive voice can be a strategic tool in writing, particularly in crafting suspenseful narratives or descriptions. It encourages them to think about the structure of their sentences and the effect of syntactic choices on a reader’s engagement. The activity promotes an understanding of how withholding the agent in a sentence can keep readers in suspense, enhancing the dramatic effect of the writing. It also indirectly reinforces when active voice may be more appropriate, by highlighting the specific, deliberate use of passive construction for effect.