Active Voice & Passive Voice

Active Voice & Passive Voice

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Simple Present	Active:	Rita	writes	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is written	by Rita.
Simple Past	Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was written	by Rita.
Present Perfect	Active:	Rita	has written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	has been written	by Rita.
Future I	Active:	Rita	will write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	will be written	by Rita.
Hilfsverben	Active:	Rita	can write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	can be written	by Rita.

Examples of Passive 

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Present Progressive	Active:	Rita	is writing	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is being written	by Rita.
Past Progressive	Active:	Rita	was writing	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was being written	by Rita.
Past Perfect	Active:	Rita	had written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	had been written	by Rita.
Future II	Active:	Rita	will have written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	will have been written	by Rita.
Conditional I	Active:	Rita	would write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	would be written	by Rita.
Conditional II	Active:	Rita	would have written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	would have been written	by Rita.

Passive Sentences with Two Objects 

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.

	Subject	Verb	Object 1	Object 2
Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter	to me.
Passive:	A letter	was written	to me	by Rita.
Passive:	I	was written	a letter	by Rita.

1. He sings a song.

………………………………… .

2. The boy killed the spider.

………………………………… .

3. Help him.

………………………………… .

4. Farmers sow maize in the rainy season.

………………………………… .

5. Are you writing a letter?

………………………………… ?

6. The workers were digging a canal.

………………………………… .

7. I will finish the job by the end of this week.

………………………………… .

8. Have you finished your job?

………………………………… ?

9. They have informed him of his mother’s death.

………………………………… .

10. They took all the necessary precautions.

………………………………… .

Answers

1. A song is sung by him. (Active verb – sings; passive verb – is sung)

2. The spider was killed by the boy. (Active verb – killed; passive verb – was killed)

3. Let him be helped. (Imperative sentences in the passive voice begin with let.)

4. Maize is sown in the rainy season. (Active verb – sow; passive verb – is/are sown)

5. Is a letter being written by you? (Active verb – is/are writing; passive verb – is/are being written)

6. A canal was being dug by the workers. (Active verb – was/were digging; passive verb – was/were being dug)

7. The job will be finished (by me) by the end of this week. (Active verb – will finish; passive verb –will be finished)

8. Has your job been finished by you? (Active verb – has/have finished; passive verb – has/have been finished)

9. He has been informed of his mother’s death. (Active verb – has/have informed; passive verb – has/have been informed)

10. All the necessary precautions were taken by them. (Active verb – took; passive verb – was/were taken)

Pharses

Phrases

A phrase is a group or words that express a concept and is used as a unit within a sentence. Eight common types of phrases are: noun, verb, gerund, infinitive, appositive, participial, prepositional, and absolute.

Noun Phrases

A noun phrase consists of a noun and all its modifiers.

Here are examples:

·         The bewildered tourist was lost.

·         The senile old man was confused.

·         The lost puppy was a wet and stinky dog.

·         The flu clinic had seen many cases of infectious disease.

·         It was a story as old as time.

·         The sports car drove the long and winding road.

·         Saturday became a cool, wet afternoon.

Verb Phrases

A verb phrase consists of a verb and all its modifiers.

Here are examples:

·         He was waiting for the rain to stop.

·         She was upset when it didn't boil.

·         You have been sleeping for a long time.

·         You might enjoy a massage.

·         He was eager to eat dinner.

Gerund Phrases

A gerund phrase is simply a noun phrase that starts with a gerund.

Examples include:

·         Taking my dog for a walk is fun.

·         Walking in the rain can be difficult.

·         Strolling along a beach at sunset is romantic.

·         Getting a promotion is exciting.

·         Signing autographs takes time.

·         Going for ice cream is a real treat.

·         Singing for his supper was how he earned his keep.

·         Getting a sore back was the result of the golf game.

·         Pulling an all-nighter did not improve his test scores.

·         Sailing into the sunset was the end of the book.

·          

Infinitive Phrases

An infinitive phrase is a noun phrase that begins with an infinitive.

Here are some examples:

·         Everybody loves to watch movies.

·         To make lemonade, you have to start with lemons.

·         I tried to see the stage, but I was too short.

·         She organized a boycott to make a statement.

·         To see Niagara Falls is mind-boggling.

·         He really needs to get his priorities in order.

·         The company decided to reduce hours for everyone.

·         To donate time or money is an honorable thing.

·         I went to Spain to study the language and culture.

Appositive Phrases

An appositive phrase restates a noun and consists of one or more words.

Examples are:

·         My favorite pastime, needlepoint, surprises some people.

·         Her horse, an Arabian, was her pride and joy.

·         My wife, the love of my life, is also my best friend.

·         A cheetah, the fastest land animal, can run 70 miles an hour.

·         His goal, to retire at 40, is unrealistic.

·         My idea, to recycle the paper, was accepted by the boss.

·         The Florida panther, the state animal of Florida, is an endangered animal. 

Participial Phrases

A participial phrase begins with a past or present participle.

Examples are:

·         Washed with my clothes, my cell phone no longer worked.

·         Knowing what I know now, I wish I had never come here.

·         I am really excited, considering all the people that will be there.

·         We are looking forward to the movie, having seen the trailer last week.

·         Grinning from ear to ear, she accepted her award.

·         The happy dog ran the entire length of the park, pausing only to sniff the dandelions.

·         Painted a brilliant white, the small room appeared bigger.

·         The lake, frozen over all winter, was finally thawing.

Prepositional Phrases

A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and can act as a noun, an adjective or an adverb.

Examples are:

·         The book was on the table.

·         We camped by the brook.

·         He knew it was over the rainbow.

·         She was lost in the dark of night.

·         He was between a rock and a hard place.

·         I waited for a while.

·         She smelled of strawberries and cream.

·         He won the challenge against all odds.

Absolute Phrases

An absolute phrase has a subject, but not an acting verb, so it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It modifies the whole sentence, not just a noun.

Examples are:

·         His tail between his legs, the dog walked out the door.

·         Picnic basket in hand, she set off for her date.

·         The guys attacked the pile of nachos, their fingers getting the last bit of cheese off the plate.

·         Their heads hanging down, the whole group apologized.

·         The entire team, their uniforms muddy and stained, shouted for joy.

These are examples of all of the eight different kinds of phrases. 

Uses of Phrases

5 Phrases for Apologizing 1. I’m sorry that… [ex. I was so rude yesterday] 2. It’s my fault. (= I am taking responsibility for the problem) 3. Oops, sorry. (for very small problems) 4. I should have… [ex. called you and told you I’d be late] 5. (formal) I apologize for… [ex. the delay]

5 Ways to Respond to an Apology 1. That’s OK. 2. It happens. 3. No problem. 4. Don’t worry about it. 5. I forgive you. (for serious problems)

10 Phrases for Asking for Information 1. Can you tell me...? 2. Could you tell me...? 3. I'd like to know... 4. Do you know... 5. Do you have any idea...? 6. Could anyone tell me...? (use this phrase when asking a group of people) 7. Would you happen to know...? 8. I don't suppose you (would) know...? 9. I was wondering… 10. I’m calling to find out… (use this phrase on the telephone)

5 Ways to Say “I don’t know” 1. I have no idea/clue. 2. I can’t help you there. 3. (informal) Beats me. 4. I’m not really sure. 5. I’ve been wondering that, too.

10 Phrases for Asking for Someone’s Opinion & Giving Your Opinion 1. What do you think about...? 2. How do you feel about…? 3. What's your opinion of...? 4. What are your views on...? 5. In my opinion… 6. I'd say... ~ 11 ~ English Speaking Courses www.espressoenglish.net/english-speaking-courses 7. Personally, I think/believe... 8. If you ask me... 9. The way I see it... 10. From my point of view…

5 Phrases for Not Having an Opinion 1. I’ve never given it much thought. 2. I don’t have strong feelings either way. 3. It doesn’t make any difference to me. 4. I have no opinion on the matter. 5. (very informal) Whatever.

10 Phrases for Agreeing 1. Exactly. 2. Absolutely. 3. That’s so true. 4. That’s for sure. 5. I agree 100% 6. I couldn’t agree with you more. 7. That’s exactly what I think. / That’s exactly how I feel. 8. (informal) Tell me about it! / You’re telling me! 9. (informal) I’ll say! 10. I suppose so. (use this phrase for weak agreement – you agree, but reluctantly)

10 Phrases for Disagreeing 1. I don’t think so. 2. I beg to differ. ~ 12 ~ English Speaking Courses www.espressoenglish.net/english-speaking-courses 3. I’m afraid I don’t agree. 4. I’m not so sure about that. 5. That’s not how I see it. 6. Not necessarily. 7. Yes, but… [say your opinion] 8. On the contrary. 9. (very informal) No way! 10.(very strong) I totally disagree.

5 Phrases for Responding to Good News 1. Congratulations! 2. That’s great! 3. How wonderful! 4. Awesome! 5. I’m so happy for you!

5 Phrases for Responding to Bad News 1. Oh no… 2. That’s terrible. 3. Poor you. (Use this to respond to bad situations that are not too serious) 4. I’m so sorry to hear that. 5. I’m sorry for your loss. (Use this only if someone has died)

10 Phrases for Invitations 1. Are you free… [Saturday night?] 2. Are you doing anything… [Saturday night?] 3. Let me check my calendar. 4. (informal) Do you wanna… [see a movie?] ~ 13 ~ English Speaking Courses www.espressoenglish.net/english-speaking-courses 5. (formal) Would you like to… [join me for dinner?] 6. I’d love to! 7. Sounds great! 8. I’d love to, but I have another commitment. 9. I don’t think I can. 10. Maybe another time.

5 Ways to Make & Respond to an Offer 1. (more formal) Would you like a drink? 2. (informal) Do you want some water? 3. Can I get you something to eat? 4. That’d be great, thanks. (= yes) 5. No, thanks. I’m OK. (= no) 6 Phrases for Talking About Future Plans 1. I’m going to… 2. I’m planning to… 3. I hope to… 4. I’d like to… 5. I might… / I may…

5 Ways to Make a Suggestion 1. How about… [ex. trying something new]? 2. Why don’t you… [ex. talk to your boss]? 3. Maybe we should… [ex. do more research]. 4. I’d recommend… [ex. going to the doctor]. 5. Have you thought about… [ex. buying a new computer]?