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University of the humanities
This document provides an overview of active and passive verb tenses in English. It defines verbs and their different voices, specifically the active and passive voices. The active voice has the subject performing the action, while the passive voice has the subject receiving the action. Various verb tenses are listed in both active and passive forms, including present, past, future, perfect, and continuous tenses. Guidelines are provided for when to use the passive voice versus active voice. The document concludes with references for further information.
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University of the humanities
- 1. University of thehumanities Anglo-american language and culture Topic: verb tenses(active and passive voices) Compiled by:……..…. 10/17/2013 Checked by…………....
- 2. Introduction Verb: in a sentences,word used to be describe An action, state or occurrence is acalled a verb Voice: it is the form a vebs takes indicate whether the subject of the verb performs or receives the action There are mainly two types of voices: active and passive
- 3. Glossary • Active • Inan active clause or active sentences, the grammatical subject is the person or thing that performs the action given in the verb ( e.g. Geoff wrote the book) • Passive • In an passive clause or passive sentences, the grammatical subject is the person or thing that experiences the ffect of the action given in the verb (e.g. The book was written by Geoff)
- 4. Active voice andpassive voice of verbs • There are two ways to express an action of a subject in relation to its object • • Active voice • • Passive voice • The active voice is the "normal" voice. In active voice object acted upon subject “active voice” subject does a work on object, while in “passive voice” object is worked on by subject . The normal structure of an active voice sentence is subject+verb+object but in passive the normal structure of sentence is reversed according to certain rules and becomes like object+verb+subject.
- 5. Passive verb forms Presentsimple Active: tell(s) Passive: am/is/are told John tells me that you’re thinking of leaving. I’m told (by john) that you’re thinkinh and leaving. Past simple Active:told Passive: was/were/told John told me that you were leaving. I was told (by john) that you were leaving Present perfect Active: have/has told Passive:have/has been told John has told me that you are leaving I have been told (by john) that you are leaving Past perfect Active:had told Passive:had been told Present continuous Active: am/is/are telling Passive:am/is/are being told Past continuous Active:was/were telling Passive:was/were being told Future simple Active:will tell Passive:will be told Future perfect Active:will have told Passive:will have been told Present perfect continuous Active: has/have been telling Passive:has/have been being told John had already told me that you were leaving. I had already been told (by john) that you were leaving John is always telling me that you are leaving I am always being told (by john) that you are leaving John was always telling me that you are leaving. I was always being told (by john) that you were leaving I will tell john that you are leaving John will be told (by me) that you are leaving By tomorrow I will have told john that you are leaving By tomorrow John will have been John has been telling me for ages that you are leaving. I have been being told (by john) for ages that you are leaving
- 6. How to usepassive We use the passive when: 1. We do not know who did the action = 'The window was broken. (we don't know who broke it.) 2. It is not important who did the action = Breakfast is served at 7am.' (it is not important who serves breakfast) 3. It is very clear/ obvious who did the action = 'Corn is grownin this field. (obviously, farmers grow the corn) How to make a passive? be (is,was) + past participle (been, drawn) makes the passive. Present Simple Passive: 'The newspaper is delivered every morning. (Present Simple Active: 'They deliver the paper every morning.) Past Simple Passive: 'The newspaper was delivered this morning. (Past Simple Active: 'Someone delivered the newspaper this morning.)
- 7. Coclusion Use active voiceunless specified otherwise Make sure the subject is acting and not being acted upon. Use the verb form of word with suffixes Place subject in front of the action they perform(this often eliminates to be verbs) Avoid to be forms of verbs
- 8. Reference 1. Cambiridge:advanced grammarin use 2. Longman:advanced learner’s grammar 3. Longman:Focus on grammar 4. http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/ 5. http://www.studyandexam.com