Order of Adjectives
DETERMINER 1 DETERMINER 2 DETERMINER 3 NUMBER INTENSIFIER
OPINION SIZE LENGTH SHAPE WIDTH PARTICIPLE1 AGE COLOR ORIGIN
MATERIAL NOUN DENOMINAL2,3 NOUN
all of the very narrow side streets
both of Dr. Martin's quite rare worn old Italian art books
a rather pretty small tattered antique Japanese cloth doll
an ugly faded brown Spanish tapestry
neither of my somewhat unusual long thin chipped ancient blue
Chinese porcelain flower vases
her enormous round red plastic earrings
none of his first three exciting mystery novels
the next big technological breakthrough
the last two utterly strange carved wood statues
those four yellow school buses
a fantastic old French impressionist painting
their exciting New York social life
minute chemical changes
current German philosophical thought
his complete family medical history
the same underlying neurological conditions
1This category is sometimes called condition. Quirk has age,
color, participle: "old interlocking Chinese designs," "grey
crumbling Gothic church tower" (A Grammar of Contemporary English,
pp. 92325). 2An adjective derived from a noun. Examples include
biological, classical, ethical, moral, philosophical, social, and
technological. 3Compare "family medical history" and "geopolitical
battle lines." The denominal adjective can go before the first or
second noun. Its placement depends on what the adjective is
modifying. In "family medical history," only the history is
medical, whereas in "geopolitical battle lines," "battle lines" is
a single entity.
The order in these categories never varies. The order in these
categories sometimes varies. The order in these categories varies
less, but you may see "old worn" instead of "worn old," for
example.
The order listed in this chart is generally accepted by
authorities, but there is some disagreement about certain details.
The colors indicating more variability are the usual areas of
disagreement. One problem is that certain collocations are
preferred above others. For example, Quirk mentions that English
speakers usually say "beautiful long hair" but "long straight
hair." The best way to learn these variations is by extensive
reading. It is important to understand that we usually use only two
or three adjectives together. It is extremely rare to use four or
more at the same time. The examples in the table are only for the
purposes of illustration. It would be interesting to highlight
combinations of two, three, and four adjectives you find in your
reading. You could use a different color for each number. You will
find that you will have many twoadjective combinations, fewer
threeadjective combinations, and almost no fouradjective
combinations. It would also be a good idea to keep a list of
phrases that contain adjectives in a different order from that of
the table. Examples you keep in a notebook can be a very valuable
learning tool. You might also want to search the Web with your
favorite search engine for specific combinations ("worn old" vs.
"old worn," for example). You can also do a simple search of the
British National Corpus to search their database using more
sophisticated parameters. Whatever you decide to do, remember that
reading is the best way to develop both vocabulary and a feel for
the language. The more you read, the more you will develop an ear
for the language"certain combinations just won't sound "right." As
you become more advanced, extensive reading will help you more than
grammatical explanations. Use grammar as a basis for investigating
the language in depth by reading. So vs. Such
such + a/an + (adjective)+ singular count noun + (that): 1. This
has become such a mess that we will have to start over.2. He is
such a danger to himself that he will have to be hospitalized.3.
Why was that such a traumatic event in her life?such + (adjective)+
singular noncount noun + (that): 4. Such information should be made
available to everyone.5. I have never seen him display such
confidence.6. Such compelling evidence cannot be ignored.such +
(adjective)+ plural count noun + (that): 7. "Such persons shall
enjoy the protection of the present treaty."8. Such matters are
best discussed in private.9. Such subtle distinctions are
unnecessary in the present context.so + adjective/adverb + (that):
10. The economic stimulus package is so crucial to economic growth
that the president is personally calling members of Congress.11.
The Internet makes it so easy for students to cheat that many
teachers are now using special software to catch instances of
plagiarism.
12. The food at that restaurant was so thoroughly uninteresting
that I will never go back.13. Credit cards are not so readily
accepted in some countries.
14. Our company is doing so well that we have almost doubled the
number of our employees in less than a year.15. I'm surprised to
see his name mentioned so frequently in the papers.
16. That company has spent so much on advertising that it had to
raise its prices.17. We have saved thousands of dollars because the
new system is so much more efficient than the old one.
18. There are so many houses for sale in our are that prices
have come down considerably.19. Our city has so many spectacular
restaurants that it is difficult to decide where to eat.
20. So little is known about that disease that it is difficult
to treat it.21. There is so little time to do all that one would
like to do.
22. So few jobs were created by the tax cut that the president
is proposing a new stimulus package.23. That is an excellent
restaurant, but so few people know about it that I am afraid it
will go out of business.
24. Why do politicians so often forget their campaign
promises?25. So far, the economists have been correct in their
predictions. [so far = until now]26. So long as the government
spends more than it receives, the national debt will increase.[so
long as = as long as = provided that]Notes: such + a/an is used
before a singular count noun [1-3].
such without a/an is used:before noncount nouns [3-5]before
plural nouns [6-8]
so is used:before an adjective alone [10-11]before an adverb +
adjective [12-13]before an adverb alone [14-15]
So is also used with much, many, little, few, often, far, long,
etc. [16-26]
Going to vs. WillBy tense: going to Going to is used to refer to
plans that the speaker has made. In other words, the speaker has
already made a decision as to what he is going to do. I'm really
tired. I'm going [to go] to bed early tonight. I'm going [to go] to
Hawaii on my vacation. My son is going to have his birthday party
at a pizzeria this Saturday. My dad is going to buy a
high-definition TV. In order to maintain the current price, the
newspaper is going to have fewer pages. The company is going to lay
off 2,000 workers. We use going to when we have evidence now of a
future event. Look at all those black clouds! It's going to rain
today. That car is going too fast. It's going to crash. will Will
is used for promises. It does not matter if the time between the
promise and the action is very long or very short. I'll see you
tomorrow. I'll bring you the book on Monday. I'll help you with
that this evening. We use will when we make a decision to do
something at the moment of speaking. This can be considered a very
short-term promise or an unplanned action, both of which require
the use of will to express a future idea.A: Someone is at the
door.B: I'll see who it is.A: The telephone is ringing.B: I'll
answer it. We use will when we offer to do something for someone.A:
I have to clean my room before we leave.B: Don't worry. I'll help
you with it. We use will when we ask someone to do something. Will
you take seat? Will you open the window. It's hot in here.
By function: plansGoing to is used to refer to plans that the
speaker has made. In other words, the speaker has already made a
decision as to what he is going to do. I'm really tired. I'm going
[to go] to bed early tonight.
promises Will is used for promises. It does not matter if the
time between the promise and the action is very long or very short.
Can you lend me ten dollars? I'll pay you back on Friday. Teacher
(to students): I'll explain the answers after everyone finishes the
test. predictions Both will and going to are used to express future
ideas. Although the two forms are sometimes used interchangeably,
there is usually a difference in their use.Going to is usually used
when we have objective knowledge for our prediction, whereas will
is usually used when we have only subjective knowledge. Examples of
objective knowledge would be a letter from a person stating his
intentions, or black clouds in the sky indicating rain. Subjective
knowledge is what we believe or think. As Michael Swan explains,
"When we use will, we are not showing the listener something; we
are asking him or her to believe something."1 The company is going
to invest $50 million in a new plant. [objective (external)
knowledge - factual knowledge - the company's plans] The economy
will improve in the second half of the year. [subjective (internal)
knowledge - opinion - asking the reader/listener to believe this
statement]
offers We use will when we offer to do something for someone.
You've got too many shopping bags. I'll help you carry them.
refusals We use won't (will not) when someone refuses to do
something. Tiffany won't go to the party with me. [She refuses.] My
father won't take me to the rock concert on Friday. [He
refuses.]
requests We use will when we ask someone to do something. Will
you wash the dishes for me tonight? Will you feed the dog before
you leave for school? We often use will after verbs like be afraid,
be sure, believe, doubt, expect, suppose, and think and with
adverbs such as perhaps, possibly, and probably2 to indicate a
certain doubt or uncertainty about the future. A: I'm afraid he
won't like that sweater. B: Oh, I'm sure he'll love it. I suppose
Henry will come to the party. I doubt he will be interested in your
explanation. A: Do you think it will rain? B: It will probably rain
later tonight. Perhaps you'll feel better after you eat. 1Michael
Swan, Practical English Usage, p. 2142Elaine Walker and Steve
Elsworth, Grammar Practice for Upper Intermediate Students, p.
56
Adverbs of Frequency The most common adverbs of frequency are
always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, rarely, and never. The
following chart shows the relative frequencies of these adverbs. It
is important to understand that the percentages only show
approximate frequencies; other sources will have slightly different
numbers. What is important is not the absolute number, but only the
relative frequency.
What are adverbs? Traditionally an adverb is defined as a word
that modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, or a whole clause
or sentence. There are many kinds of adverbs; common types include
adverbs of manner that tell how (easily, quietly), adverbs of time
that tell when (afterwards, later), adverbs of place and direction
that tell where (there, downstairs, backward, up), adverbs of
degree that tell how much (very, almost, extremely) and adverbs of
frequency that tell how often (always, sometimes, never). What do
we mean by adverbs of frequency? Adverbs of frequency tell us how
often an action takes place. Are there other adverbs of frequency?
Yes. In addition to the adverbs in the chart above, other common
adverbs of frequency include constantly, generally, normally,
regularly, frequently, routinely, repeatedly, occasionally,
infrequently, and hardly ever. Where do we put adverbs of
frequency? The basic rule is that adverbs of frequency come before
the main verb but after present and past forms of be (am, are, is,
was, were). In the case of tenses that use an auxiliary, we put the
adverb between the auxiliary and the main verb. The following
tables show the position of the adverbs of frequency in
affirmative, negative, interrogative, and imperative sentences.
Affirmative Sentences
Subject Auxiliary Adv. of Frequency Main Verb Predicate
The side effects usually go away after a few hours.
I sometimes have trouble accessing my favorite web site.
Beethoven often went to Baden for the summer.
Kevin has never been a fan of SUVs.
Brian has always wanted to own a restaurant.
I will always be grateful to you.
Affirmative Sentences with BE
Subject BE Adv. of Frequency Predicate
The bus is usually on time.
Some people are never satisfied.
Negative Sentences
Subject Auxiliary Adv. of Frequency Main Verb Predicate
Suzanne doesn't usually get involved in politics.
It doesn't often snow here at Christmas.
I don't ever download music from the Internet.
Negative Sentences with BE
Subject BE + not Adv. of Frequency Predicate
Iron supplements aren't usually necessary for men.
Professor Morgan isn't often at a loss for words.
Interrogative Sentences
Auxiliary Subject Adv. of Frequency Main Verb Predicate
Does Kimberly usually have breakfast at home?
Do you always read the fine print?
Did Chris ever play basketball?
Don't you ever get tired?
Interrogative Sentences with BE
BE Subject Adv. of Frequency Predicate
Are you always so cheerful in the morning?
Isn't Ted usually here by eight o'clock?
Imperative Sentences
Adv. of Frequency Verb Predicate
Always do your best!
Never forget this rule!
Always be truthful!
Short Answers with Adverbs of Frequency
Subject Adv. of Frequency Auxiliary or BE
A: Will you ever change?B:I never will.
A:Has Shirley ever been to Austria?B:She never has.
A: Do they ever study together?B:They sometimes do.
A: Is Jessica ever wrong?B:She seldom is.
Distribution of Adverbs of Frequency by Sentence Type
Adv. of Frequency Affirmative Negative Interrogative
Imperative
always X X X X
usually X X X
often X X X
sometimes/occasionally X X
rarely/seldom/hardly ever/scarcely ever1 X
never1 X X
ever X X
1Although used in sentences with affirmative form, the meaning
is negative.
Distribution of Adverbs of Frequency by Sentence Position
Adv. of Frequency Initial Medial Final
always X
usually X X
often X X
sometimes/occasionally X X X
rarely/seldom/hardly ever/scarcely ever2 X X
never2 X X
ever X
2If placed in initial position, subject-verb inversion occurs.
See below for examples.Subject-Verb Inversion
Negative Adverb Auxiliary Subject Main Verb Predicate
Never did I think I would see my book in print.
Seldom have we had a professor with such enthusiasm.
"Scarcely had he finished speaking when the door of the queen's
apartment opened...."
Relative Frequencies of the Adverbs3ADVERB FREQUENCY
never 202
often 153
always 141
ever 103
sometimes 63
usually 51
generally 39
normally 20
constantly 16
rarely 16
regularly 16
frequently 15
repeatedly 15
routinely 11
occasionally 7
almost never 3
seldom 3
Indirect Object with Verbs of Saying A group of verbs, most of
which come from Latin and refer to saying or speaking, use only the
to-form of the indirect object. For example: The teacher explained
the lesson to us. (NOT The teacher explained us the lesson.)
addressannounceascribeattributecommendconfesscreditdedicatedescribedictatedisclosedivulgeexplainexpressimpartintroduceleakmentionproposeproverecommendreferrelaterelayrepeatreportrevealsayspeaksuggestunburden
Example sentences:
She addressed her remarks to the students.He attributed his
success to hard work.They broke the news to the press on Monday
morning.We commend his soul to the deep.He confessed his
involvement in the crime to the police.He credited his success to
staying focused.He dedicated his life to the search for
knowledge.She described the assailant to a police artist.She
dictated the book to an assistant.Company representatives disclosed
their plans to purchase a factory in Ohio.He divulged his plans to
a journalist.He explained his motives to detectives, police
said.French President Jacques Chirac expressed his condolences to
Russian President Vladimir Putin.He imparted his knowledge to his
students.The first season of The X-Files introduced us to Agents
Scully and Mulder.They leaked the report to the media.She mentioned
the restaurant to her students.The committee proposed the new
policy to the Board of Directors.Velikovsky unsuccessfully tried to
prove his thesis to the academic community.Captain Pasley
recommended the young man to Captain Bligh in 1791.His doctor
referred him to a specialist.He related the story to me over dinner
one evening.The spy relayed the information to his superiors.He
repeated the story to his friends at work.They never reported the
incident to the police.He revealed his secret to his friend.You
should have said something to her.The look on her face spoke
volumes to me.Someone suggested the idea to a professor at
Berkeley.She unburdened herself to her best friend.
Verbs with Two Object Patterns Many English verbs can be
followed by a direct and an indirect object. A number of these
verbs have two patterns--one with and one without "to." When a verb
is followed by two nouns (V N1 N2), N1 is the indirect object and
N2 is the direct object. IODOJohn gave Mary a present.With many
verbs the indirect object can follow a prepositional phrase with
"to," and the order of the two objects reversed. John gave a
present to Mary. (NOT John gave to Mary a present.)Here is a list
of common verbs which can be used with and without "to."
assignawardbringfaxfeedgivegranthandlendloanmailofferowepasspromisepayreadserveshowsellsendshowsingtaketeachtellthrowwirewrite
Another group of verbs uses this same pattern with "for" instead
of "to." IODOMary made John a cake.Mary made a cake for John. (NOT
Mary made for John a cake.)
Here is a list of common verbs which can be used with and
without "for." bakebookbuildbuycookdo (a
favor)findgetknitmakeorderplaypour (a drink)preparereservesing
English Prepositionsaboardaboutaboveacrossafteragainstahead
ofall overalongalong withalongsideamidamidstamongamongstapart
fromapropos (of)aroundas (He worked as a diplomat.)as foras ofas
toaside fromastrideatat the expense ofat the hands ofat variance
withatopaway frombar (=except)barring (=except)because
ofbeforebehindbelowbeneathbesidebesidesbetweenbeyondbut (=except)
(All but one were sleeping.)byby dint ofby means ofby virtue ofby
way ofclose byclose toconcerningconsideringdespitedowndue
toduringexceptexcept forexceptingfollowingforfor the sake
offromgrantedinin accordance within addition toin aid ofin
betweenin case ofin charge ofin common within comparison within
contact within default ofin exchange forin face ofin favor ofin
front ofin lieu ofin line within need ofin place ofin quest ofin
regard toin relation toin respect ofin return forin search ofin
spite ofin view ofincludinginsideinstead
ofintolesslikeminusnearnext tonotwithstandingofoffoff ofonon
account ofon behalf ofon pain ofon pain ofon the strength ofon top
ofontooppositeout (He ran out the door.)out ofoutsideoverowing
topastpendingperplusreroundsave (=except)since (He hasn't written
since June.)than (The new microchip is smaller than a postage
stamp.)throughthroughouttilltotogether
withtowardtowardsunderunderneathunlikeuntilupup
touponuponviawithwith regard towith respect towithinwithoutworth
(It is well worth the effort.)
Verbs Followed by Gerund and/or InfinitiveGerund onlyInfinitive
onlyGerund or Infinitive
admitanticipateappreciateavoidcan't
helpconsiderdefenddeferdelaydenydetestdiscussdislikedreadenjoyexcusefancyfinishforgiveimagineinvolvekeep
(=continue)mentionmindmisspardonpostponepreventquit
(=stop)recallrecollectresentresistresumerisksave (=avoid the
trouble
of)suggestunderstandaffordagreeappeararrangeaskattemptbegcarechancechooseclaimconsentconspiredaredecidedemanddeserveendeavorexpectfailhappenhesitatehopeintendlearnmanagemeanneedomitofferplanpreparepretendpromiseproverefuseremainrushseemstrugglesweartendthreatenwaitwantwishattempt*can/can't
bearbeginceasecontinuedislikedreadforget*hateintendlikeloveneglectpreferproposeregret*remember*can/can't
standstartstop*try*
Common Verbs and Their Prepositionsaboutatin
agreeargueboastbragcarecomplaincrydodreamfightforgetgripehearjokeknowlaughliereadtalkthinkwonderworrywriteaimbarkexcelfrownglaregringrowljump
at (the chance)laughlooknodscreamshootshoutsmilestarethrow s.t. at
s.o./s.t.wavewhistlewinkyellaidassistbelievecompeteconfideconsistdealdelightendengageexcelhelpindulgeinvestmajormeddleparticipateperseverepersistresideresultsharespecializestarsucceed
s.o.=someones.t.=something
Common Verbs and Their Prepositions 2ontowith
actagreebankbetbuildchoke
commentconcentratecountdependdifferdisagreedwellelaborateenlargeexpandexperimentfallfocusharpimposeimproveinsistleanlectureoperaterelyremarkreportspeakspeculatespystumbletalktripvotewagerworkwriteadaptadjustadmitapologizeappealattendbelongcomplainconfessconnectcontributedeclinedecreasedropfallgetgohappenincreasejumplistenmoveobjectpointreactreadreferrelatereplyresortrespondreturnrisesinkslipspeaksticksubmitsubscribesurrendertalkwavewriteagreeargueassistcollidecomparecompetecomplycontinuecooperatecopedealdisagreefighthelpidentifypleadproceedquibblereasonstrugglesympathizetamper
English Pronouns
SUBJECT PRONOUNS OBJECT PRONOUNS POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS
I me my mine myself
you you your yours yourself
he him his his himself
she her her hers herself
it it its (its) itself
we us our ours ourselves
you you your yours yourselves
they them their theirs themselves
ACTIVE VOICE AFFIRMATIVE SIMPLE TENSES SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE
PRESENT SIMPLE FUTURE
I WORKED YOU WORKED WE WORKED THEY WORKED HE WORKED SHE WORKED
IT WORKED I WORK YOU WORK WE WORK THEY WORK HE WORKS SHE WORKS IT
WORKS I WILL WORK YOU WILL WORK WE WILL WORK THEY WILL WORK HE WILL
WORK SHE WILL WORK IT WILL WORK
PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PROGRESSIVE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE
I WAS WORKING HE WAS WORKING SHE WAS WORKING IT WAS WORKING WE
WERE WORKING YOU WERE WORKING THEY WERE WORKING I AM WORKING HE IS
WORKING SHE IS WORKING IT IS WORKING WE ARE WORKING YOU ARE WORKING
THEY ARE WORKING I WILL BE WORKING HE WILL BE WORKING SHE WILL BE
WORKING IT WILL BE WORKING WE WILL BE WORKING YOU WILL BE WORKING
THEY WILL BE WORKING
PERFECT TENSES PAST PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT
I HAD WORKED YOU HAD WORKED WE HAD WORKED THEY HAD WORKED HE HAD
WORKED SHE HAD WORKED IT HAD WORKED I HAVE WORKED YOU HAVE WORKED
WE HAVE WORKED THEY HAVE WORKED HE HAS WORKED SHE HAS WORKED IT HAS
WORKED I WILL HAVE WORKED YOU WILL HAVE WORKED WE WILL HAVE WORKED
THEY WILL HAVE WORKED HE WILL HAVE WORKED SHE WILL HAVE WORKED IT
WILL HAVE WORKED
PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE PRESENT
PERFECTPROGRESSIVE FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
I HAD BEEN WORKING YOU HAD BEEN WORKING WE HAD BEEN WORKING THEY
HAD BEEN WORKING HE HAD BEEN WORKING SHE HAD BEEN WORKING IT HAD
BEEN WORKING I HAVE BEEN WORKING YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING HE HAS BEEN WORKING SHE HAS BEEN
WORKING IT HAS BEEN WORKING I WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING YOU WILL HAVE
BEEN WORKING WE WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING THEY WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING
HE WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING SHE WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING IT WILL HAVE
BEEN WORKING
ACTIVE VOICE NEGATIVE SIMPLE TENSES SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE PRESENT
SIMPLE FUTURE
I DIDN'T WORK YOU DIDN'T WORK WE DIDN'T WORK THEY DIDN'T WORK HE
DIDN'T WORK SHE DIDN'T WORK IT DIDN'T WORK I DON'T WORK YOU DON'T
WORK WE DON'T WORK THEY DON'T WORK HE DOESN'T WORK SHE DOESN'T WORK
IT DOESN'T WORK I WON'T WORK YOU WON'T WORK WE WON'T WORK THEY
WON'T WORK HE WON'T WORK SHE WON'T WORK IT WON'T WORK
PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PROGRESSIVE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE
I WASN'T WORKING HE WASN'T WORKING SHE WASN'T WORKING IT WASN'T
WORKING WE WEREN'T WORKING YOU WEREN'T WORKING THEY WEREN'T WORKING
I'M NOT WORKING HE ISN'T WORKING SHE ISN'T WORKING IT ISN'T WORKING
WE AREN'T WORKING YOU AREN'T WORKING THEY AREN'T WORKING I WON'T BE
WORKING HE WON'T BE WORKING SHE WON'T BE WORKING IT WON'T BE
WORKING WE WON'T BE WORKING YOU WON'T BE WORKING THEY WON'T BE
WORKING
PERFECT TENSES PAST PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT
I HADN'T WORKED YOU HADN'T WORKED WE HADN'T WORKED THEY HADN'T
WORKED HE HADN'T WORKED SHE HADN'T WORKED IT HADN'T WORKED I
HAVEN'T WORKED YOU HAVEN'T WORKED WE HAVEN'T WORKED THEY HAVEN'T
WORKED HE HASN'T WORKED SHE HASN'T WORKED IT HASN'T WORKED I WON'T
HAVE WORKED YOU WON'T HAVE WORKED WE WON'T HAVE WORKED THEY WON'T
HAVE WORKED HE WON'T HAVE WORKED SHE WON'T HAVE WORKED IT WON'T
HAVE WORKED
PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE PRESENT
PERFECTPROGRESSIVE FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
I HADN'T BEEN WORKING YOU HADN'T BEEN WORKING WE HADN'T BEEN
WORKING THEY HADN'T BEEN WORKING HE HADN'T BEEN WORKING SHE HADN'T
BEEN WORKING IT HADN'T BEEN WORKING I HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING YOU
HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING WE HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING THEY HAVEN'T BEEN
WORKING HE HASN'T BEEN WORKING SHE HASN'T BEEN WORKING IT HASN'T
BEEN WORKING I WON'T HAVE BEEN WORKING YOU WON'T HAVE BEEN WORKING
WE WON'T HAVE BEEN WORKING THEY WON'T HAVE BEEN WORKING HE WON'T
HAVE BEEN WORKING SHE WON'T HAVE BEEN WORKING IT WON'T HAVE BEEN
WORKING
ACTIVE VOICE INTERROGATIVE SIMPLE TENSES SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE
PRESENT SIMPLE FUTURE
DID I WORK? DID YOU WORK? DID WE WORK? DID THEY WORK? DID HE
WORK? DID SHE WORK? DID IT WORK? DO I WORK? DO YOU WORK? DO WE
WORK? DO THEY WORK? DOES HE WORK? DOES SHE WORK? DOES IT WORK? WILL
I WORK? WILL YOU WORK? WILL WE WORK? WILL THEY WORK? WILL HE WORK?
WILL SHE WORK? WILL IT WORK?
PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PROGRESSIVE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE
WAS I WORKING? WAS HE WORKING? WAS SHE WORKING? WAS IT WORKING?
WERE WE WORKING? WERE YOU WORKING? WERE THEY WORKING? AM I WORKING?
IS HE WORKING? IS SHE WORKING? IS IT WORKING? ARE WE WORKING? ARE
YOU WORKING? ARE THEY WORKING? WILL I BE WORKING? WILL HE BE
WORKING? WILL SHE BE WORKING? WILL IT BE WORKING? WILL WE BE
WORKING? WILL YOU BE WORKING? WILL THEY BE WORKING?
PERFECT TENSES PAST PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT
HAD I WORKED? HAD YOU WORKED? HAD WE WORKED? HAD THEY WORKED?
HAD HE WORKED? HAD SHE WORKED? HAD IT WORKED? HAVE I WORKED? HAVE
YOU WORKED? HAVE WE WORKED? HAVE THEY WORKED? HAS HE WORKED? HAS
SHE WORKED? HAS IT WORKED? WILL I HAVE WORKED? WILL YOU HAVE
WORKED? WILL WE HAVE WORKED? WILL THEY HAVE WORKED? WILL HE HAVE
WORKED? WILL SHE HAVE WORKED? WILL IT HAVE WORKED?
PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE PRESENT
PERFECTPROGRESSIVE FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
HAD I BEEN WORKING? HAD YOU BEEN WORKING? HAD WE BEEN WORKING?
HAD THEY BEEN WORKING? HAD HE BEEN WORKING? HAD SHE BEEN WORKING?
HAD IT BEEN WORKING? HAVE I BEEN WORKING? HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING?
HAVE WE BEEN WORKING? HAVE THEY BEEN WORKING? HAS HE BEEN WORKING?
HAS SHE BEEN WORKING? HAS IT BEEN WORKING? WILL I HAVE BEEN
WORKING? WILL YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING? WILL WE HAVE BEEN WORKING?
WILL THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING? WILL HE HAVE BEEN WORKING? WILL SHE
HAVE BEEN WORKING? WILL IT HAVE BEEN WORKING?
PASSIVE VOICE AFFIRMATIVE SIMPLE TENSES SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE
PRESENT SIMPLE FUTURE
I WAS GIVEN HE WAS GIVEN SHE WAS GIVEN IT WAS GIVEN WE WERE
GIVEN YOU WERE GIVEN THEY WERE GIVEN I AM GIVEN YOU ARE GIVEN WE
ARE GIVEN THEY ARE GIVEN HE IS GIVEN SHE IS GIVEN IT IS GIVEN I
WILL BE GIVEN YOU WILL BE GIVEN WE WILL BE GIVEN THEY WILL BE GIVEN
HE WILL BE GIVEN SHE WILL BE GIVEN IT WILL BE GIVEN
PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PROGRESSIVE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE
I WAS BEING GIVEN HE WAS BEING GIVEN SHE WAS BEING GIVEN IT WAS
BEING GIVEN WE WERE BEING GIVEN YOU WERE BEING GIVEN THEY WERE
BEING GIVEN I AM BEING GIVEN HE IS BEING GIVEN SHE IS BEING GIVEN
IT IS BEING GIVEN WE ARE BEING GIVEN YOU ARE BEING GIVEN THEY ARE
BEING GIVEN
RARELY USED
PERFECT TENSES PAST PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT
I HAD BEEN GIVEN YOU HAD BEEN GIVEN WE HAD BEEN GIVEN THEY HAD
BEEN GIVEN HE HAD BEEN GIVEN SHE HAD BEEN GIVEN IT HAD BEEN GIVEN I
HAVE BEEN GIVEN YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THEY HAVE
BEEN GIVEN HE HAS BEEN GIVEN SHE HAS BEEN GIVEN IT HAS BEEN GIVEN I
WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN YOU WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN WE WILL HAVE BEEN
GIVEN THEY WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN HE WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN SHE WILL
HAVE BEEN GIVEN IT WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN
PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE PRESENT
PERFECTPROGRESSIVE FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
RARELY USED
RARELY USED
RARELY USED
PASSIVE VOICE NEGATIVE SIMPLE TENSES SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE PRESENT
SIMPLE FUTURE
I WASN'T GIVEN HE WASN'T GIVEN SHE WASN'T GIVEN IT WASN'T GIVEN
WE WEREN'T GIVEN YOU WEREN'T GIVEN THEY WEREN'T GIVEN I'M NOT GIVEN
YOU AREN'T GIVEN WE AREN'T GIVEN THEY AREN'T GIVEN HE ISN'T GIVEN
SHE ISN'T GIVEN IT ISN'T GIVEN I WON'T BE GIVEN YOU WON'T BE GIVEN
WE WON'T BE GIVEN THEY WON'T BE GIVEN HE WON'T BE GIVEN SHE WON'T
BE GIVEN IT WON'T BE GIVEN
PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PROGRESSIVE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE
I WASN'T BEING GIVEN HE WASN'T BEING GIVEN SHE WASN'T BEING
GIVEN IT WASN'T BEING GIVEN WE WEREN'T BEING GIVEN YOU WEREN'T
BEING GIVEN THEY WEREN'T BEING GIVEN I'M NOT BEING GIVEN HE ISN'T
BEING GIVEN SHE ISN'T BEING GIVEN IT ISN'T BEING GIVEN WE AREN'T
BEING GIVEN YOU AREN'T BEING GIVEN THEY AREN'T BEING GIVEN
RARELY USED
PERFECT TENSES PAST PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT
I HADN'T BEEN GIVEN YOU HADN'T BEEN GIVEN WE HADN'T BEEN GIVEN
THEY HADN'T BEEN GIVEN HE HADN'T BEEN GIVEN SHE HADN'T BEEN GIVEN
IT HADN'T BEEN GIVEN I HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN YOU HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN WE
HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN THEY HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN HE HASN'T BEEN GIVEN SHE
HASN'T BEEN GIVEN IT HASN'T BEEN GIVEN I WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN YOU
WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN WE WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN THEY WON'T HAVE BEEN
GIVEN HE WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN SHE WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN IT WON'T
HAVE BEEN GIVEN
PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE PRESENT
PERFECTPROGRESSIVE FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
RARELY USED
RARELY USED
RARELY USED
PASSIVE VOICE INTERROGATIVE SIMPLE TENSES SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE
PRESENT SIMPLE FUTURE
WAS I GIVEN? WAS HE GIVEN? WAS SHE GIVEN? WAS IT GIVEN? WERE WE
GIVEN? WERE YOU GIVEN? WERE THEY GIVEN? AM I GIVEN? ARE YOU GIVEN?
ARE WE GIVEN? ARE THEY GIVEN? IS HE GIVEN? IS SHE GIVEN? IS IT
GIVEN? WILL I BE GIVEN? WILL YOU BE GIVEN? WILL WE BE GIVEN? WILL
THEY BE GIVEN? WILL HE BE GIVEN? WILL SHE BE GIVEN? WILL IT BE
GIVEN?
PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PROGRESSIVE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE
WAS I BEING GIVEN? WAS HE BEING GIVEN? WAS SHE BEING GIVEN? WAS
IT BEING GIVEN? WERE WE BEING GIVEN? WERE YOU BEING GIVEN? WERE
THEY BEING GIVEN? AM I BEING GIVEN? IS HE BEING GIVEN? IS SHE BEING
GIVEN? IS IT BEING GIVEN? ARE WE BEING GIVEN? ARE YOU BEING GIVEN?
ARE THEY BEING GIVEN?
RARELY USED
PERFECT TENSES PAST PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT
HAD I BEEN GIVEN? HAD YOU BEEN GIVEN? HAD WE BEEN GIVEN? HAD
THEY BEEN GIVEN? HAD HE BEEN GIVEN? HAD SHE BEEN GIVEN? HAD IT BEEN
GIVEN? HAVE I BEEN GIVEN? HAVE YOU BEEN GIVEN? HAVE WE BEEN GIVEN?
HAVE THEY BEEN GIVEN? HAS HE BEEN GIVEN? HAS SHE BEEN GIVEN? HAS IT
BEEN GIVEN? WILL I HAVE BEEN GIVEN? WILL YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN? WILL
WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN? WILL THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN? WILL HE HAVE BEEN
GIVEN? WILL SHE HAVE BEEN GIVEN? WILL IT HAVE BEEN GIVEN?
PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE PRESENT
PERFECTPROGRESSIVE FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
RARELY USED
RARELY USED
RARELY USED
1.Grammar:Traditional Rules, Word Order, Agreement, and Case
56.shall / will
the traditional rules.The traditional rules state that you use
shall to show what happens in the future only when I or we is the
subject: I shall (not will) call you tomorrow. We shall (not will)
be sure to keep in touch. Will, on the other hand, is used with
subjects in the second and third persons: The comet will (not
shall) return in 87 years. You will (not shall) probably encounter
some heavy seas when you round the point. However, you can use will
with a subject in the first person and shall with a subject in the
second or third person to express determination, promise,
obligation, or permission, depending on the context. Thus I will
leave tomorrow indicates that the speaker is determined to leave.
You shall leave tomorrow has the ring of a command. The sentence
You shall have your money expresses a promise (I will see that you
get your money), whereas You will have your money makes a simple
prediction.1
the reality.The English and some sticklers about usage are
probably the only people who follow these rules, and then not with
perfect consistency. In America, people who try to adhere to them
run the risk of sounding pretentious or haughty. Americans normally
use will to express most of the senses reserved for shall in
British usage. Americans use shall chiefly in first person
invitations and questions that request an opinion or agreement,
such as Shall we go?, and in certain fixed expressions, such as We
shall overcome. In formal style, Americans use shall to express an
explicit obligation, such as Applicants shall provide a proof of
residence, though must or should works just as well here. In speech
you can get the distinctions in meaning delineated in the
traditional rules by putting stress on the auxiliary verb, as in I
will leave tomorrow (I intend to leave). You can also choose
another auxiliary verb, such as must or have to, that is less open
to misinterpretation, or you can make your meaning clear by adding
an adverb such as certainly.
The Difference Between will and shallReader Eric wonders about
the uses of will and shall.When do you use will and shall? I know
that [they] mean the same thing, but I would like to know when to
use them in the correct grammatical sense.In modern English will
and shall are helping verbs. They are used with other verbs, but
lack conjugations of their own.Both are signs of the future
tense.The old Walsh English Handbook that I used in high school
gives this rule for forming the future:Use shall in the first
person and will in the second and third persons for the simple
future tense:I shall sing this afternoon.You will succeed.He will
stay at home.My observations suggest that shall is rarely used by
American speakers.The two words existed as separate verbs in Old
English, the form of English spoken from 450-1150 C.E.The verb
willan meant wish, be willing, be about to.The verb sculan
(pronounced [shu-lan], had the meanings be obliged to, have to,
must, be destined to, be supposed to.In modern usage traces of the
old meanings persist for speakers who use both forms.Will can imply
volition or intention, while shall can imply necessity:I will scale
Mount Everest. (and no one can stop me!)You shall take the garbage
out before you do anything else. (You have no choice, Junior!)A
second element enters into the use of shall and will. As a matter
of courtesy, a difference exists according to whether the verb is
used with a first or second person subject. Which to use depends
upon the relationship between speakers.Parents, teachers,
employers, and staff sergeants are within their rights to tell
someone You shall complete this assignment by 9 p.m. Such a
construction offers no alternative. It is the same as saying You
must complete this assignment. In speaking to an equal, however,
the choice is left up to the other person: I shall drive to Tulsa
today. You will follow on Tuesday. (Its still up to you.)Heres a
frequently quoted joke that illustrates the consequences of using
shall and will incorrectly: A foreign tourist was swimming in an
English lake. Taken by cramps, he began to sink. He called out for
help:Attention! Attention! I will drown and no one shall save
me!Many people were within earshot, but, being well-brought up
Englishmen and women, they honored his wishes and permitted him to
drown.All of which is the short answer to Erics question. For the
long answer, take a look at Fowler (Modern English Usage) and the
OED.By the way, the verb will in the sense of bequeath derives from
the noun will in the sense of wish. A will expresses the wishes of
the person who writes it. The verb will (bequeath) does possess a
complete conjugation.
English Grammar 101: Parts of SpeechA word is a part of speech
only when it is used in a sentence. The function the word serves in
a sentence is what makes it whatever part of speech it is.For
example, the word run can be used as more than one part of
speech:Sammy hit a home run. (run is a noun, direct object of
hit)You mustnt run near the swimming pool. (run is a verb, part of
the verb phrase must (not) run)Here is a simple overview of the
English parts of speech and what they do. Each part of speech is
linked to an DWT article that tells more about it. NOUN - Nouns are
naming words. We cant talk about anything until we have given it a
name.PRONOUN - A pronoun is a word that stands for a noun.VERBS -
The verb is the motor that runs the sentence. A verb enables us to
say something about a noun. ADJECTIVE - An adjective is a word that
describes a noun.ADVERB - An adverb adds meaning to a verb, an
adjective, or another adverb. PREPOSITION - a preposition is a word
that comes in front of a noun or a pronoun and shows a connection
between that noun or pronoun and some other word in the
sentenceCONJUNCTION - a conjunction joins words and groups of
words.INTERJECTION An interjection is a word or phrase thrown into
a sentence to express an emotion, for example, Homer Simpsons
Doh!
shall or willShall and will are both used as auxiliary verbs to
form the future tense. In standard British English, the traditional
difference between the two is that shall is used with I and we: I
shall leave and will is used with nouns and you, he, she, it and
they: You will stay. In practice, though, shall is going out of use
in this role, and will is widely used for the first person: I will
leave. This is now widely accepted as part of standard English. In
American English, will is the norm in all persons for the future
tense. A parallel development has been the gradual decline of will
in the first person and shall in the second and third persons to
express determination, promises or commands. I will leave now
indicates merely intention, not, as in the past, determination; and
usages like Cinderella, you shall go to the ball now sound rather
old-fashioned.The first person shall does survive as a way of
making a suggestion or asking a question: Shall I put the light on?
means 'Would you like me to put the light on?', not 'Am I going to
put the light on?'
TOO and ENOUGH - grammar help.Online activities at 'too-enough
quiz'Back to primero bat.1. TOO.It is an adverb and is there
followed by adjectives or adverbs: denotes a quality in
excess:Coffee is too hot, I can't drink itIt is usually continued
through a 'to - infinitive':Coffee is too hot to drink.Actions in
the infinitive can refer to a different subject from the first in
the sentence:Coffee is too hot FOR THE OLD MAN to drink. Quite
another different usage is that you may find when followed by
nouns, in that case MUCH and MANY are required.They drink too much
wineThey invite too many people to their parties.ENOUGHa. as an
adjectiveappears before nouns and expresses sufficiency :They have
enough books in the house , they don't have to buy any.b. as an
adverbappears after adjectives or adverbs and also expresses a
degree in sufficiency.He is strong enough, he will cross the
dessert.The same as with 'too', a 'to-infinitive usually follows'He
is strong enough to cross the dessert.And for is used to refer the
action to another subject:Our flat is not big enough to hold 20
people.
COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVESCOMPARISONS OF QUANTITYTo show
difference: more, less, fewer + thanExamples: With countable nouns:
more / fewer Eloise has more children than Chantal. Chantal has
fewer children than Eloise. There are fewer dogs in Cardiff than in
Bristol I have visited fewer countries than my friend has. He has
read fewer books than she has. With uncountable nouns: more / less
Eloise has more money than Chantal. Chantal has less money than
Eloise. I spend less time on homework than you do. Cats drink less
water than dogs. This new dictionary gives more information than
the old one. So, the rule is:MORE + nouns that are countable or
uncountableFEWER + countable nounsLESS + uncountable nouns To show
no difference see next page.Active and Passive Voice Sentences can
be written or spoken in the active or passive voice. In the active
voice, the subject of the sentence acts upon something or someone.
In the passive voice, the subject is acted upon.For example:Active
Voice: The twister left a path of destruction.Passive Voice: A path
of destruction was left by the twister.Writers should usually use
the active voice rather than the passive. Its considered to be a
more powerful and straightforward form of expression. The active
voice also uses less words to convey the same message.The following
sentences are written in the passive voice. Rewrite them in the
active voice.1. James was chosen by Kathy to be her assistant.2.
This awful mess was made by your friends!3. Everyone in need is
helped by Michael.4. You will be made well by this medicine!5. Many
inventions were created by Edison.6. The article was written by my
friend.7. Many fine sites are hosted by Software Workshop.8.
Claudia was enraged by Richards sarcastic comments.
Active Voice vs. Passive Voice
by Tina BlueJuly 5, 2002
If there is one thing most people remember from their high
school or college composition classes, it's that you are not
supposed to use the passive voice in your writing.
But like most of the "rules" of writing (and many of the "rules"
of grammar and usage), this one isn't really a rule. There are some
times when the passive voice is appropriate, and some times when it
is even needed.
In general, it is best to think of writing not as rule-driven,
but rather as context-sensitive.* Even if a "rule" is useful 99% of
the time, rigidly applying it in the rare case where it isn't
appropriate will undermine the effectiveness of your writing. I
prefer to think of most of the so-called rules of writing as
guidelines, some more generally applicable than others.
The rule against using the passive voice happens to be an
appropriate guideline most of the time. You are more likely to
write badly by ignoring it than by following it. But it's still
better to make your writing choices consciously than to go on
automatic pilot and let the "rules" do all your writing for
you.
What is the passive voice, and what is it used for?
Verbs in English are inflected to show five main traits: person,
number, tense, voice, and mood.
Voice is determined by whether the subject of the sentence is
the agent or the receiver of the action of a transitive verb. (A
transitive verb is one that takes a direct object.**)
~I broke the window.
~The boys ate all of the pie.
~With the money from her mother's life insurance Diane bought a
new car and took a trip to Europe.
In the preceding examples, which are in the active voice, the
agent of the action is the subject of the sentence. But in the next
set of examples, which are in the passive voice, the receiver of
the action is the subject of the sentence.
~The window was broken. ~The window was broken by me.
~All of the pie was eaten. ~All of the pie was eaten by the
boys.
~With the money from her mother's life insurance a new car was
bought and a trip to Europe was taken.~With the money from her
mother's life insurance a new car was bought and a trip to Europe
was taken by Diane.
Notice that when a sentence is written in the passive voice, the
agent of an action can be omitted. That is part of the appeal of
the passive voice to certain writers. If the writer wishes to
obscure responsibility for an action, then the passive voice allows
him to eliminate all reference to the person who committed the act.
Think of how often statements coming out of the Nixon White House
during Watergate were couched in the passive voice: e.g., Mistakes
were made.
Even if the agent of an action is mentioned in a passive voice
sentence, the emphasis is not on the actor, but on the receiver of
the action. The subject slot in a sentence is the starring role.
Anyone or anything relegated to a little sidecar of a prepositional
phrase tacked on at the end of the sentence is not being emphasized
at all.
~The window was broken. ~The window was broken by me.
~All of the pie was eaten. ~All of the pie was eaten by the
boys.
In these sentences, the fact that the window was broken or that
the pie was eaten sits front and center. In the examples without
agents, no one in particular appears to be responsible for the
broken window or the devoured pie. And even in the sentences where
the guilty parties make an appearance, they do so in a way that
does not call attention to them.
But sometimes the agent of an action needs to be omitted. For
example, the textual conventions*** governing lab reports do not
permit the use of the first person ("I" or "we") at all, and in
fact any mention of the researchers, even in the third person, is
frowned upon. Thus, lab reports are filled with clauses like these:
the pigeons were observed over a period of three weeks; the
subjects were divided into three groups; members of the control
group were given a placebo. . . .
The reason for this convention is that science is supposed to be
objective, and removing all reference to the researchers emphasizes
that stance of objectivity. It's almost as if disembodied hands are
performing the experiments, and disembodied eyes are observing the
results.****
The use of the passive voice in lab reports also keeps the
spotlight focused on the experiment itself, rather than yanking it
over to the researchers. It's a matter of emphasis.
Now, here are a few passive voice sentences from earlier in this
very article, and one from another article on this website:
~Notice that in these sentences, the fact that the window was
broken and the pie was eaten sits front and center.
~Anyone or anything relegated to a little sidecar of a
prepositional phrase tacked on at the end of the sentence is not
being emphasized at all.
~Another problem with many English classes is that students are
usually taught by teachers that think writing is "rule-driven."
Now watch what happens to my intended meaning and emphasis if I
try to recast these as active voice sentences:
~Notice that in these sentences, the fact that someone broke the
window and someone ate the pie sits front and center.
~When anyone or anything is relegated to a little sidecar of a
prepositional phrase tacked on at the end of the sentence, then the
writer is not emphasizing that person or thing at all.
~Another problem with many English classes is that the teachers
usually think that writing is "rule-driven."
Obviously, the sentences using the passive voice convey my
meaning more precisely. In the first two, switching to the active
voice moves the emphasis away from the points I wish to emphasize.
And in the third sentence, I have completely lost the reference to
the students.
The 95% "rule"
I think of the passive voice as one of the tools available to me
as a writer. A handyman has many tools, and some of them are needed
more often than others. But just because hammers and screwdrivers
are appropriate for more tasks than some of the more exotic tools
in his toolbox, that doesn't mean he should just throw away all of
the other tools. At some point he is bound to come across a task
that calls for that weird little thingamajig he almost never uses,
and when that happens, he will use that very thingamajig, not a
hammer or a screwdriver. On the other hand, he would be very
foolish to try using that odd little tool when all he wants to do
is drive a nail or tighten a screw.
Even though it is true that the passive voice is sometimes
needed, that doesn't mean it should be used very often. I tell my
own students to make sure that at least 95% of their verbs are in
the active voice.*****
In fact, even that may be too generous. No passive voice verb
should be allowed to stand unless it can justify itself. In other
words, every time you use a passive verb, ask yourself why you are
using a passive construction there. If you don't have a good reason
for it, then rewrite the sentence to use the active voice. Many,
even most, of your essays will have no need at all for the passive
voice, so keep it tucked away in the bottom of your toolbox and
bring it out only to do those jobs that can't be done by the active
voice.
Active and Passive VoiceBy Stacie HeapsProfessional Writer and
Editor
In most cases and with most styles of writing, the active voice
is preferred to the passive voice. The active voice is stronger
than the passive, and it therefore produces more powerful
sentences.If the subject of the sentence is the person or thing
doing the acting, then the verb is in active voice.Examples:My boss
made the decision yesterday.Doug coordinated the meeting in Pauls
absence.We proposed the change last week.The computer just
crashed.
If the subject of the sentence is the person or thing receiving
the action, then the verb is in passive voice. The passive voice is
created by writing a form of the verb to be with the past
participle form of a verb. Such forms often include a by phrase
after the verb phrase to indicate who performed the action. In
addition to being less direct, the passive voice is also generally
wordier than the active voice.Examples:The decision was made by my
boss yesterday.The meeting was coordinated by Doug in Pauls
absence.The change was proposed (by us) last week.
Using the Passive VoiceThere are times when the passive voice is
preferred, however. For example, the passive voice is necessary
when the person who acted is unknown.Examples:The package was sent
to me last week. (We do not know who sent the package.)The company
was founded in 1992.Many acts of service were performed without our
knowledge.
The passive voice is also a good choice when the doer of the
action is unimportant.Examples:The roads were cleared early this
morning.The mess was cleaned up before we arrived.In the business
world, important decisions are made every day.The tickets were sold
out last month.
Moreover, the passive voice is appropriate when you want the
emphasis of the sentence to be on the action, rather than on the
person who performed the action. To shift the emphasis to the
person acting, we use a prepositional phrase beginning with by.
Examples:The message was delivered by John this afternoon.The
decision was made by the directors to sell the building.Property in
this town has been bought and sold by various investors over the
years.Several years ago the company was sold to our competitors by
a man from the East.
And finally, the passive voice is useful when you want the doer
of the action to remain anonymous.Examples:Last night the
announcement was made that 300 employees would be laid off.Three
million dollars was donated to the foundation on Tuesday.The
cookies and other treats were delivered to the children while they
were playing outside.
Also see the article entitled Conciseness.Revising Passive
SentencesWhen changing a passive construction to the active voice,
make sure that you keep the same verb tense.Original:Every day
donuts are bought by our human resources representative.
Not:Every day our human resource representative bought
donuts.
But:Every day our human resource representative buys donuts.
Original:That movie was produced by Jonathan Doe, I believe.
Not:Jonathan Doe had produced that movie, I believe.
But:Jonathan Doe produced that movie, I believe.
Original:The decision has already been made by the managers.
Not:The managers had already made the decision.
But:The managers have already made the decision.
Again, when deciding whether to use the active or passive voice,
think about the purpose of the sentence and the audience for whom
it is intended. Then determine which part of the sentence is more
importantthe action itself or the person or thing doing the
actingand write accordingly.Passive VoiceExercises on PassiveUse of
PassivePassive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is
not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the
action.Example: My bike was stolen.In the example above, the focus
is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who
did it.Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active
voice, as the following example shows:Example: A mistake was
made.In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but
I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a mistake.).Form of
PassiveSubject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column
of irregular verbs)Example: A letter was written.When rewriting
active sentences in passive voice, note the following: the object
of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the
passive sentence (or is dropped) Examples of Passive
Level:lowerintermediate TenseSubjectVerbObject
Simple PresentActive:Ritawritesa letter.
Passive:A letteris writtenby Rita.
Simple PastActive:Ritawrotea letter.
Passive:A letterwas writtenby Rita.
Present PerfectActive:Ritahas writtena letter.
Passive:A letterhas been writtenby Rita.
Future IActive:Ritawill writea letter.
Passive:A letterwill be writtenby Rita.
HilfsverbenActive:Ritacan writea letter.
Passive:A lettercan be writtenby Rita.
Examples of Passive Level:upperintermediate
TenseSubjectVerbObject
Present ProgressiveActive:Ritais writinga letter.
Passive:A letteris being writtenby Rita.
Past ProgressiveActive:Ritawas writinga letter.
Passive:A letterwas being writtenby Rita.
Past PerfectActive:Ritahad writtena letter.
Passive:A letterhad been writtenby Rita.
Future IIActive:Ritawill have writtena letter.
Passive:A letterwill have been writtenby Rita.
Conditional IActive:Ritawould writea letter.
Passive:A letterwould be writtenby Rita.
Conditional IIActive:Ritawould have writtena letter.
Passive:A letterwould have been writtenby Rita.
Passive Sentences with Two Objects Level:intermediate 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.SubjectVerbObject 1Object 2
Active:Ritawrotea letterto me.
Passive:A letterwas writtento meby Rita.
Passive:Iwas writtena letterby Rita.
. As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound
very elegant. Thats why it is usually dropped.Personal and
Impersonal PassivePersonal Passive simply means that the object of
the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So
every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a
personal passive.Example: They build houses. Houses are built.Verbs
without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a
personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become
the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an
intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal
construction therefore this passive is called Impersonal
Passive.Example: he says it is saidImpersonal Passive is not as
common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin).
In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of
perception (e.g. say, think, know).Example: They say that women
live longer than men. It is said that women live longer than
men.Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive
is more common.Example: They say that women live longer than men.
Women are said to live longer than men.The subject of the
subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence;
the verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the
sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to'
(certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped).Sometimes the term
Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object
of an active sentence is to become the subject of the passive
sentence.