Reading ABOUT Passive Voice

Article taken and adapted from http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/passivevoice.html 

Passive Voice

What this handout is about…

This handout will help you understand what the passive voice is, why many professors and writing instructors frown upon it, and how you can revise your paper, using simple strategies, to achieve greater clarity. Some things here may surprise you. In any case, we hope this handout will help you to understand the passive voice and allow you to make more informed choices as you write.

Myths

So what is the passive voice? First, let’s clear up what the passive voice isn’t. Below, we’ll list some common myths about the passive voice:

1. Use of the passive voice constitutes a grammatical error.

Use of the passive voice is not a grammatical error. It’s a stylistic issue that pertains to clarity–that is, there are times when your use of the passive prevents a reader from understanding what you mean.

2. Any use of “to be” (in any form) constitutes the passive voice.

The passive voice entails more than just using a being verb. Using “to be” can weaken the impact of your writing, but it is occasionally necessary and does not constitute the passive voice by itself.

3. The passive voice always avoids the first person; if something’s in first person (“I” or “we”) it’s also in the active voice.

On the contrary, you can very easily use the passive voice in the first person: “I was hit by the dodgeball.”

4. You should never use the passive voice.

While the passive voice can weaken the clarity of your writing, there are times when the passive voice is OK and even preferable.

5. I can rely on my grammar checker to catch the passive voice.

See Myth #1. Since the passive voice isn’t a grammar error, it’s not always caught. Typically, grammar checkers catch only a fraction of passive voice usage.

Do any of these misunderstandings sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. So we wrote this handout. It discusses how to recognize the passive voice, when you should avoid it, and when it’s OK.

Defining the passive voice

A passive construction occurs when you make the object of an action into the subject of a sentence. That is, the one performing the action is not the grammatical subject of the sentence. To rephrase a familiar joke:

Why was the road crossed by the chicken?

The chicken is the actor in this sentence, but the road is the grammatical subject. The more familiar phrasing places the actor as the subject–a subject doing something: A chicken (actor/doer) crossing the road (object). We use active verbs to represent that “doing,” whether it be crossing roads, proposing ideas, arguing arguments, or invading houses (more on that shortly). Passive constructions are easy to spot; look for a form of “to be” (is, are, am , was, were, has been, have been, had been, will be, will have been, being) followed by a past participle. (The past participle is a form of the verb often, but not always, ending in “-ed.” Some exceptions to the “-ed” rule are words like “paid” and “driven.”) Here’s a sure-fire formula for identifying the passive voice:

form of “to be” + past participle = passive voice

For example:

The metropolis has been scorched by the dragon’s fiery breath.

When her house was invaded, Penelope had to think of ways to delay her remarriage.

**NOTE: the passive voice is marked by a form of “to be” + the past participle–not a form of “have” alone + the past participle, as some students believe. So don’t let the combination of “have” and “to be” fool you. In the next section, we discuss why you often want to avoid using the passive voice, but let’s briefly look at how to change passive constructions into active ones. You can usually just switch the order, making the actor and subject one–putting the doer up front:

The dragon scorched the metropolis with his fiery breath.

After suitors invaded Penelope’s house, she had to think of ways to fend them off.

To repeat, the key to identifying the passive voice is to look for both a form of “to be” and a past participle, which usually, but not always, ends in “-ed.”

Clarity and Meaning

The primary reason why your instructors frown on the passive voice is that they often have to guess what you mean. Sometimes, the confusion is minor. Let’s look again at that sentence from a student’s paper on Homer’s The Odyssey:

When her house was invaded, Penelope had to think of ways to delay her remarriage.

Like many passive constructions, this sentence lacks explicit reference to the actor–it doesn’t tell the reader who or what invaded. The active voice clarifies:

After suitors invaded Penelope’s house, she had to think of ways to fend them off.

Thus many instructors–the readers making sense of your writing–prefer that you use the active voice, that you specify who or what is doing the action. Compare the following two examples from an anthropology paper on a Laotian village to see if you agree.

(passive) A new [drug] control system was set up. (By whom?)
(active) The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party gradually set up a system of drug control laws.

Here’s another example, from the same paper, that illustrates the lack of precision that can accompany the passive voice:

Gender training was conducted in six villages, thus affecting social relationships.

And a few pages later:

Plus, marketing links were being established.

In both paragraphs, the writer never specifies the actors of those two actions (Who did the gender training? Who established marketing links?). Thus the reader has trouble appreciating the dynamics of these social interactions, which depend upon the actors conducting and establishing these things.

The following example, once again from that paper on The Odyssey, typifies another instance where an instructor might desire more precision and clarity:

Although Penelope shares heroic characteristics with her husband, Odysseus, she
is not considered a hero.

Who does not consider her a hero? It’s difficult to tell, but the rest of that paragraph suggests that the student does not consider Penelope a hero (the topic of the paper). The reader might also think the student refers to critics or scholars. One might argue that the meaning comes through here–the problem is merely stylistic. Yet style affects how your reader understands your argument and content. Awkward or unclear style prevents your reader from appreciating the ideas that are so clear to you when you write. Thus knowing how your reader might react enables you to make more effective choices when you revise. So after you identify instances of the passive (“to be” + the past participle), you should consider if your use of the passive inhibits clear understanding of what you mean.

Summarizing history or literary plots with the passive voice: Don’t be a lazy thinker or writer!

With the previous section in mind, you should also know that some instructors proclaim that the passive voice signals sloppy, lazy thinking–that those who use it have not thought through a process they are discussing. Imprecision follows. Consider these sentences from papers on American history:

The working class was marginalized.
African Americans were discriminated against.
Women were not treated as equals.

Such sentences lack the precision and connection to context and causes that mark rigorous thinking. The reader learns little about the systems, conditions, human decisions and contradictions that led each of those groups to experience their histories. And so the reader–your instructor–questions your understanding of these things. You particularly want to think twice about using passive constructions in thesis statements for these reasons. Strong theses and strong writing in general mark a writer who indicates the relationships between not only larger processes like these three above but also minor actions, such as those of Penelope’s storming suitors.

In papers where you discuss an author’s work–e.g., historians or literary authors–you can also strengthen your writing by not relying on the passive as a crutch to summarize plots or arguments. Instead of writing

It is argued that…
or Tom and Huck are portrayed as…
or And then the link between X and Y is made, showing that…

you can heighten the level of your analysis by explicitly connecting an author with these statements.

Anderson argues that…
Twain portrays Tom and Huck as…
Ishiguro draws a link between X and Y to show that…

Thus by avoiding passive constructions in these situations you can demonstrate a more thorough understanding of the material you discuss. You can show that you’re not a lazy, sloppy thinker.

Scientific Writing

That advice goes well for papers in the humanities, you note, but what about technical or scientific papers, including lab reports? Many instructors require if not recommend the passive voice in such writing. The rationale for using the passive is that it achieves “an objective tone”–for example, by avoiding the first person. To consider scientific writing, let’s break it up into two main types: lab reports and writing about a scientific topic or literature

Lab Reports

Although more and more scientific journals accept first-person active voice (e.g., “then we sequenced the human genome”), many of your instructors want you to remove yourself from your lab report by using the passive voice (e.g., “then the human genome was sequenced”). Such advice particularly applies to the section on Methods and Materials, where a procedure “is followed.”

While you might employ the passive voice to retain objectivity, you can still use active constructions in some instances and retain your objective stance. Thus it’s useful to keep in mind the sort of active verbs you might use in lab reports. Examples include: supported, indicated, suggested, corresponded, challenged, yielded, showed.

Thus instead of writing
A number of things are indicated by these results.

you could write
These results indicate a number of things.
or Further analysis showed/suggested/yielded…

Ultimately, you should find out your instructor’s preference regarding your use of the passive in lab reports.

Writing about Scientific Topics or Literature

Other assignments relate not to your own scientific work but to that of others–such as literature reviews and research on scientific topics. Two main issues arise here: Reporting what other people have specifically done (e.g., research or experiments) or indicating general scientific knowledge (e.g., the body of knowledge coming out of others’ research). Often the two go together. In both instances, you can easily use active constructions even though you might be tempted by the passive–especially if you’re used to writing your own lab reports in the passive.

You decide: Which of these two examples represents clearer style?

Heart disease is considered the leading cause of death in the United States. (passive)
or Research points to heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States.

Alternatively, you could write this sentence with human actors:

Researchers have concluded that heart disease is the leading caue of death in the United States.

The last two sentences illustrate a relationship that the first one lacks. The first example does not illustrate the “who” or “what” that leads us to accept this conclusion about heart disease.

Here’s one last example from a report that describes angioplasty. Which sounds better?

The balloon is positioned in an area of blockage and is inflated.
or The surgeon positions the balloon in an area of blockage and inflates it.

The point is that you can improve your scientific writing by relying less on the passive. The advice for papers on history or literature equally applies to papers in more “scientific” courses. Just as for writing in the humanities, use of the passive may convey to your reader a sense of uncertainty and imprecision regarding your writing and thinking. The key is to know when your instructor wants you to use the passive voice.

“Swindles and Perversions”

Before we discuss a few instances when one might actually prefer the passive, we should mention one of the more political uses of the passive: to hide blame or obscure responsibility. You wouldn’t do this, but you can learn how to become a critic of those who exhibit what George Orwell included among the “swindles and perversions” of writing–vaguely couching one’s culpability in the passive voice. For example:

Mistakes were made.

The Exxon Company accepts that a few gallons might have been spilled.

By becoming critically aware of how others use language to shape clarity and meaning you can learn how better to revise your own work. Keep Orwell’s swindles and perversions in mind as you read other writers, since some people use the passive to avoid responsibility when they know who’s responsible for the action.

So when is it OK to use the passive?

Sometimes it’s better to use the passive. Indeed, many style “gurus” would argue that good style depends on variety; thus why shouldn’t that apply to the active and passive voices? We agree–but note that variety itself is not the issue. You should be deliberate when choosing between the active and passive. We highlight a few instances when the passive voice is quite useful:

1. To emphasize an object.

X number of votes are required to pass the bill.

2. To de-emphasize an unknown subject/actor.

Over 120 different contaminants have been dumped into the river.

If you don’t know who the actor is, then the passive makes more sense. But remember, if you do know the actor, and if the clarity and meaning of your writing would benefit from indicating him/her/it/them, then use an active construction. Yet consider the third case.

3. If your readers don’t need to know who’s responsible for the action.

Here’s where your choice can be difficult; some instances are less clear than others. Try to put yourself in your reader’s position to anticipate how they will react to the way you have phrased your thoughts.

Summary of Strategies

Identify

• Look for the passive voice: “to be” + a past participle (usually, but not always, ending in “-ed”)
• If you don’t see both components, move on.

Evaluate

• Is the doer/actor indicated? Should you indicate him/her/it?
• Does it really matter who’s responsible for the action?
• Would your reader ask you to clarify a sentence because of an issue related to your use of the passive?
• Do you use a passive construction in your thesis statement?
• Do you use the passive as a crutch in summarizing a plot or history, in describing something?
• Do you want to emphasize the object?

Revise

• Switch the sentence around to make the subject and actor one: Put the doer in front of the verb.

Towards active thinking and writing

We encourage you to keep these tips in mind as you revise. While you may be able to employ this advice as you write your first draft, that’s not necessarily always possible. As for most writing, clarity comes when you revise, not on your first try. Don’t stress about the passive if that stress inhibits you in getting your ideas down. But do look for it when you revise. Actively make choices about its proper place in your writing. Prioritize your use of the passive when you revise: Which instances hide actors or otherwise prevent your reader from understanding the relationships you discuss? There is nothing grammatically or otherwise “wrong” about using the passive voice. The key is to recognize when you should, when you shouldn’t, and when your instructor just doesn’t want you to. These choices are yours. We hope this handout helps you to make them.

For further reading on the passive voice and how to strengthen your verbs

Anson, Chris M. and Robert A. Schwegler. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers. Second edition. (2000). Pages 118-120; 270-272; 262-64; 369-71; 448.

Baron, Dennis. “The Passive Voice can be your friend,” Declining Grammar and Other Essays On the English Vocabulary (Urbana: NCTE, 1989), pp. 17-22.

Hjortshoj, Keith. The Transition to College Writing. (2001). Pages 119-121.

Lanham, Richard. Revising Prose. Fourth edition. (2000).

Orwell, George. Politics and the English Language. (1946).

Rosen, Leonard J. and Laurence Behrens. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook. Third edition. (1997).Pages 240-243; 326-327; 340-344.

Strunk and White. The Elements of Style. Third edition. (1979). Pages 18-19.

Trimble, John R. Writing with Style. Pages 55-58.

Williams, Joseph. Style: Ten lessons in clarity and grace. Sixth edition. (2000). Chapter 3 and pages 70ff.

Lesson on Phrasal Verbs

PHRASAL VERBS

(Source: http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-phrasal-verbs_2.htm)

 

Phrasal verbs are a group of multi-word verbs made from a verb plus another word or words. Many people refer to all multi-word verbs as phrasal verbs. On these pages we make a distinction between three types of multi-word verbs: prepositional verbs, phrasal verbs and phrasal-prepositional verbs. On this page we look at phrasal verbs proper.

Phrasal verbs are made of:

verb + adverb

Phrasal verbs can be:

• intransitive (no direct object)
• transitive (direct object)

  Here are some examples of phrasal verbs:

	Phrasal Verbs	Meaning	Examples
			I don’t like to get up	Direct Object
Intransitive Phrasal Verbs	Get up	Rise from bed
	Break down	Cease to function	He was late because his car broke down
Transitive Phrasal Verbs	Put off	Postpone	We will have to put off	The meeting
	Turn down	Refuse	They turned down	My offer

Separable Phrasal Verbs

When phrasal verbs are transitive (that is, they have a direct object), we can usually separate the two parts. For example, “turn down” is a separable phrasal verb. We can say: “turn down my offer” or “turn my offer down“. Look at this table:

Transitive Phrasal Verbs are Separable	√	They	turned		down	My offer
	√	They	turned	My offer	down

However, if the direct object is a pronoun, we have no choice. We must separate the phrasal verb and insert the pronoun between the two parts. Look at this example with the separable phrasal verb “switch on”:

Direct object pronouns must go between the two parts of transitive phrasal verbs	√	John	switched		on	The radio	These are all possible
	√	John	switched	The radio	on
	√	John	switched	It	on
	X	John	switched		on	It	This is not possible

→ Separable or inseparable phrasal verbs? Some dictionaries tell you when phrasal verbs are separable. If a dictionary writes “look (something) up”, you know that the phrasal verb “look up” is separable, and you can say “look something up” and “look up something”. It’s a good idea to write “something/somebody” as appropriate in your vocabulary book when you learn a new phrasal verb, like this:

• get up
• break down
• put something/somebody off
• turn sthg/sby down

This tells you whether the verb needs a direct object (and where to put it). 

Prepositional Verbs
(Source: http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-phrasal-verbs_1.htm)

Prepositional verbs are a group of multi-word verbs made from a verb plus another word or words. Many people refer to all multi-word verbs as phrasal verbs. On these pages we make a distinction between three types of multi-word verbs: prepositional verbs, phrasal verbs and phrasal-prepositional verbs. On this page we look at prepositional verbs.

Prepositional verbs are made of:

verb + preposition

Because a preposition always has an object, all prepositional verbs have direct objects. Here are some examples of prepositional verbs:

Prepositional Verbs	Meaning	Examples
			Direct Object
Believe in	Have faith in the existence of	I believe in	God
Look after	Take care of	He is looking after	The dog
Talk about	Discuss	Did you talk about	Me?
Wait for	Await	John is waiting for	Mary

Prepositional verbs cannot be separated. That means that we cannot put the direct object between the two parts. For example, we must say “look after the baby”. We cannot say “look the baby after”:

Prepositional Verbs are Inseparable	√	Who is looking after the baby?	This is possible
	X	Who is looking the baby after?	This is not possible

→ It is a good idea to write “something/somebody” in your vocabulary book when you learn a new prepositional verb, like this:

• believe in something/somebody
• look after sthg/sby

This reminds you that this verb needs a direct object (and where to put it).

Phrasal-prepositional Verbs

(Source: http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-phrasal-verbs_3.htm)

Phrasal-prepositional verbs are a small group of multi-word verbs made from a verb plus another word or words. Many people refer to all multi-word verbs as phrasal verbs. On these pages we make a distinction between three types of multi-word verbs: prepositional verbs, phrasal verbs and phrasal-prepositional verbs. On this page we look at phrasal-prepositional verbs. Phrasal-prepositional verbs are made of:

verb + adverb + preposition

Look at these examples of phrasal-prepositional verbs:

Phrasal – Prepositional Verbs	Meaning	Examples
			Direct Object
Get on with	Have a friendly relationship with	He doesn’t get on with	His wife
Put up with	Tolerate	I wont pup up with	Your attitude
Look forward to	Anticipate with pleasure	I look forward to	Seeing you
Run out of	Use up, exhaust	We have run out of	Eggs.

Because phrasal-prepositional verbs end with a preposition, there is always a direct object. And, like prepositional verbs, phrasal-prepositional verbs cannot be separated. Look at these examples:

Phrasal – prepositional verbs are inseparable	√	We	ran out of	fuel
	√	We	ran out of	it

 → It is a good idea to write “something/somebody” in your vocabulary book when you learn a new phrasal-prepositional verb, like this:

• get on with somebody
• put up with sthg/sby
• run out of something

This reminds you that this verb needs a direct object (and where to put it).

Take a Test!!!!

Phrasal Verbs Quiz. Are these sentences correct or incorrect?(Source: http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-phrasal-verbs_quiz.htm)1. Why do we always talk the weather about?                                Correct / incorrect 

2. My mother switched the radio off this morning.                           Correct / incorrect 

3. I will look your letter forward to.                                                Correct / incorrect  

4. He was nice, but we turned down him.                                        Correct / incorrect  

5. I believe in ghosts, don’t you?                                                     Correct / incorrect  

6. We will have to wait the bus for at the corner.                             Correct / incorrect  

7. Melissa is going to look after the children.                                   Correct / incorrect  

8. I have to put the baby down while I sweep the floor.                   Correct / incorrect  

9. Why don’t you switch the music over while you wait?                  Correct / incorrect 

10. Can you go to the store before we run milk out of.                    Correct / incorrect 

Answers: 1. Correct, 2. Correct, 3. Incorrect, 4. Incorrect, 5. Correct, 6. Incorrect, 7. Correct, 8. Correct, 9. Correct, 10. Incorrect.

List of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs List

(Source: http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/phrasal-verbs-list.htm)

This is a list of about 200 common phrasal verbs, with meanings and examples. Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of verb + adverb or verb + preposition. Think of them as you would any other English vocabulary. Study them as you come across them, rather than trying to memorize many at once. Use the list below as a reference guide when you find an expression that you don’t recognize. The examples will help you understand the meanings. If you think of each phrasal verb as a separate verb with a specific meaning, you will be able to remember it more easily. Like many other verbs, phrasal verbs often have more than one meaning. As well as learning their meanings, you need to learn how to use phrasal verbs properly. Some phrasal verbs require a direct object (someone/something), while others do not. Some phrasal verbs can be separated by the object, while others cannot. Review some grammar lessons on phrasal verbs from time to time so that you don’t forget the rules!

→ Most phrasal verbs consist of two words, but a few consist of THREE words, which always stay together.

Verb	Meaning	Example
ask someone out	invite on a date	Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.
ask around	ask many people the same question	I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.
add up to something	equal	Your purchases add up to $205.32.
back something up	reverse	You’ll have to back up your car so that I can get out.
back someone up	support	My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job.
blow up	explode	The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence.
blow something up	add air	We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.
break down	stop functioning (vehicle, machine)	Our car broke down at the side of the highway in the snowstorm.
break down	get upset	The woman broke down when the police told her that her son had died.
break something down	divide into smaller parts	Our teacher broke the final project down into three separate parts.
break in	force entry to a building	Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo.
break into something	enter forcibly	The firemen had to break into the room to rescue the children.
break something in	wear something a few times so that it doesn’t look/feel new	I need to break these shoes in before we run next week.
break in	interrupt	The TV station broke in to report the news of the president’s death.
break up	end a relationship	My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America.
break up	start laughing (informal)	The kids just broke up as soon as the clown started talking.
break out	escape	The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren’t looking.
break out in something	develop a skin condition	I broke out in a rash after our camping trip.
bring someone down	make unhappy	This sad music is bringing me down.
bring someone up	raise a child	My grandparents brought me up after my parents died.
bring something up	start talking about a subject	My mother walks out of the room when my father brings up sports.
bring something up	vomit	He drank so much that he brought his dinner up in the toilet.
call around	phone many different places/people	We called around but we weren’t able to find the car part we needed.
call someone back	return a phone call	I called the company back but the offices were closed for the weekend.
call something off	cancel	Jason called the wedding off because he wasn’t in love with his fiancé.
call on someone	ask for an answer or opinion	The professor called on me for question 1.
call on someone	visit someone	We called on you last night but you weren’t home.
call someone up	phone	Give me your phone number and I will call you up when we are in town.
calm down	relax after being angry	You are still mad. You need to calm down before you drive the car.
not care for someone/something	not like (formal)	I don’t care for his behaviour.
catch up	get to the same point as someone else	You’ll have to run faster than that if you want to catch up with Marty.
check in	arrive and register at a hotel or airport	We will get the hotel keys when we check in.
check out	leave a hotel	You have to check out of the hotel before 11:00 AM.
check someone/something out	look at carefully, investigate	The company checks out all new employees.
check out someone/something	look at (informal)	Check out the crazy hair on that guy!
cheer up	become happier	She cheered up when she heard the good news.
cheer someone up	make happier	I brought you some flowers to cheer you up.
chip in	help	If everyone chips in we can get the kitchen painted by noon.
clean something up	tidy, clean	Please clean up your bedroom before you go outside.
come across something	find unexpectedly	I came across these old photos when I was tidying the closet.
come apart	separate	The top and bottom come apart if you pull hard enough.
come down with something	become sick	My nephew came down with chicken pox this weekend.
come forward	volunteer for a task or to give evidence	The woman came forward with her husband’s finger prints.
come from somewhere	originate in	The art of origami comes from Asia.
count on someone/something	rely on	I am counting on you to make dinner while I am out.
cross something out	draw a line through	Please cross out your old address and write your new one.
cut back on something	consume less	My doctor wants me to cut back on sweets and fatty foods.
cut something down	make something fall to the ground	We had to cut the old tree in our yard down after the storm.
cut in	interrupt	Your father cut in while I was dancing with your uncle.
cut in	pull in too closely in front of another vehicle	The bus driver got angry when that car cut in.
cut in	start operating (of an engine or electrical device)	The air conditioner cuts in when the temperature gets to 22ºC.
cut something off	remove with something sharp	The doctors cut off his leg because it was severely injured.
cut something off	stop providing	The phone company cut off our phone because we didn’t pay the bill.
cut someone off	take out of a will	My grandparents cut my father off when he remarried.
cut something out	remove part of something (usually with scissors and paper)	I cut this ad out of the newspaper.
do someone/something over	beat up, ransack (Br.E., informal)	He’s lucky to be alive. His shop was done over by a street gang.
do something over	do again (N.Amer.)	My teacher wants me to do my essay over because she doesn’t like my topic.
do away with something	discard	It’s time to do away with all of these old tax records.
do something up	fasten, close	Do your coat up before you go outside. It’s snowing!
dress up	wear nice clothing	It’s a fancy restaurant so we have to dress up.
drop back	move back in a position/group	Andrea dropped back to third place when she fell off her bike.
drop in/by/over	come without an appointment	I might drop in/by/over for tea some time this week.
drop someone/something off	take someone/something somewhere and leave them/it there	I have to drop my sister off at work before I come over.
drop out	quit a class, school etc	I dropped out of Science because it was too difficult.
eat out	eat at a restaurant	I don’t feel like cooking tonight. Let’s eat out.
end up	eventually reach/do/decide	We ended up renting a movie instead of going to the theatre.
fall apart	break into pieces	My new dress fell apart in the washing machine.
fall down	fall to the ground	The picture that you hung up last night fell down this morning.
fall out	separate from an interior	The money must have fallen out of my pocket.
fall out	(of hair, teeth) become loose and unattached	His hair started to fall out when he was only 35.
figure something out	understand, find the answer	I need to figure out how to fit the piano and the bookshelf in this room.
fill something in	to write information in blanks (Br.E.)	Please fill in the form with your name, address, and phone number.
fill something out	to write information in blanks (N.Amer.)	The form must be filled out in capital letters.
fill something up	fill to the top	I always fill the water jug up when it is empty.
find out	discover	We don’t know where he lives. How can we find out?
find something out	discover	We tried to keep the time of the party a secret, but Samantha found it out.
get something across/over	communicate, make understandable	I tried to get my point across/over to the judge but she wouldn’t listen.
get along/on	like each other	I was surprised how well my new girlfriend and my sister got along/on.
get around	have mobility	My grandfather can get around fine in his new wheelchair.
get away	go on a vacation	We worked so hard this year that we had to get away for a week.
get away with something	do without being noticed or punished	Jason always gets away with cheating in his maths tests.
get back	return	We got back from our vacation last week.
get something back	receive something you had before	Liz finally got her Science notes back from my room-mate.
get back at someone	retaliate, take revenge	My sister got back at me for stealing her shoes. She stole my favourite hat.
get back into something	become interested in something again	I finally got back into my novel and finished it.
get on something	step onto a vehicle	We’re going to freeze out here if you don’t let us get on the bus.
get over something	recover from an illness, loss, difficulty	I just got over the flu and now my sister has it.
get over something	overcome a problem	The company will have to close if it can’t get over the new regulations.
get round to something	finally find time to do (N.Amer.: get around to something)	I don’t know when I am going to get round to writing the thank you cards.
get together	meet (usually for social reasons)	Let’s get together for a BBQ this weekend.
get up	get out of bed	I got up early today to study for my exam.
get up	stand	You should get up and give the elderly man your seat.
give someone away	reveal hidden information about someone	His wife gave him away to the police.
give someone away	take the bride to the altar	My father gave me away at my wedding.
give something away	ruin a secret	My little sister gave the surprise party away by accident.
give something away	give something to someone for free	The library was giving away old books on Friday.
give something back	return a borrowed item	I have to give these skates back to Franz before his hockey game.
give in	reluctantly stop fighting or arguing	My boyfriend didn’t want to go to the ballet, but he finally gave in.
give something out	give to many people (usually at no cost)	They were giving out free perfume samples at the department store.
give something up	quit a habit	I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.
give up	stop trying	My maths homework was too difficult so I gave up.
go after someone	follow someone	My brother tried to go after the thief in his car.
go after something	try to achieve something	I went after my dream and now I am a published writer.
go against someone	compete, oppose	We are going against the best soccer team in the city tonight.
go ahead	start, proceed	Please go ahead and eat before the food gets cold.
go back	return to a place	I have to go back home and get my lunch.
go out	leave home to go on a social event	We’re going out for dinner tonight.
go out with someone	date	Jesse has been going out with Luke since they met last winter.
go over something	review	Please go over your answers before you submit your test.
go over	visit someone nearby	I haven’t seen Tina for a long time. I think I’ll go over for an hour or two.
go without something	suffer lack or deprivation	When I was young, we went without winter boots.
grow apart	stop being friends over time	My best friend and I grew apart after she changed schools.
grow back	regrow	My roses grew back this summer.
grow up	become an adult	When Jack grows up he wants to be a fireman.
grow out of something	get too big for	Elizabeth needs a new pair of shoes because she has grown out of her old ones.
grow into something	grow big enough to fit	This bike is too big for him now, but he should grow into it by next year.
hand something down	give something used to someone else	I handed my old comic books down to my little cousin.
hand something in	submit	I have to hand in my essay by Friday.
hand something out	to distribute to a group of people	We will hand out the invitations at the door.
hand something over	give (usually unwillingly)	The police asked the man to hand over his wallet and his weapons.
hang in	stay positive (N.Amer., informal)	Hang in there. I’m sure you’ll find a job very soon.
hang on	wait a short time (informal)	Hang on while I grab my coat and shoes!
hang out	spend time relaxing (informal)	Instead of going to the party we are just going to hang out at my place.
hang up	end a phone call	He didn’t say goodbye before he hung up.
hold someone/something back	prevent from doing/going	I had to hold my dog back because there was a cat in the park.
hold something back	hide an emotion	Jamie held back his tears at his grandfather’s funeral.
hold on	wait a short time	Please hold on while I transfer you to the Sales Department.
hold onto someone/something	hold firmly using your hands or arms	Hold onto your hat because it’s very windy outside.
hold someone/somethingup	rob	A man in a black mask held the bank up this morning.
keep on doing something	continue doing	Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.
keep something from someone	not tell	We kept our relationship from our parents for two years.
keep someone/something out	stop from entering	Try to keep the wet dog out of the living room.
keep something up	continue at the same rate	If you keep those results up you will get into a great college.
let someone down	fail to support or help, disappoint	I need you to be on time. Don’t let me down this time.
let someone in	allow to enter	Can you let the cat in before you go to school?
look after someone/something	take care of	I have to look after my sick grandmother.
look down on someone	think less of, consider inferior	Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me.
look for someone/something	try to find	I’m looking for a red dress for the wedding.
look forward to something	be excited about the future	I’m looking forward to the Christmas break.
look into something	investigate	We are going to look into the price of snowboards today.
look out	be careful, vigilant, and take notice	Look out! That car’s going to hit you!
look out for someone/something	be especially vigilant for	Don’t forget to look out for snakes on the hiking trail.
look something over	check, examine	Can you look over my essay for spelling mistakes?
look something up	search and find information in a reference book or database	We can look her phone number up on the Internet.
look up to someone	have a lot of respect for	My little sister has always looked up to me.
make something up	invent, lie about something	Josie made up a story about about why we were late.
make up	forgive each other	We were angry last night, but we made up at breakfast.
make someone up	apply cosmetics to	My sisters made me up for my graduation party.
mix something up	confuse two or more things	I mixed up the twins’ names again!
pass away	die	His uncle passed away last night after a long illness.
pass out	faint	It was so hot in the church that an elderly lady passed out.
pass something out	give the same thing to many people	The professor passed the textbooks out before class.
pass something up	decline (usually something good)	I passed up the job because I am afraid of change.
pay someone back	return owed money	Thanks for buying my ticket. I’ll pay you back on Friday.
pay for something	be punished for doing something bad	That bully will pay for being mean to my little brother.
pick something out	choose	I picked out three sweaters for you to try on.
point someone/something out	indicate with your finger	I’ll point my boyfriend out when he runs by.
put something down	put what you are holding on a surface or floor	You can put the groceries down on the kitchen counter.
put someone down	insult, make someone feel stupid	The students put the substitute teacher down because his pants were too short.
put something off	postpone	We are putting off our trip until January because of the hurricane.
put something out	extinguish	The neighbours put the fire out before the firemen arrived.
put something together	assemble	I have to put the crib together before the baby arrives.
put up with someone/something	tolerate	I don’t think I can put up with three small children in the car.
put something on	put clothing/accessories on your body	Don’t forget to put on your new earrings for the party.
run into someone/something	meet unexpectedly	I ran into an old school-friend at the mall.
run over someone/something	drive a vehicle over a person or thing	I accidentally ran over your bicycle in the driveway.
run over/through something	rehearse, review	Let’s run over/through these lines one more time before the show.
run away	leave unexpectedly, escape	The child ran away from home and has been missing for three days.
run out	have none left	We ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my hair with soap.
send something back	return (usually by mail)	My letter got sent back to me because I used the wrong stamp.
set something up	arrange, organize	Our boss set a meeting up with the president of the company.
set someone up	trick, trap	The police set up the car thief by using a hidden camera.
shop around	compare prices	I want to shop around a little before I decide on these boots.
show off	act extra special for people watching (usually boastfully)	He always shows off on his skateboard
sleep over	stay somewhere for the night (informal)	You should sleep over tonight if the weather is too bad to drive home.
sort something out	organize, resolve a problem	We need to sort the bills out before the first of the month.
stick to something	continue doing something, limit yourself to one particular thing	You will lose weight if you stick to the diet.
switch something off	stop the energy flow, turn off	The light’s too bright. Could you switch it off.
switch something on	start the energy flow, turn on	We heard the news as soon as we switched on the car radio.
take after someone	resemble a family member	I take after my mother. We are both impatient.
take something apart	purposely break into pieces	He took the car brakes apart and found the problem.
take something back	return an item	I have to take our new TV back because it doesn’t work.
take off	start to fly	My plane takes off in five minutes.
take something off	remove something (usually clothing)	Take off your socks and shoes and come in the lake!
take something out	remove from a place or thing	Can you take the garbage out to the street for me?
take someone out	pay for someone to go somewhere with you	My grandparents took us out for dinner and a movie.
tear something up	rip into pieces	I tore up my ex-boyfriend’s letters and gave them back to him.
think back	remember (often + to, sometimes + on)	When I think back on my youth, I wish I had studied harder.
think something over	consider	I’ll have to think this job offer over before I make my final decision.
throw something away	dispose of	We threw our old furniture away when we won the lottery.
turn something down	decrease the volume or strength (heat, light etc)	Please turn the TV down while the guests are here.
turn something down	refuse	I turned the job down because I don’t want to move.
turn something off	stop the energy flow, switch off	Your mother wants you to turn the TV off and come for dinner.
turn something on	start the energy, switch on	It’s too dark in here. Let’s turn some lights on.
turn something up	increase the volume or strength (heat, light etc)	Can you turn the music up? This is my favourite song.
turn up	appear suddenly	Our cat turned up after we put posters up all over the neighbourhood.
try something on	sample clothing	I’m going to try these jeans on, but I don’t think they will fit.
try something out	test	I am going to try this new brand of detergent out.
use something up	finish the supply	The kids used all of the toothpaste up so we need to buy some more.
wake up	stop sleeping	We have to wake up early for work on Monday.
warm someone/something up	increase the temperature	You can warm your feet up in front of the fireplace.
warm up	prepare body for exercise	I always warm up by doing sit-ups before I go for a run.
wear off	fade away	Most of my make-up wore off before I got to the party.
work out	exercise	I work out at the gym three times a week.
work out	be successful	Our plan worked out fine.
work something out	make a calculation	We have to work out the total cost before we buy the house.

Br.E.: British English; N.Amer.: North American

Signal Words for Present Perfect

Exercises: Signal Words for Present Perfect

 

- How long have you lived in your town? I’ve lived here for ten years¹.

- How long have you been in this country? I’ve been here for about ten years.

- How long have you lived in Brazil? For a long time. Since 1980².

- How long have you lived in England? Not for a long time. Since 1999.

• - How many houses have you had? I’ve (I have) had three different houses.
• - How many countries have you lived in? I’ve (I have) lived in five countries.
• - How many countries have you been to? I’ve (I have) been to seven countries.

Verbs

                                               Present Past                 Past Participle

Ser/Estar___________is/are______________was/were_______been

Vivir_______________live________________lived____________lived

Permanecer_________stay_______________stayed___________stayed

Ir__________________go________________went____________gone

Hacer_______________do/does____________did_____________done

Tener_______________have/has___________had_____________had

¹ Usamos for cuando nos referimos a un cierto período de tiempo.

² Usamos since cuando tenemos una fecha precisa de início.

EXERCISES

1. “For” or “Since” Make sentences using “for” or “since”.

Examples:        – How long have you worked at the bank? (two years)

   I have worked at the bank for two years.

- How long have you been married? (1996)

   I have been married since 1996.

a. How long have you lived in the United States? (One year) ____________________________

b. How long has Mary been a nurse? (April) _________________________________________

c. How long has Karen known Tom? (1979) _________________________________________

d. How long have they studied English? (a few months) ________________________________

e. How long has Karen played tennis? (a long time) ___________________________________

f. How long has he worn glasses? (1975) ___________________________________________

g. How long has Emily played the piano? (high school) ________________________________

h. How long will you be on vacation? (three weeks) ___________________________________

i. How long have you driven a car? (my birthday) _____________________________________

j. How long has Ron had his new computer? (last month) ______________________________

k. How long has she owned the book shop? (ten years) ________________________________

l. How long has Gary played football? (several years) _________________________________

m. How long have your friends been in town? (Monday) _______________________________

n. How long has Mrs. Smith lived on Clark Street? (many years) _________________________

o. How long has the post office been closed. (five o’clock) ______________________________



 2. Fill in the blanks with for or since:

a. I have been here……………………many months.

b. I have stayed in this hotel…………………….I arrived in London.

c. I haven’t been there……………………………a long time.

d. They haven’t seen her …………………………..last month.

e. Andrea and I have lived in Argentina ………………………… September.

f. We haven’t gone abroad…………………………1998.



3. Structures with “How”. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs given:

a. How long have you…………………………(live) in Brazil?

b. How many cars have you ……………………..(have)?

c. How long have you……………………….(stay) in this house?

d. How many countries have you………………………(be) to?

e. How long have you ……………………(be) in the United States?



4. – Match the second column with the first, combining questions and answers.

( 1 ) How long have you lived in Brazil?

( 2 ) How many countries have you been to?

( 3 ) How many jobs have you had ?

( 4 ) How many cities have you lived in?

( 5 ) How long have you been studying in Florida?

(     ) I’ve been studying here just for two weeks.

(     ) I haven’t lived here for a long time, only since 1998.

(     ) I’ve had so many jobs! I guess I’ve had eight.

(     ) I’ve already been to nine different countries.

(     ) I have lived in four different cities.



5. Write sentences in present perfect simple. Place ‘never’ before the main verb.

In a contest, people get the chance to do something they’ve never done before. This is what the participants told the jury:

1.         Fergal / never / sail / on the Pacific. 

2.         Rebecca / never / stay / at a five-star hotel 

3.         Jason / never / watch / a world-cup final 

4.         Rachel and Gareth / never / climb / Mount Kilimanjaro 

5.         Elaine / never / see / a whale 

6.         Ruth / never / spend / her holiday in Mexico 

7.         Connor / never / be / to Canada 

8.         Lisa and Holly / never / cycle / around England 

9.         Barry / never / drive / a Ferrari 

10.       Clare / never / meet / Mickey Mouse



Answers:

1- a. for, b. since, c. since, d. for, e. for, f. since, g. since, h. for, i. since, j. since, k. for, l. for, m. since, n. for, o. since

2- a. for, b. Since, c. For, d. Since, e. Since, f.. Since.

3- a. lived, b. had, c. stayed, d. been

4-         ( 5 ) I’ve been studying here just for two weeks.

( 1 ) I haven’t lived here for a long time, only since 1998.

( 3 ) I’ve had so many jobs! I guess I’ve had eight.

( 2 ) I’ve already been to nine different countries.

( 4 ) I have lived in four different cities.

5-         1. Fergal has never sailed on the Pacific. 

2. Rebecca has never stayed at a five-star hotel. 

3. Jason has never watched a world-cup final. 

4. Rachel and Gareth have never climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. 

5. Elaine has never seen a whale. 

6. Ruth has never spent her holiday in Mexico. 

7. Connor has never been to Canada. 

8. Lisa and Holly have never cycled around England. 

9. Barry has never driven a Ferrari. 

10. Clare has never met Mickey Mouse.

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More Practice!!!!

http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/gr.since.i.htm (for and since)

http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/gr.presper.i.htm (already, just, still and yet)

http://www.eclecticenglish.com/grammar/PresentPerfect1D.html (for and since)

http://www.eclecticenglish.com/grammar/PresentPerfect1C.html (already and yet)

Modal Verbs Handout

Modal Verbs Handout

1. CAN (Present): Expresses ability, mental or physical. Also expresses permission. The negative form of can is cannot or can’t. E.g. can he swim well? Can I go with him? He can go swimming at Miami Beach.

2. COULD: Is the past tense of the conditional tense of can. The negative form is could not or couldn’t.

PAST: He couldn’t swim last year

CONDITIONAL: I could go if I had the money. I thought that I could go.

3. MAY (Present): expresses either permission or possibility.

PERMISSION: May I borrow your book?

POSSIBILITY: I may see her tomorrow.

4. MIGHT: Is the past tense and the conditional tense of MAY. It also indicates future time. Although might sometimes has the idea of permission. The negative form: might not.

 5. MUST (Deber): expresses necessity or probability. When Must is used to express necessity, it is similar to HAVE TO. Must is used in all persons of the present tense. It has no past or future tenses; therefore HAD TO is used in the past Must sometimes indicate probability. In this case, the past tense form is MUST HAVE followed by the past participle of the principal verb. Philadelphia must be an interesting city. They must have visited Independence Hall while they were there.

Examples:

Statements:

- You must study now.

- You had to study last night.

- You will have to study tonight.

Interrogatives:

- Must you study now?

- Did you have to study last night?

- Will you have to study tonight?

Negatives:

- You mustn’t study now (Prohibition)

- You don’t have to study now (No necessity)

- You didn’t have to study last night (No necessity)

- You won’t have to study tonight (No necessity)

↓

Now practice these auxiliaries as indicated:

A. CAN – COULD

1. ______ we finish the book this year.

2. Who ______ translate that sentence?

3. No one ______ translate that sentence.

4. He says he ______ wait for us.

5. She said she ______ be there by noon.

6. You ______ travel by plane or by train.

7. ______ you tell me where she is?

8. You ______ see the door from here.

B. MAY – MIGHT (PERMISSION)

1. ______ I borrow your pencil?

2. Certainly you ______ use it.

3. You ______ enter this class if you already know some English

4. Her mother said she ______ go

C. MUST – MUST HAVE

1. Virginia ______ go to see the doctor.

2. She ______ speak English well by this time.

3. It ______ been a fine trip.

4. You ______ be tired after your long trip

5. I ______called you about two o’clock

6. He ______ left, because his hat and his coat are not here.

D. Fill in the blanks in each sentence using a modal verb, such as can, could, would, should, might, may, must, or have to, based on the situational hints shown in italics. Select the modal that seems most appropriate for the situation described, and be prepared to explain your choice.

1. I ______ not know what to say to him if he showed up.

(I’m unprepared to speak to him)

2. She ______ look at things differently once the facts are in.

(A change in opinion is possible after all the information becomes available)

3. It’s company policy; you ______ do it this way or your expenses won’t be reimbursed.

(The company requires that this procedure be followed for expense reimbursements)

4. I’m in terrible shape! I ______ exercise more!

(I’ve decided that more exercise is an absolute necessity for me)

5. ______ you get this report done for us by tomorrow morning?

(Are you willing and able to prepare this report by tomorrow if we ask you?)

6. ______ you handle this much work on a regular basis?

(Do you have the capacity to handle this much work regularly?)

7. We were worried about you. You ______ have called us as soon as you knew you’d be late.

(Calling someone when you will be late is a good idea, in my opinion)

8. You ______ want to think a little more carefully about that before trying it next time.

(I think you were stupid not to think more carefully about it)

9. This computer’s not working. It ______ have been damaged by the thunderstorm.

(The damage is a logical deduction based on the information available)

10. Ellen ______ be sent to London this summer, if the board decides that the situation there warrants it.

(The trip is certainly possible, but whether or not she goes depends on the board’s preference)

11. My trainer says I’m in terrible shape. According to him I ______ exercise more.

(My trainer is trying to compel me to exercise more)

12. You ______ always try reinstalling Windows, that might work if the disk is corrupt.

(This is one possible course of action, and there’s a possibility of it working under certain conditions.)

13. I ______ not to do that if I were you!

(I don’t think your behavior is prudent, and my own normal behavior is different.)

14. When she was young, she ______ play tennis every single day, rain or shine.

(She did this habitually when she was young, although she doesn’t necessarily do it now.)

15. ______ I suggest this dark blue jacket?

(You’re a customer in my upscale store, and I’m trying to be very polite)

16. I ______ admit, it’s a very nice-looking car.

(I have no choice but to admit that the car looks nice)

17. She ______ admit that it was a very nice-looking car

(She had no choice but to admit that the car looked nice)

18. I ______ think not!

(I find absolutely impossible to believe.)

19. ______ we be required to ditch the aircraft, there are flotation devices under your seats.

(There are live-saving devices under your seats for use if we ditch in water.)

20. You ______ say that.

(That’s  another correct way of summarizing the situation.)

_____________________ ♥

Answers:

1. Would, 2. Might/May, 3. Have to, 4. Must, 5. Could, 6. Can, 7. Should, 8. Might, 9. Must, 10. May, 11. Have to, 12. Could, 13. Would, 14. Would, 15. Might/may/could/can, 16. Must, 17. Had to, 18. Should, 19. Should, 20. Could.

More on Passive Voice!

PASSIVE VOICE ACTIVITY

1. WARM – UP (5 MINUTES)
Let’s talk about our City. What famous things are produced here? What about our Country?



2. GUESS WORK (10 MINUTES)



A. Look at Seattle fact paragraph:

• The basketball team “The Lakers” are from Seattle

• It often rains in Seattle

• Silicon valley is near Seattle

• Bill Gates and Microsoft are located in Seattle

• Chrysler cars are manufactured in Seattle

• Bruce Springsteen was born in Seattle

• “Grunge” music comes from Seattle

• Seattle is in the Southwest of the United States.

B. In pairs, quickly discuss which facts they think are true or false.



2. READING (15 MINUTES)



A. Read the short text about Seattle:



My Hometown
Many years ago, I was born in Seattle, Washington USA. Seattle is located in the Northwest corner of the USA. Recently, Seattle has become the focus of much international attention. Many films have been made there, probably the most famous of which is “Sleepless in Seattle” starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Seattle is also known as the birthplace of Grunge music, both Pearl Jam and Nirvana are from Seattle. For older people like myself, it should be noted that Jimmi Hendrix was born in Seattle! NBA fans know Seattle for the “Seattle Supersonics” which has played basketball in Seattle for more than 30 years. Unfortunately, Seattle is also famous for its bad weather. I can remember weeks and weeks of grey, wet weather when I was growing up. Seattle has also become one of the fastest growing business areas in the United States. Two of the most important names in the booming business scene in Seattle are Microsoft and Boeing. Microsoft was founded and is owned by the world-famous Bill Gates (how much of his software is on your computer?). Boeing has always been essential to the economic situation in Seattle. It is located to the north of Seattle and famous jets such as the “Jumbo” have been manufactured there for more than 50 years! Seattle is positioned between the Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains. The combination of its scenic location, thriving business conditions and exciting cultural scene makes Seattle one of America’s most interesting cities.



B. Underline passive voice structures.
C. Class review of passive structure.
D. Discuss what the differences are between the active and passive voice.



3. ORAL PRODUCTION (15 MINUTES)
A. As a class, discuss which passive utterances could be used to describe a region. (i.e. Wine is produced in France)
B. Divide into groups of three. Each group should focus on using the passive voice to describe Tuscany to his/her partners.
C. Class correction of common errors.



4. LISTENING ACTIVITY. Listen to an American college student talking about famous landmarks (The track is available on http://netgrammar.altec.org/Units/Unit_9/a101c9_301000.html



1. When was the Great Wall of China begun?
A. It was started in 240 B.C.
B. It was started in 214 B.C.
C. It was started in 204 B.C.



2. Where is the Panama Canal located?
A. In Costa Rica.
B. In Colombia.
C. Between Costa Rica and Colombia.



3. Who completed the Panama Canal?
A. The Americans.
B. The French.
C. The Panamanians.



4. What was the Eiffel Tower built for?
A. It was built for the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.
B. It was built for the 101st anniversary of the French Revolution.
C. It was built for the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution.



5. By whom was the Statue of Liberty built?
A. It was built by the Americans.
B. It was built by the French.
C. It was built by the people of New York.



Correct answers: (1b) (2c) (3a) (4a) (5b)



GO TO http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/INTERMEDIATE/unit12/page1.htm AND PRACTICE THE PASSIVE VOICE!!! ˆ¸ˆ

Reading Exercises: Passive Voice

PASSIVE VOICE – PRE-READING ACTIVITIES

A: Short Discussion. With a partner, discuss these questions:



1. Have you still got anything that you have had since you were very young (a toy, a book, a baseball glove, etc.)? What is it?
2. How old is it?
3. Where do you keep it?
4. Why is it special to you?



B: Vocabulary



The following words in bold are in today’s article. Match the word with the most suitable meaning.

Words

____ 1. The full moon was shaped like a sphere.
____ 2. The horse came from a fine pedigree of race champions.
____ 3. I got a third of the pie; my brother and sister got the other two pieces.
____ 4. The wall paneling is made of expensive wood.
____ 5. I managed to ward off the bee by hitting it with my newspaper.
____ 6. There was mayhem in the soccer stadium after the goal was disallowed by the referee.
____ 7. The object of soccer is to try to put the ball in the other team’s net.
____ 8. The movie has little resemblance to the book.

Meanings

a. Any situation with violence, confusion, or noise.
b. 33.3%
c. The purpose of an action.
d. Rectangular pieces of timber placed over the wall or ceiling.
e. A line of ancestors
f. To be similar to another person or thing.
g. A round object
h. To force or drive away; hold off.



C: Predicting



Today’s article is about the discovery of the world’s oldest soccer ball. Read the sentences below. Put a tick next to the sentence number if you think the topic of the sentence will be talked about in the article:



____ 1. The article will talk about how old the ball is.
____ 2. The article will mention what brand the ball is (e.g. Adidas, Nike, etc.).
____ 3. The article will explain where the ball was found.
____ 4. The article will talk about the Soccer World Cup.
____ 5. The article will mention whose ball it was.
____ 6. The article will discuss how much the ball cost a long time ago.
____ 7. The article will discuss how much the ball is worth now.
____ 8. The article will talk about when the ball was found.
____ 9. The article will explain carefully the rules of soccer.
____ 10. The article will explain what the ball is made from.

READING ACTIVITIES

A: Scanning



Read the questions below and then look for the answers in the article. Try to find the answers as quickly as you can without reading every word.



1. How old is the soccer ball? ______________________________________________________________________
2. What is it made from? __________________________________________________________________________
3. Is it a big or small soccer ball? ___________________________________________________________________
4. Whose ball was it? ____________________________________________________________________________
5. When was it first found? ________________________________________________________________________



World’s Oldest Soccer Ball Goes On Display



EDINBURGH (Reuters) – Thursday April 22. The world’s oldest soccer ball, a 400-year-old sphere with a royal pedigree, goes on display for the first time in centuries Friday, Scottish museum officials said.

Made of a pig’s bladder and wrapped in leather, the small ball probably belonged to Mary Queen of Scots and dates from 1560 or 1570, Michael McGinnes, director of collections at the Smith Art Gallery and Museum in Stirling, said Thursday.

The ball — about a third the size of those used in today’s very different game — was found hidden behind paneling in the Stirling castle bedchamber of Mary, the Catholic pretender to Queen Elizabeth’s throne in England who was eventually beheaded by the Protestant monarch.

“People used to place very special things to them in the walls as a way to ward off demons and evil spirits. This ball must have meant something to her,” McGinnes told Reuters.     Although it was first found in the 1970s, the ball was placed in a box with other collectibles and gathered dust until just a few months ago, he said. “We opened up this box and found the ball. We knew it was probably something special,” he said. McGinnes said officials at the Royal Museum of Scotland examined the ball and believe it to be the oldest in existence.

Soccer today bears little resemblance to its historical predecessor, which was more a mixture of soccer, rugby and outright mayhem, McGinnes said.

The ball was dropped into the middle of two opposing sides and the object was to move the ball as far in one direction as possible from the center of town.

Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited.



B: Checking Information



The sentences below contain a summary of the article but some of them have some mistakes. Read them and then compare them with the article.

Write any incorrect words in the sentences and replace them with the correct information. Write “Correct” next to any which have no mistakes.



1. The world’s oldest soccer ball will be put on display for the first time in centuries at an American museum ______________________________________________________________________________________________

2. The ball, made of a pig’s bladder and leather, most likely belonged to Mary Queen of Scots and is over 500 years old ___________________________________________________________________________________________

3. The ball was found under the bed of Mary Queen of Scots in Stirling Castle ______________________________________________________________________________________________

4. The ball was actually discovered in the 1970s, but was put in a box and opened just a few months ago ______________________________________________________________________________________________

5. The modern game of soccer is not much different from soccer played 400 years ago ______________________________________________________________________________________________

6. The aim of soccer 400 years ago was to get the ball into the opponent’s net ______________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Today people still put things in walls because they are frightened of evil spirits ______________________________________________________________________________________________

8. The ball may have had special meaning for Mary Queen of Scots ______________________________________________________________________________________________



C: Thinking Carefully



You have read the article without understanding every word. You can use your understanding of the article to help you work out the meaning of some of the words you do not know.



First. Practice doing this by answering these questions about the word ‘predecessor’ in Paragraph 7.



1. What does ‘pre’ mean? ________________________________________________________________________

2. What kind of word ends in -er or -or (Noun? Adjective? Adverb? Verb?) __________________________________

3. “Its historical predecessor is more a mixture of soccer, rugby, and outright mayhem.” What is ‘it’? ______________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What do you think ‘predecessor’ means? __________________________________________________________



Second. Now answer these questions about the word ‘beheaded’ in Paragraph 3.



1. What is the root word or word stem? ______________________________________________________________

2. What kind of word ends in -ed (Noun? Adjective? Adverb? Verb?) _______________________________________

3. Be- means ‘off’ or ‘away’. What do you think Queen Elizabeth did to Mary Queen of Scots? ______________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What do you think ‘beheaded’ means? ____________________________________________________________



D: Language



If the subject of a verb is actually doing the action, the verb is said to be active. (e.g. The dog bit me.) If the subject of the verb is having the action done to it, then the verb is said to be passive. (E.g. I was bitten by the dog.) Change the following sentences to passive or active sentences.



1. Active: Four hundred years ago, soccer players used a very small soccer ball.

Passive: Four hundred years ago, a very small soccer ball was ______________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Active: To get the game started, the referee dropped the ball into the middle of the two opposing teams.

Passive: To get the game started, the ball ______________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Active: Someone first found the ball in the 1970s.

Passive: ______________________________________________________________________________________

4. Active: Someone _____________________________________________________________________________

Passive: The ball was placed in a box.

5. Active: Someone _____________________________________________________________________________

Passive: The ball was found hidden in the bedchamber wall of Mary Queen of Scots.

6. Active: Queen Elizabeth beheaded Mary Queen of Scots.

Passive: ______________________________________________________________________________________



Source: http://netgrammar.altec.org/Units/Unit_9/a101c9_401000.html

SUGGESTED ANSWERS

B: Vocabulary

Words

_g_ 1. The full moon was shaped like a sphere.
_e_ 2. The horse came from a fine pedigree of race champions.
_b_ 3. I got a third of the pie; my brother and sister got the other two pieces.
_d_ 4. The wall paneling is made of expensive wood.
_h_ 5. I managed to ward off the bee by hitting it with my newspaper.
_a_ 6. There was mayhem in the soccer stadium after the goal was disallowed by the referee.
_c_ 7. The object of soccer is to try to put the ball in the other team’s net.
_f_ 8. The movie has little resemblance to the book.

Meanings

a. Any situation with violence, confusion, or noise.
b. 33.3%
c. The purpose of an action.
d. Rectangular pieces of timber placed over the wall or ceiling.
e. A line of ancestors
f. To be similar to another person or thing.
g. A round object
h. To force or drive away; hold off.



C: Predicting



_yes_   Sentence 1. The article will talk about how old the ball is.
_no__   Sentence 2. The article will mention what brand the ball is (e.g. Adidas, Nike, etc.).
_yes_   Sentence 3. The article will explain where the ball was found.
_no__   Sentence 4. The article will talk about the Soccer World Cup.
_yes_   Sentence 5. The article will mention whose ball it was.
Yes/no Sentence 6. The article will discuss how much the ball cost a long time ago.
Yes/no Sentence 7. The article will discuss how much the ball is worth now.
_yes_   Sentence 8. The article will talk about when the ball was found.
_no__   Sentence 9. The article will explain carefully the rules of soccer.
_yes_   Sentence 10. The article will explain what the ball is made from.



Reading Activities



A: Scanning



1. How old is the soccer ball?  400 years old
2. What is it made from? A pig’s bladder and wrapped in leather
3. Is it a big or small soccer ball? Small
4. Whose ball was it? Mary Queen of Scots
5. When was it first found? In the 1970s



B: Checking Information



1. The world’s oldest soccer ball will be put on display for the first time in centuries at an American museum: The world’s oldest soccer ball will be put on display for the first time in centuries at a Scottish museum.
2. The ball, made of a pig’s bladder and leather, most likely belonged to Mary Queen of Scots and is over 500 years old: The ball, made of a pig’s bladder and leather, most likely belonged to Mary Queen of Scots and is over 400 years old.
3. The ball was found under the bed of Mary Queen of Scots in Stirling Castle: The ball was found in the paneling of the bedchamber of Mary Queen of Scots in Sterling castle.
4. The ball was actually discovered in the 1970s, but was put in a box and opened just a few months ago: Correct
5. The modern game of soccer is not much different from soccer played 400 years ago: The modern game of soccer is very different from soccer played 400 years ago.
6. The aim of soccer 400 years ago was to get the ball into the opponent’s net: The aim of soccer 400 years ago was to move the ball as far in one direction as possible from the center of town.
7. Today people still put things in walls because they are frightened of evil spirits: People used to put things in walls because they were frightened of evil spirits.
8. The ball may have had special meaning for Mary Queen of Scots: Correct.



C: Thinking Carefully



First:
1. What does ‘pre’ mean? Before
2. What kind of word ends in -er or -or (Noun? Adjective? Adverb? Verb?) Noun
3. “Its historical predecessor is more a mixture of soccer, rugby, and outright mayhem.” What is ‘it’? Modern soccer
4. What do you think ‘predecessor’ means? A thing succeeded by something else



Second:
1. What is the root word or word stem? Head
2. What kind of word ends in -ed (Noun? Adjective? Adverb? Verb?) Verb
3. Be- means ‘off’ or ‘away’. What do you think Queen Elizabeth did to Mary Queen of Scots? She had Mary executed by having her head chopped off.
4. What do you think ‘beheaded’ means? To have someone killed by cutting off his/her head



D: Language



1. Active: Four hundred years ago, soccer players used a very small soccer ball.
Passive: Four hundred years ago, a very small soccer ball was used by soccer players.
2. Active: To get the game started, the referee dropped the ball into the middle of the two opposing teams.
Passive: To get the game started, the ball was dropped into the middle of the two opposing teams by the referee.
3. Active: Someone first found the ball in the 1970s.
Passive: The ball was first found in the 1970s (by someone).
4. Active: Someone placed the ball in a box.
Passive: The ball was placed in a box.
5. Active: Someone hid the ball in the wall of the bedchamber of Mary Queen of Scots.
Passive: The ball was found hidden in the bedchamber wall of Mary Queen of Scots.
6. Active: Queen Elizabeth beheaded Mary Queen of Scots.
Passive: Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded by Queen Elizabeth.

Passive Voice Explanation

The Passive Voice

Level – Intermediate

1.  We use the passive voice when we want to place more emphasis on the object/objects or receiver/receivers of an action. The person speaking could think that it is necessary to place more emphasis on the object/objects or receiver/receivers of an action.

2.  We also use the passive voice when we do not know who is performing the action, or it is not apparent who is performing the action. An animal or an inanimate object could be performing the action as well.

3.  The passive voice consists of a form of the verb ‘be’ and a past participle.

-  Following are examples of the passive voice. With each example of the passive voice, there is an example of the active voice for the purpose of contrast and comparison. The active voice sentences are numbered. The passive voice sentences are lettered.

Active and Passive – Simple Present, Simple Past, and Simple Future

1. Some people drink coffee every morning (simple present active voice)

A. The mail is delivered in the morning (is/are + past participle = simple present passive voice)

2. It was very cold yesterday (simple past active voice)

B. A heavy snowstorm was forecast on the news last night (was/were + past participle = simple past passive voice)

3. He said that he would send the package on Wednesday and that it should arrive on Friday. They’ll deliver the package on Friday (simple future active voice – “will”)

C. The package will be delivered on Friday (will be + past participle = simple future passive voice)

Active and Passive – Present Progressive/Continuous, Past Progressive/Continuous, Future Progressive/Continuous

Note: The future continuous/progressive is not often used with the passive voice.

1. What are you doing now? I’m eating lunch. What about you? (present progressive/continous active voice)

A. The packages are being picked up on Tuesday and should arrive by Friday (is/are being + past participle = present progressive/continuous passive voice)

2. He was drinking coffee and listening to the news on the radio this morning (past progressive continuous active voice)

B. His car was being repaired, so he asked his friend for a ride to work (was/were + past participle = past progressive/continuous passive voice)

3. We will be talking about that next week. I really look forward to it (future progressive / continuous active voice)

Active and Passive – Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect

1. I still haven’t read that book (present perfect active voice)

A. “I’ll get to that soon.” Those words have been spoken many times before (has/have been + past participle = present perfect passive voice)

2. He had not known if the mailman delivered the package he was expecting until he went downstairs to check. He was glad to see that it was there. He took it upstairs and opened it (past perfect active voice)

B. The package still had not been delivered by the end of the day. He was told it should arrive today. He was wondering where it was (had been + past participle = past perfect passive voice)

3. I hope the rain will have stopped by the time we leave, as none of us brought umbrellas. It’s raining very hard (future perfect active voice)

C. I think the package will have been delivered by Wednesday (will have been + past participle = future perfect passive voice)

Active – Present Perfect Progressive/Continuous, Past Perfect Progressive/Continuous, Future Perfect Progressive/Continuous

Note: The progressive/continuous forms of the perfect aspects/tenses are hardly ever used in the passive voice.

1. We have been waiting for the bus for about fifteen minutes (present perfect progressive/continuous)

2. I’m glad you mentioned that because I had been thinking about bringing it up for quite some time (past perfect progressive/continuous)

3. I will have been studying English for 6 months at the end of June. We will have been living in this city for almost a year at the end of May (future perfect progressive/continuous)



“The Passive Voice”

© 2003 – 2005 Steven David Bloomberg

steven.david@verizon.net

questions.steve@verizon.net

http://www.usingenglish.com/handouts/intermediate/passive-voice.pdf

♥ ♥ ♥

There is also a great explanation in Spanish on this page:

http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omgrammar/vozpasiva.htm