When we form passive voice. We want to emphasize the object or the receiver. In this case the subject or doer IS NOT IMPORTANT.
Active
Professor Villa gave Jorgean A.
Passive
An Awas givento Jorge by Professor Villa. (Emphasis on the A... not B nor C)
Passive
Jorgewas givenan A by Professor Villa. (Emphasis on Jorge not Carlos nor Sonia)
Generally in basic levels, teachers teach us to place emphasis on the object: the things, the inventions, the products, the places... Common examples are:
A marker is used to write on the board. Coca Cola is sold around the world. The light bulb was created by Thomas Alva Edison. 'Romeo and Juliet' was written by Shakespeare
Now, that you are an intermediate/ advanced student you should start using passive to emphasize people as the receivers of the actions.
Examples:
Basic level: The company pays me well. Intermediate/ advanced: I'm paid well (by the company).
Basic level: The teacher asked us to do a lot of homework. Intermediate/ advanced: We were asked to do a lot of homework (by the teacher).
We use this structucture when the most important thing is the person. And this person receives/ received the action.... so s/he is passive!!
I was given thousand roses in my birth-day! (I didn't do anything... just received the roses ;) )
TASK You want to convince us that you have the best job and a perfect life. Example: My job is the best one. I'm allowed to arrive late and I'm not foced to give reports. Last month, I was sent to travel around Europe. It is said that a job like mine is difficult to find.
"It is said that the teacher Jessica Viviana is a geek because she spends hours in front of the computer. It is claimed that she doesn't have real friends as all her friends are virtual"
To tell a rumor we use a structure called IMPERSONAL PASSIVE.
To form it we use the impersonal It + verb to be + verb in past participle.
Apart from rumors, with this structure we can tell urban myths or legends, unpleasant news and when we want to sound modest.
"It is believed that Jessica Viviana is one of the best teachers."
This is because by saying " It is believed" I distance from the information I'm saying. We use this when we don't want to say "I belive that" or "they believe that"... "It is believed" is perfect!! Who believes it?... We don't know but it is believed she is one of the best teachers :D
·Apart from the verb ‘say’ we can use other verbs o perception such as:
acknowledge believe declare fear know report
suspect allege claim estimate feel project say think
It has been reported that cut onion might caused air pollution.
It was proved that KFC doesn’t use chicken for their products.
TASK
1. Are there any popular legends or urban myths going around now? Do you know any that was popular in the past? Tell your partners about the ones you know.
English students often have problems to make questions. What is the solution?.... Practice!
Let's start an activity. I will start with 3 sentences. They contain some information that is in yellow. The next person that comes to the blog and writes a comment has to write the questions for these sentences and add 3 more sentences. The sentences can be in any tense. Try to make good sentences!
Example.
I start: 1. My friends went to the beach last Saturdayto celebrate Mario's birthday.
The next person that comments will write: 1. When did your friends go to the beach to celebrate Mario's birthday?
After writing the questions, he will write 3 more affirmative sentences for the next person.
Ready??
These are my sentences:
1. The IPG802 students have done all their homework during the whole course. 2. The teacher works in FESI from 7 to 3 pm four days a week. 3. The light bulb was invented in 1880 by Thomas Alva Edison.
Use the correct tense (past simple, past continuous, past perfect)
A LOVE STORY
It was Friday again, the day for famous parties at Wellington High School. Students were dancing in the garden and everyone was enjoying the pleasure of being away from boring lessons.
When Sarah came to the party, the music had already started. Tim suddenly noticedSarah and felt shocked. He had looked for her for 2 years. They had met each other at a holiday camp in 1999, but mysteriously Sarah disappeared after a while. He was thinking about her since then.
At the party, Sarah was talking to one of her friends while most of the students were drinking as much as they could. Tim decided to talk to her and waited for her friend to leave. When he went next to her, she was searching something in her bag, so she didn’t see him. As soon as he touched her on the shoulder, she raised her head and couldn’t believe her eyes. She had never forgotten him.
At the end of the party, no one was happier than Sarah and Tim as they had found each other after 2 years.
When we narrate stories we use: past simple, past continuous and past perfect.
Here are some tips that will help you to know how to use them.
PAST SIMPLE
When we start the narration, the first sentence. Example: It was Friday again...
Lineal narrations. --> --> --> Example: Tim suddenly noticedSarah and felt shocked.
PAST CONTINUOUS
To set the scene. Example: ...students were dancing in the garden and everyone was enjoying the pleasure of being away from boring lessons.
To emphasize long duration activities. Example: At the party, Sarah was talking to one of her friends... (she talked for a looong time)
An activity with a long duration that is interrupted by one of short duration. Example: When he went next to her, she was searching something in her bag...
PAST PERFECT
To go back in the past. Introduce an event that happened before the one we are talking about.
Examples: When Sarah came to the party, the music had already started. (We are talking about Sarah. She came to the party but before that the music had started: 1° music started 2° Sarah came to the party)
At the end of the party, no one was happier than Sarah and Tim as they had found each other after 2 years. (1° they found each other 2° they were happy)
If you can notice this narration isn't lineal --> --> --> They go back --> --> [ sth before that] -->
