Active & Passive Sentences.

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SENTENCES:

When we make a sentence we have a subject, a verb and an object. The subject is the person or thing that does the verb. Example:

Marshall kicks the ball.

Who kicks the ball? It is Marshall who kicks the ball, Marshall the subject of the sentence. The verb is the action he does, which is ” kick”s. What does he kick? He kicks the ball. The ball is the object. The verb and the object of a sentence are called the Predicate.

Now the sentence: Marshall kicks the ball is called an Active sentence because the subject is doing something and the object is receiving the action of the verb, The action of the verb is kicks.
This sentence is called an Active sentence. In an active sentence we can see that the subject is doing something.
Marshall kicks the ball

Subject Verb Object

A passive sentence is where the subject has something done to it.
Look at the example below.
The ball is kicked by Marshall

Subject Verb Object

When you turn an active sentence into a passive one, the subject has something done to it. In an active sentence the subject does something. The subject does something. Look at this example:

The hunter shoots the lion.

This is an active sentence where the subject, the hunter shoots the lion, the object. The hunter is doing something, and that is he shoots the lion. But if we turn the sentence into a passive sentence, we will get this sentence:

The lion is shot by the hunter.
In this sentence the subject, the lion has something done to it. We say that the lion is shot by the hunter.

How to change the Simple Past, Simple present & Present Continuous Tenses from active voice to passive voice.
In this tutorial we have three tenses we will look at and we will see how we can turn the Simple past, Simple Present and Present Continuous tense sentences from the active to the passive. Look at the table below.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Simple past took was taken
were taken
Simple present take
takes am taken
is taken
are taken
Present continuous am taking
is taking
are taking am being taken
is being taken
are being taken
The rules for converting from the active voice to the passive voice for the Simple Past.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Simple past took was taken
were taken

When you change an active voice simple past sentence into a passive simple past sentence you must use was or were with the past participle:
subject + was / were (not) + past participle
For question sentences you use: was/were (not) + subject + past participle

Look at the irregular verb list for the past participles. If the verb is not there it is a regular verb, such as accepted will remain as accepted. Look at the example:
Melvin accepted the letter. Active voice.
The letter was accepted by Melvin. Passive voice.
Accepted is a regular verb. If the verb was an irregular verb then it will be the past particle form. Look at this example:
Andrew rode the horse. Active voice.
The horse was ridden by Andrew. Passive voice.
The verb rode is an irregular verb and so when the sentence is made into the passive it becomes the past participle form; ridden.
We use the word “by” to tell by whom the action was done. In the above example the horse was ridden by Melvin. If you don not need to say who did the action or you don’t know who did the action then you do not use “by”.

Further Examples:
Simple past.
1. Ian took the radio. Active voice.
The radio was taken by Ian. Passive voice.

2. Somebody took the fruits. Active voice.
The fruits were taken. Passive voice.

3. The cat killed the mouse. Active voice.
The mouse was killed by the cat. Passive voice.

4. He swam the Straits of Malacca. Active voice.
The Straits of Malacca were swum by him. Passive voice.

5. Ragnar made the kite. Active voice.
The kite was made by Ragnar. Passive voice.

6. The lumberjacks cut down the trees. Active voice.
The trees were cut down by the lumberjacks. Passive voice.
The rules for converting from the active voice to the passive voice for the Simple Present.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Simple present take
takes am taken
is taken
are taken

When you change an active voice simple present sentence into a passive voice simple present sentence you must use am/is/are with the past participle;
subject + is/am/are (not) + past participle
for question sentences you use: is/am/are (not) + subject + past participle
Look at the irregular verb list for the past participles. If the verb is not there it is a regular verb, such as accepted will remain as accepted. Look at the example:
Mrs. Harris cooks our meals. Active voice.
Our meals are cooked by Mrs.Harris. Passive voice.
Cook is a regular verb and so it ends with “ed” . If the verb was an irregular verb then it will be the past particle form and it will not end with “ed”. Look at this example:
Andrew rides the horse. Active voice.
The horse is ridden by Andrew. Passive voice.
The verb ride is an irregular verb and so when the sentence is made into the passive it becomes the past participle form; ridden.
We use the word “by” to tell by whom the action was done. In the above example the horse was ridden by Andrew. If you don not need to say who did the action or you don’t know who did the action then you do not use “by”.

Further Examples:
Simple present.
1. Ian listens to the radio. Active voice.
The radio is listened to by Ian. Passive voice.

2. Somebody eats the fruits. Active voice.
The fruits are eaten. Passive voice.

3. The cat kills the mice. Active voice.
The mice are killed by the cat. Passive voice.

4. People speak English in Australia. Active voice.
In Australia English is spoken. Passive voice.

5. Ragnar makes kites. Active voice.
Kites are made by Ragnar. Passive voice.

6. Lumberjacks cut down the trees. Active voice.
The trees are cut down by the lumberjacks. Passive voice.
The rules for converting from the active voice to the passive voice for the present continuous.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Present continuous am taking
is taking
are taking am being taken
is being taken
are being taken

When you change an active voice present continuous sentence into a passive voice present continuous sentence you must use am/is/are and being with the past participle;
subject + is/am/are (not) + being + past participle
for question sentences you use : is/are/am (not) + subject
Look at the irregular verb list for the past participles. If the verb is not there it is a regular verb, such as accepted will remain as accepted. Look at the example:

Mrs. Harris is cooking our meals. Active voice.
Our meals are being cooked by Mrs.Harris. Passive voice.
Cook is a regular verb and so it ends with “ed” . If the verb was an irregular verb then it will be the past particle form and it will not end with “ed”. Look at this example:
Andrew is riding the horse. Active voice.
The horse is being ridden by Andrew. Passive voice.
The verb ride is an irregular verb and so when the sentence is made into the passive it becomes the past participle form; ridden.
We use the word “by” to tell by whom the action was done. In the above example the horse was ridden by Andrew. If you don not need to say who did the action or you don’t know who did the action then you do not use “by”.
Examples:
Present continuous.
1. Rollo is not riding a horse. Active voice.
The horse is not being ridden by Rollo. Passive voice.

2. Patrick Conway and Surendran Menon are painting the house. Active voice.
The house is being painted by Patrick Conway and Surendran Menon. Passive voice.

3. The sheep dog is chasing the sheep. Active voice.
The sheep are being chased by the sheep dog. Passive voice.-

4. I am not building some new types of ships. Active voice.
Some new types of ships are not being built by me. Passive voice.

5. Someone is opening the gate. Active voice.
The gate is being opened. Passive voice.

6. Are they doing their homework? Active voice.
Is their homework being done? Passive voice.

Past participle
Present simple am is are not + cleaned, done, taken, ridden, built, injured,
Past simple was were not + seen, swum, bought, noted, written, repaired,
Present continuous am is are not + kicked, painted, driven, accepted, cooked, chopped, sawed, sighted, flown, sailed

The use of the passive voice.
The passive voice is used for two reasons:
1. The subject is unknown. Example:
Somebody cuts the grass. Active voice
The grass is cut. Passive voice.

Someone invented the television in 1920. Active voice.
The television was invented in 1920. Passive voice.

Some other examples:
• How often are the rooms cleaned?
• I am never invited to parties.
• Oranges are imported to Britain.
• Coffee isn’t grown in Britain.
• They were not given a holiday.
• Were they given a holiday?

2. The subject is unimportant.
The police arrested the criminal.
The criminal was arrested.

The repairman fixed the television. Active voice.
The television was repaired. Passive voice.

They make cheese from milk.
Milk is used to make cheese.

Some other examples:
• Plastic is made from petroleum.
• This house was built 100 years ago.
• Were these houses built 100 years ago?
• The centre is being cleaned at the moment.
• Deidre is driving to college now?
• Is Steven sleeping at the moment?

Name:……………………………………………………………………..
Date:…………………………………………………………………………
Fill in the blanks with the Present tense verbs.
1. What ________________ called in English?
2. Jane __________________ paid on the first of every month.
3. I _________________________ often sent to the Singapore office.
4. _____________ any classes taught on Wednesdays?
5. _________________ any football matches today?
6. More chocolate _______________________ eaten in the USA than in any other country.
7. We _________________ woken by birds every morning.
8. Stamps ________________ sold in most newspaper agents in Britian.
9. English _________________ spoken in Australia.
10. _____________ spoken in South Africa?
11. Our windows ________________ cleaned once a month.
12. The London parks _____________ loved by everyone.
13. Milk ________________ delivered in the mornings in Britain.
14. Vegetables ______________ sold in the market.
15. A report about the students ____________written every Friday by the class teacher.
16. He ______________ loved by everyone.
17. ____________ there a park nearby?
18. Chocolate ________________ preferred to carrots by children.

Name:……………………………………………………………………..
Date:…………………………………………………………………………
Fill in the blanks with the Past tense verbs.
1. This tower ______________ built 100 years ago.
2. That car ___________________ driven.
3. When _______________ the telephone invented?
4. We ______________________ (not) invited to the party.
5. Why ________________________ (not) Catherine made the class monitor?
6. ________________ Thomas the school head prefect last year?
7. _______________ you at class yesterday?
8. Ian _________________ (not) the child who broke the window.
9. The trees ___________________ blown down by the strong wind.
10. The postman ________________ bitten by the mad dog.
11. Those books ___________________ published in 1920.
12. My wallet ______________________ stolen.
13. I ___________________ told to wait.
14. A sports website ________________ built.
15. All the cakes _____________________ eaten.
16. The Mona Lisa __________________ painted.
17. A stationery shop _______________ opened.
18. The letter _______________ lost.

Name:……………………………………………………………………..
Date:…………………………………………………………………………
Fill in the blanks with the Present continuous verbs.
1. A new stadium _____________________________ built near the station.
2. Some new roads _______________________ (not)planned near my house.
3. Emails ____________________________ sent right now.
4. The telephone _________________________ used at the moment.
5. The students report cards ______________________ written by the teacher right now.
6. Cyril’s car __________________________ repaired right now.
7. The school ______________________ at the moment. There is the smell of paint.
8. The report cards __________________________ examined right now. Soon we will get them. Are you afraid when your report card is given to you?

9. My grandmother _______________________ examined right now for cold.
10. The aeroplane _________________________ (not) flown by Marshall.
11. The cows _________________________ herded at the farm. Soon they will be milked.
12. Jackson Raj and Titus Raj _______________________________ (not) trained by the coach for football but for tennis.
13. Pauline and Syliva ________________________ (not) interviewed for air-hostess jobs but for accountants.

14. The windows ______________________ (not) cleaned now. They will be later in the day.

15. Sylvia, Anita, Antonia, and Andrea _____________________________ given prizes for being very good students.

16. Priscilla Alfred and Marina Koshy __________________________ trained for the school’s athletics competition.

17. Letters _____________________ posted everyday.
18. New cars ____________________________ sold every week.
19. Milk ___________________________ delivered every morning.
20. Fresh fruits and vegetables __________________________ sold every morning at the market.

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SENTENCES:

When we make a sentence we have a subject, a verb and an object. The subject is the person or thing that does the verb. Example:

Marshall kicks the ball.

Who kicks the ball? It is Marshall who kicks the ball, Marshall the subject of the sentence. The verb is the action he does, which is ” kick”s. What does he kick? He kicks the ball. The ball is the object. The verb and the object of a sentence are called the Predicate.

Now the sentence: Marshall kicks the ball is called an Active sentence because the subject is doing something and the object is receiving the action of the verb, The action of the verb is kicks.
This sentence is called an Active sentence. In an active sentence we can see that the subject is doing something.
Marshall kicks the ball

Subject Verb Object

A passive sentence is where the subject has something done to it.
Look at the example below.
The ball is kicked by Marshall

Subject Verb Object

When you turn an active sentence into a passive one, the subject has something done to it. In an active sentence the subject does something. The subject does something. Look at this example:

The hunter shoots the lion.

This is an active sentence where the subject, the hunter shoots the lion, the object. The hunter is doing something, and that is he shoots the lion. But if we turn the sentence into a passive sentence, we will get this sentence:

The lion is shot by the hunter.
In this sentence the subject, the lion has something done to it. We say that the lion is shot by the hunter.

How to change the Simple Past, Simple present & Present Continuous Tenses from active voice to passive voice.
In this tutorial we have three tenses we will look at and we will see how we can turn the Simple past, Simple Present and Present Continuous tense sentences from the active to the passive. Look at the table below.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Simple past took was taken
were taken
Simple present take
takes am taken
is taken
are taken
Present continuous am taking
is taking
are taking am being taken
is being taken
are being taken
The rules for converting from the active voice to the passive voice for the Simple Past.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Simple past took was taken
were taken

When you change an active voice simple past sentence into a passive simple past sentence you must use was or were with the past participle:
subject + was / were (not) + past participle
For question sentences you use: was/were (not) + subject + past participle

Look at the irregular verb list for the past participles. If the verb is not there it is a regular verb, such as accepted will remain as accepted. Look at the example:
Melvin accepted the letter. Active voice.
The letter was accepted by Melvin. Passive voice.
Accepted is a regular verb. If the verb was an irregular verb then it will be the past particle form. Look at this example:
Andrew rode the horse. Active voice.
The horse was ridden by Andrew. Passive voice.
The verb rode is an irregular verb and so when the sentence is made into the passive it becomes the past participle form; ridden.
We use the word “by” to tell by whom the action was done. In the above example the horse was ridden by Melvin. If you don not need to say who did the action or you don’t know who did the action then you do not use “by”.

Further Examples:
Simple past.
1. Ian took the radio. Active voice.
The radio was taken by Ian. Passive voice.

2. Somebody took the fruits. Active voice.
The fruits were taken. Passive voice.

3. The cat killed the mouse. Active voice.
The mouse was killed by the cat. Passive voice.

4. He swam the Straits of Malacca. Active voice.
The Straits of Malacca were swum by him. Passive voice.

5. Ragnar made the kite. Active voice.
The kite was made by Ragnar. Passive voice.

6. The lumberjacks cut down the trees. Active voice.
The trees were cut down by the lumberjacks. Passive voice.
The rules for converting from the active voice to the passive voice for the Simple Present.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Simple present take
takes am taken
is taken
are taken

When you change an active voice simple present sentence into a passive voice simple present sentence you must use am/is/are with the past participle;
subject + is/am/are (not) + past participle
for question sentences you use: is/am/are (not) + subject + past participle
Look at the irregular verb list for the past participles. If the verb is not there it is a regular verb, such as accepted will remain as accepted. Look at the example:
Mrs. Harris cooks our meals. Active voice.
Our meals are cooked by Mrs.Harris. Passive voice.
Cook is a regular verb and so it ends with “ed” . If the verb was an irregular verb then it will be the past particle form and it will not end with “ed”. Look at this example:
Andrew rides the horse. Active voice.
The horse is ridden by Andrew. Passive voice.
The verb ride is an irregular verb and so when the sentence is made into the passive it becomes the past participle form; ridden.
We use the word “by” to tell by whom the action was done. In the above example the horse was ridden by Andrew. If you don not need to say who did the action or you don’t know who did the action then you do not use “by”.

Further Examples:
Simple present.
1. Ian listens to the radio. Active voice.
The radio is listened to by Ian. Passive voice.

2. Somebody eats the fruits. Active voice.
The fruits are eaten. Passive voice.

3. The cat kills the mice. Active voice.
The mice are killed by the cat. Passive voice.

4. People speak English in Australia. Active voice.
In Australia English is spoken. Passive voice.

5. Ragnar makes kites. Active voice.
Kites are made by Ragnar. Passive voice.

6. Lumberjacks cut down the trees. Active voice.
The trees are cut down by the lumberjacks. Passive voice.
The rules for converting from the active voice to the passive voice for the present continuous.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Present continuous am taking
is taking
are taking am being taken
is being taken
are being taken

When you change an active voice present continuous sentence into a passive voice present continuous sentence you must use am/is/are and being with the past participle;
subject + is/am/are (not) + being + past participle
for question sentences you use : is/are/am (not) + subject
Look at the irregular verb list for the past participles. If the verb is not there it is a regular verb, such as accepted will remain as accepted. Look at the example:

Mrs. Harris is cooking our meals. Active voice.
Our meals are being cooked by Mrs.Harris. Passive voice.
Cook is a regular verb and so it ends with “ed” . If the verb was an irregular verb then it will be the past particle form and it will not end with “ed”. Look at this example:
Andrew is riding the horse. Active voice.
The horse is being ridden by Andrew. Passive voice.
The verb ride is an irregular verb and so when the sentence is made into the passive it becomes the past participle form; ridden.
We use the word “by” to tell by whom the action was done. In the above example the horse was ridden by Andrew. If you don not need to say who did the action or you don’t know who did the action then you do not use “by”.
Examples:
Present continuous.
1. Rollo is not riding a horse. Active voice.
The horse is not being ridden by Rollo. Passive voice.

2. Patrick Conway and Surendran Menon are painting the house. Active voice.
The house is being painted by Patrick Conway and Surendran Menon. Passive voice.

3. The sheep dog is chasing the sheep. Active voice.
The sheep are being chased by the sheep dog. Passive voice.-

4. I am not building some new types of ships. Active voice.
Some new types of ships are not being built by me. Passive voice.

5. Someone is opening the gate. Active voice.
The gate is being opened. Passive voice.

6. Are they doing their homework? Active voice.
Is their homework being done? Passive voice.

Past participle
Present simple am is are not + cleaned, done, taken, ridden, built, injured,
Past simple was were not + seen, swum, bought, noted, written, repaired,
Present continuous am is are not + kicked, painted, driven, accepted, cooked, chopped, sawed, sighted, flown, sailed

The use of the passive voice.
The passive voice is used for two reasons:
1. The subject is unknown. Example:
Somebody cuts the grass. Active voice
The grass is cut. Passive voice.

Someone invented the television in 1920. Active voice.
The television was invented in 1920. Passive voice.

Some other examples:
• How often are the rooms cleaned?
• I am never invited to parties.
• Oranges are imported to Britain.
• Coffee isn’t grown in Britain.
• They were not given a holiday.
• Were they given a holiday?

2. The subject is unimportant.
The police arrested the criminal.
The criminal was arrested.

The repairman fixed the television. Active voice.
The television was repaired. Passive voice.

They make cheese from milk.
Milk is used to make cheese.

Some other examples:
• Plastic is made from petroleum.
• This house was built 100 years ago.
• Were these houses built 100 years ago?
• The centre is being cleaned at the moment.
• Deidre is driving to college now?
• Is Steven sleeping at the moment?

Name:……………………………………………………………………..
Date:…………………………………………………………………………
Fill in the blanks with the Present tense verbs.
1. What ________________ called in English?
2. Jane __________________ paid on the first of every month.
3. I _________________________ often sent to the Singapore office.
4. _____________ any classes taught on Wednesdays?
5. _________________ any football matches today?
6. More chocolate _______________________ eaten in the USA than in any other country.
7. We _________________ woken by birds every morning.
8. Stamps ________________ sold in most newspaper agents in Britian.
9. English _________________ spoken in Australia.
10. _____________ spoken in South Africa?
11. Our windows ________________ cleaned once a month.
12. The London parks _____________ loved by everyone.
13. Milk ________________ delivered in the mornings in Britain.
14. Vegetables ______________ sold in the market.
15. A report about the students ____________written every Friday by the class teacher.
16. He ______________ loved by everyone.
17. ____________ there a park nearby?
18. Chocolate ________________ preferred to carrots by children.

Name:……………………………………………………………………..
Date:…………………………………………………………………………
Fill in the blanks with the Past tense verbs.
1. This tower ______________ built 100 years ago.
2. That car ___________________ driven.
3. When _______________ the telephone invented?
4. We ______________________ (not) invited to the party.
5. Why ________________________ (not) Catherine made the class monitor?
6. ________________ Thomas the school head prefect last year?
7. _______________ you at class yesterday?
8. Ian _________________ (not) the child who broke the window.
9. The trees ___________________ blown down by the strong wind.
10. The postman ________________ bitten by the mad dog.
11. Those books ___________________ published in 1920.
12. My wallet ______________________ stolen.
13. I ___________________ told to wait.
14. A sports website ________________ built.
15. All the cakes _____________________ eaten.
16. The Mona Lisa __________________ painted.
17. A stationery shop _______________ opened.
18. The letter _______________ lost.

Name:……………………………………………………………………..
Date:…………………………………………………………………………
Fill in the blanks with the Present continuous verbs.
1. A new stadium _____________________________ built near the station.
2. Some new roads _______________________ (not)planned near my house.
3. Emails ____________________________ sent right now.
4. The telephone _________________________ used at the moment.
5. The students report cards ______________________ written by the teacher right now.
6. Cyril’s car __________________________ repaired right now.
7. The school ______________________ at the moment. There is the smell of paint.
8. The report cards __________________________ examined right now. Soon we will get them. Are you afraid when your report card is given to you?

9. My grandmother _______________________ examined right now for cold.
10. The aeroplane _________________________ (not) flown by Marshall.
11. The cows _________________________ herded at the farm. Soon they will be milked.
12. Jackson Raj and Titus Raj _______________________________ (not) trained by the coach for football but for tennis.
13. Pauline and Syliva ________________________ (not) interviewed for air-hostess jobs but for accountants.

14. The windows ______________________ (not) cleaned now. They will be later in the day.

15. Sylvia, Anita, Antonia, and Andrea _____________________________ given prizes for being very good students.

16. Priscilla Alfred and Marina Koshy __________________________ trained for the school’s athletics competition.

17. Letters _____________________ posted everyday.
18. New cars ____________________________ sold every week.
19. Milk ___________________________ delivered every morning.
20. Fresh fruits and vegetables __________________________ sold every morning at the market.

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SENTENCES:

When we make a sentence we have a subject, a verb and an object. The subject is the person or thing that does the verb. Example:

Marshall kicks the ball.

Who kicks the ball? It is Marshall who kicks the ball, Marshall the subject of the sentence. The verb is the action he does, which is ” kick”s. What does he kick? He kicks the ball. The ball is the object. The verb and the object of a sentence are called the Predicate.

Now the sentence: Marshall kicks the ball is called an Active sentence because the subject is doing something and the object is receiving the action of the verb, The action of the verb is kicks.
This sentence is called an Active sentence. In an active sentence we can see that the subject is doing something.
Marshall kicks the ball

Subject Verb Object

A passive sentence is where the subject has something done to it.
Look at the example below.
The ball is kicked by Marshall

Subject Verb Object

When you turn an active sentence into a passive one, the subject has something done to it. In an active sentence the subject does something. The subject does something. Look at this example:

The hunter shoots the lion.

This is an active sentence where the subject, the hunter shoots the lion, the object. The hunter is doing something, and that is he shoots the lion. But if we turn the sentence into a passive sentence, we will get this sentence:

The lion is shot by the hunter.
In this sentence the subject, the lion has something done to it. We say that the lion is shot by the hunter.

How to change the Simple Past, Simple present & Present Continuous Tenses from active voice to passive voice.
In this tutorial we have three tenses we will look at and we will see how we can turn the Simple past, Simple Present and Present Continuous tense sentences from the active to the passive. Look at the table below.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Simple past took was taken
were taken
Simple present take
takes am taken
is taken
are taken
Present continuous am taking
is taking
are taking am being taken
is being taken
are being taken
The rules for converting from the active voice to the passive voice for the Simple Past.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Simple past took was taken
were taken

When you change an active voice simple past sentence into a passive simple past sentence you must use was or were with the past participle:
subject + was / were (not) + past participle
For question sentences you use: was/were (not) + subject + past participle

Look at the irregular verb list for the past participles. If the verb is not there it is a regular verb, such as accepted will remain as accepted. Look at the example:
Melvin accepted the letter. Active voice.
The letter was accepted by Melvin. Passive voice.
Accepted is a regular verb. If the verb was an irregular verb then it will be the past particle form. Look at this example:
Andrew rode the horse. Active voice.
The horse was ridden by Andrew. Passive voice.
The verb rode is an irregular verb and so when the sentence is made into the passive it becomes the past participle form; ridden.
We use the word “by” to tell by whom the action was done. In the above example the horse was ridden by Melvin. If you don not need to say who did the action or you don’t know who did the action then you do not use “by”.

Further Examples:
Simple past.
1. Ian took the radio. Active voice.
The radio was taken by Ian. Passive voice.

2. Somebody took the fruits. Active voice.
The fruits were taken. Passive voice.

3. The cat killed the mouse. Active voice.
The mouse was killed by the cat. Passive voice.

4. He swam the Straits of Malacca. Active voice.
The Straits of Malacca were swum by him. Passive voice.

5. Ragnar made the kite. Active voice.
The kite was made by Ragnar. Passive voice.

6. The lumberjacks cut down the trees. Active voice.
The trees were cut down by the lumberjacks. Passive voice.
The rules for converting from the active voice to the passive voice for the Simple Present.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Simple present take
takes am taken
is taken
are taken

When you change an active voice simple present sentence into a passive voice simple present sentence you must use am/is/are with the past participle;
subject + is/am/are (not) + past participle
for question sentences you use: is/am/are (not) + subject + past participle
Look at the irregular verb list for the past participles. If the verb is not there it is a regular verb, such as accepted will remain as accepted. Look at the example:
Mrs. Harris cooks our meals. Active voice.
Our meals are cooked by Mrs.Harris. Passive voice.
Cook is a regular verb and so it ends with “ed” . If the verb was an irregular verb then it will be the past particle form and it will not end with “ed”. Look at this example:
Andrew rides the horse. Active voice.
The horse is ridden by Andrew. Passive voice.
The verb ride is an irregular verb and so when the sentence is made into the passive it becomes the past participle form; ridden.
We use the word “by” to tell by whom the action was done. In the above example the horse was ridden by Andrew. If you don not need to say who did the action or you don’t know who did the action then you do not use “by”.

Further Examples:
Simple present.
1. Ian listens to the radio. Active voice.
The radio is listened to by Ian. Passive voice.

2. Somebody eats the fruits. Active voice.
The fruits are eaten. Passive voice.

3. The cat kills the mice. Active voice.
The mice are killed by the cat. Passive voice.

4. People speak English in Australia. Active voice.
In Australia English is spoken. Passive voice.

5. Ragnar makes kites. Active voice.
Kites are made by Ragnar. Passive voice.

6. Lumberjacks cut down the trees. Active voice.
The trees are cut down by the lumberjacks. Passive voice.
The rules for converting from the active voice to the passive voice for the present continuous.

Tense Active voice Passive voice
Present continuous am taking
is taking
are taking am being taken
is being taken
are being taken

When you change an active voice present continuous sentence into a passive voice present continuous sentence you must use am/is/are and being with the past participle;
subject + is/am/are (not) + being + past participle
for question sentences you use : is/are/am (not) + subject
Look at the irregular verb list for the past participles. If the verb is not there it is a regular verb, such as accepted will remain as accepted. Look at the example:

Mrs. Harris is cooking our meals. Active voice.
Our meals are being cooked by Mrs.Harris. Passive voice.
Cook is a regular verb and so it ends with “ed” . If the verb was an irregular verb then it will be the past particle form and it will not end with “ed”. Look at this example:
Andrew is riding the horse. Active voice.
The horse is being ridden by Andrew. Passive voice.
The verb ride is an irregular verb and so when the sentence is made into the passive it becomes the past participle form; ridden.
We use the word “by” to tell by whom the action was done. In the above example the horse was ridden by Andrew. If you don not need to say who did the action or you don’t know who did the action then you do not use “by”.
Examples:
Present continuous.
1. Rollo is not riding a horse. Active voice.
The horse is not being ridden by Rollo. Passive voice.

2. Patrick Conway and Surendran Menon are painting the house. Active voice.
The house is being painted by Patrick Conway and Surendran Menon. Passive voice.

3. The sheep dog is chasing the sheep. Active voice.
The sheep are being chased by the sheep dog. Passive voice.-

4. I am not building some new types of ships. Active voice.
Some new types of ships are not being built by me. Passive voice.

5. Someone is opening the gate. Active voice.
The gate is being opened. Passive voice.

6. Are they doing their homework? Active voice.
Is their homework being done? Passive voice.

Past participle
Present simple am is are not + cleaned, done, taken, ridden, built, injured,
Past simple was were not + seen, swum, bought, noted, written, repaired,
Present continuous am is are not + kicked, painted, driven, accepted, cooked, chopped, sawed, sighted, flown, sailed

The use of the passive voice.
The passive voice is used for two reasons:
1. The subject is unknown. Example:
Somebody cuts the grass. Active voice
The grass is cut. Passive voice.

Someone invented the television in 1920. Active voice.
The television was invented in 1920. Passive voice.

Some other examples:
• How often are the rooms cleaned?
• I am never invited to parties.
• Oranges are imported to Britain.
• Coffee isn’t grown in Britain.
• They were not given a holiday.
• Were they given a holiday?

2. The subject is unimportant.
The police arrested the criminal.
The criminal was arrested.

The repairman fixed the television. Active voice.
The television was repaired. Passive voice.

They make cheese from milk.
Milk is used to make cheese.

Some other examples:
• Plastic is made from petroleum.
• This house was built 100 years ago.
• Were these houses built 100 years ago?
• The centre is being cleaned at the moment.
• Deidre is driving to college now?
• Is Steven sleeping at the moment?

Name:……………………………………………………………………..
Date:…………………………………………………………………………
Fill in the blanks with the Present tense verbs.
1. What ________________ called in English?
2. Jane __________________ paid on the first of every month.
3. I _________________________ often sent to the Singapore office.
4. _____________ any classes taught on Wednesdays?
5. _________________ any football matches today?
6. More chocolate _______________________ eaten in the USA than in any other country.
7. We _________________ woken by birds every morning.
8. Stamps ________________ sold in most newspaper agents in Britian.
9. English _________________ spoken in Australia.
10. _____________ spoken in South Africa?
11. Our windows ________________ cleaned once a month.
12. The London parks _____________ loved by everyone.
13. Milk ________________ delivered in the mornings in Britain.
14. Vegetables ______________ sold in the market.
15. A report about the students ____________written every Friday by the class teacher.
16. He ______________ loved by everyone.
17. ____________ there a park nearby?
18. Chocolate ________________ preferred to carrots by children.

Name:……………………………………………………………………..
Date:…………………………………………………………………………
Fill in the blanks with the Past tense verbs.
1. This tower ______________ built 100 years ago.
2. That car ___________________ driven.
3. When _______________ the telephone invented?
4. We ______________________ (not) invited to the party.
5. Why ________________________ (not) Catherine made the class monitor?
6. ________________ Thomas the school head prefect last year?
7. _______________ you at class yesterday?
8. Ian _________________ (not) the child who broke the window.
9. The trees ___________________ blown down by the strong wind.
10. The postman ________________ bitten by the mad dog.
11. Those books ___________________ published in 1920.
12. My wallet ______________________ stolen.
13. I ___________________ told to wait.
14. A sports website ________________ built.
15. All the cakes _____________________ eaten.
16. The Mona Lisa __________________ painted.
17. A stationery shop _______________ opened.
18. The letter _______________ lost.

Name:……………………………………………………………………..
Date:…………………………………………………………………………
Fill in the blanks with the Present continuous verbs.
1. A new stadium _____________________________ built near the station.
2. Some new roads _______________________ (not)planned near my house.
3. Emails ____________________________ sent right now.
4. The telephone _________________________ used at the moment.
5. The students report cards ______________________ written by the teacher right now.
6. Cyril’s car __________________________ repaired right now.
7. The school ______________________ at the moment. There is the smell of paint.
8. The report cards __________________________ examined right now. Soon we will get them. Are you afraid when your report card is given to you?

9. My grandmother _______________________ examined right now for cold.
10. The aeroplane _________________________ (not) flown by Marshall.
11. The cows _________________________ herded at the farm. Soon they will be milked.
12. Jackson Raj and Titus Raj _______________________________ (not) trained by the coach for football but for tennis.
13. Pauline and Syliva ________________________ (not) interviewed for air-hostess jobs but for accountants.

14. The windows ______________________ (not) cleaned now. They will be later in the day.

15. Sylvia, Anita, Antonia, and Andrea _____________________________ given prizes for being very good students.

16. Priscilla Alfred and Marina Koshy __________________________ trained for the school’s athletics competition.

17. Letters _____________________ posted everyday.
18. New cars ____________________________ sold every week.
19. Milk ___________________________ delivered every morning.
20. Fresh fruits and vegetables __________________________ sold every morning at the market.

Handout & Worksheet Design:Considerations and recommendations.

HANDOUT & WORKSHEET DESIGN: Considerations and recommendations.

When we teachers make handouts they often are accompanied by worksheets. Handouts and worksheets are often used in the ELF environment and not in the ESOL environment. However they can be useful in the ESOL environment in situations where;

• The student’s school textbooks do not explain all concepts the students ought to know about.
• They can supplement the student’s existing knowledge with further information which they can refer to when they go on to higher courses.
• Handouts that contain lists of words such as; adjectives, adverbs, homonyms, synonyms and antonyms can be used by the student in further English courses. I have given my students a list of irregular verbs that contained more verbs than their class books have. They can use my list later on in the future.
• Worksheets can be used for further practice or set as homework during lengthy holidays.
• Handouts that are well designed and contain charts, tables and diagrams can supplement textbooks and are of great appeal to visual/non-verbal learners who enjoy diagrams, timeline charts and tables with verbs, adjectives, etc. Tactile kinesthetic learners who like hands-on activities will also enjoy trying out grammar points on their own in addition to heir class text books and workbooks. Handouts can also appeal to verbal/visual learners who thrive on notes and voluminous reading.

When designing a hand-out or a worksheet the teacher must observe the following rules;

The handout and worksheet/s must be at the same level of proficiency as the student.
The worksheet, if it is on its own, must at the same level of proficiency as the student.
The worksheet must be impressively designed and neatly spaced so that the students can read the questions clearly and write their answers clearly.
The handouts must be well designed and well spaced and tables, lists, diagrams, and charts. It will be good if they are coloured as this will look appealing to the student.
The explanations and questions must be clear and not verbose.
Answer sheets should not be given to the student.

Collocations.

Definition:
Collocations are words that are often used together. Please see my tutorial on what are collocations.
Today, I am going to teach you collocations. Collocations make you sound natural when you speak English. So let us look them.
1. We have the noun Knowledge which is used with various adjectives, nouns, verbs, adverbs and expressions with prepositions.
• Sound knowledge:
William Lobley has a sound knowledge of Economics. He never makes an error in explanations.
In order to be a good financial accountant you must have a sound knowledge of mathematics and accounting. A sound knowledge allows an accountant to make fast calculations and good financial decisions.

• Comprehensive knowledge:
Good English Grammar textbooks contain a comprehensive knowledge of English Grammar. They will cover every aspect of English Grammar.
Henry has a comprehensive knowledge of computer networking. He knows all there is to know about the subject.

• Vast knowledge :
A vast knowledge about the ancient city of Troy has been accumulated over the years.

Darryl has a vast knowledge of archaeology and ancient history.

• Intimate knowledge:
Antonia has intimate knowledge about Marshall’s family.
Because scientists had gained an intimate knowledge of the workings of dna, it allowed then to understand it fully.

These are some more collocations which you can try and frame sentences. Try them. If you run into any problems, just let me know and I will help you out.
A. Ancient monument
B. Car park
C. Made a decision
D. Made some records
E. Bitterly cold
F. Substantial lunch/meal
G. Pitch dark
H. A good time
I. Applied for a job
J. Soaking wet
K. Make breakfast/ lunch/ supper
L. Scorching hot/heat
M. Scorching sun

What is Creativity?

Creativity is viewed fallaciously by many as the domain or possession specially reserved for artists, writers and scientists. This perception completely disguises the fact that creativity is sorely needed by many people in finding sources of income, helping others in need, coming up with solutions to myriad problems or resolving disputes. 

Creativity is seen as an inspiration that comes to one. How inspiration comes to people seems to be indeterminate, vague or nebulous - a mystery. It is seen to be something that only an eclectic few can possess- a rare, special gift. Creativity if seen in this way, looks as if it is a passive talent and not an actively derived talent. Even though no specific formula exists for creativity, it is something that can be taught, learnt and mastered from various thinking skills. 

Creativity has three underlying principles. Firstly, new ideas are composed of existing or older element Creativity is predominantly about alternative possibilities. While critical thinking is about correct thinking, creative thinking is about alternative possibilities that are new and useful. It is the process of coming up with new and useful ideas. It can be seen as a new solution to a problem, a new product, a new theory or a new piece of art or a recipe. In order to be creative, one must be bold and daring, be willing to step off the well-trodden path, challenge the status-quo and explore new frontiers and horizons. We must ask the following question. How are new ideas generated from old ideas? The answer is this, in a sense, ideas are made up of different elements, and what we need to do is to look for new combinations of ideas by joining different ideas together, deleting or omitting some elements or replacing some elements with other ones. We have the example of the smart phone which was derived from the landline phone. However, there is an implication in the first principle - the ingredients for creativity depend on the pool of ideas available for recombination. This is the raison d' etre why an unquenchable intellectual curiosity and a wide knowledge base can significantly enrich one's creativity. One will have a vast range of concepts, theories and experience to draw upon. This is also the rationale or logic for the usefulness of trying to solve a problem by consulting people with different expertise. 

Hence, we find that creativity does not come from a bolt out of the blue or as an epiphany. We find that creativity does not come from a vacuum or from sheer iron-clad determination. We become creative from absorbing lots and lots of ideas before we can arrive at one ourselves. As the famous British actor John Cleese once said, “You say I'm going to write something completely new and original and very funny." You can't do it. It's like trying to fly a plane without having any lessons. You've got to start somewhere and the best way to start is by copying something that is really good. John Cleese. 

The second principle about creativity is that not all ideas are on par. Creativity is simply not a matter of producing new ideas. Creativity is essentially about creating new ideas that are useful and valuable. These are the kind of ideas that serve an important need or create a new trend that is impactful.  This is the kind of creativity that is valued.

Creativity is divided into Cognitive creativity and Artistic creativity. 

Cognitive creativity is about arriving at new solutions to practical and theoretical problems. These can be such as developing a new scientific theory, creating a new medicine, developing a new business solution or creating a new commercial product. Cognitive creativity requires critical thinking. One must think correctly and logically to see if an idea makes sense. For instance, if an engineer is designing a new kind of revolutionary gearbox for motorcars, he must make sure that the gearbox functions within the bounds of the laws of physics and logic. In similar fashion, a new financial product must be logical and not contravene any business legislation. Any proposal must be well thought out.

Artistic creativity is about the creation of artwork and the expression of ideas and emotions through various forms of art. Critical thinking is not averse to artistic creativity but the enhancement of critical thinking skills will not improve artistic creativity.  

There is the perception that being too critical can cause new ideas to be dismissed. This is because creative thinking runs against established conventions in thought. However, using good critical thinking skills does not necessarily equate to being always over critical. Sometimes we can suspend critical thinking, although this runs against the principles of critical thinking, and allow ideas to flow and then evaluate them critically. This could be a productive thing to do. Rather than outright dismissing ideas before evaluation. It is a serious misconception that critical thinking and cognitive thinking are opposed to each other. In actual fact, they aid each other.

The third principle is that creativity sees the connections between ideas. This ability to detect the connections will enhance creativity. Even though we have our pool of ideas, we must bear in mind that useful ideas come from unexpected sources. For example, an aerospace engineering crops up where a new type of wing is to be developed might take insights from a study in zoology which studies the wings of bats and birds. The studies are from disparate fields and yet aid the design of new wings. It can be seen in a successful marketing campaign might take information from sociological and psychological studies. Again, sociology and psychology are different fields from business. 

As such, creative thinking requires seeing the connection between different areas and disciplines. Firstly, a wide knowledge base and a deep sense of curiosity is needed. Creative people are widely read, possess a deep sense of curiosity, and always willing to explore subjects or topics which will not bring immediate benefits. Secondly, the learning process must be ensured to that the learning process should aim at a deep understanding of the connections between key concepts.

So, in order to be creative, there must be the ability to see the connection between different ideas. Firstly, a wide knowledge base  and a deep sense of curiosity is required. Creative people are often well read, pare deeply curious, and a willingness to explore subjects or topics which will not reap immediate benefits. Secondly, it must be ensured that the learning processes should aim at a deep understanding of the connection between key concepts. Studying goes beyond merely studying bits and pieces of unrelated information, but examine them from different angles, systematically reformulating them in way to achieve better understanding.

To conclude, creativity is the about the reformulation of old ideas into new ones. Creativity requires the ability to deviate from the norm, challenge the status-quo and think critically and evaluate ideas but not be critical while creative activity is conducted but after the creative session. Creative thinking is of two kinds: cognitive creativity and artistic activity. Cognitive creativity is the generation of new and useful ideas while artistic creativity is the creation of works of art, literature etc. Critical thinking aids cognitive creativity but is not needed in artistic creativity. Lastly, there must be the ability to see the connections between ideas from different fields, view them from different angles and reformulate them systematically so as to gain better understanding.

Lend and borrow

How to use Lend and Borrow. Lend and borrow have different verb patterns and it's useful to practise them.
We use ‘lend’ when the subject is the person who gives the thing. The pattern is 'lend something to someone'. We can also use 'lend someone something'.

We use ‘borrow’ when the subject is the person who receives the thing. The pattern is 'borrow something from someone'.
We usually use both of these in active sentences.

In this example, it's my book. (I > the book > John.)

• I'll lend the book to John.
• I'll lend John the book.
• John will borrow the book from me.
In this example, it's Julie's money. (Julie > some money > David.)
• Julie lent some money to David.
• Julie lent David some money.
• David borrowed some money from Julie.


Let's review! Use the past simple in every case.

1. The bank > £10,000 >the company (use 'lend' and 'to')
___________________________________________________________________________
2. The teacher > a pencil > the child (use 'borrow')
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Lucy > an umbrella > her mother (use 'lend' without 'to')
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Robert > his car > his brother (use 'lend' and 'to')
___________________________________________________________________________
5. John > £5 > me (use 'borrow')
___________________________________________________________________________
6. I > a cup > Lucy (use 'borrow')
___________________________________________________________________________
7. My mother > a suitcase > my brother (use 'lend' without 'to')
___________________________________________________________________________
8. The library > this book > me (use 'borrow')
___________________________________________________________________________
9. Stephen > his phone > Jill (use 'lend' with 'to')
___________________________________________________________________________
10. Amanda > a dress > her daughter (use 'lend' without 'to')
___________________________________________________________________________

‘In time’ or ‘on time’?

Both 'in time' and 'on time' are sometimes correct. They have different meanings.
'On time' means 'at the right time' or 'at the time that we decided'. It's for things where there is a right moment to arrive or to do something. If you arrive or do the thing afterwards, you're late.

For example:

• If you are meeting your friend at 9am and you arrive at 9am, then you are on time.
• If the plane is scheduled to leave at 19:15 and it leave at 19:15, then the plane is on time.
• If a meeting is planned for 2pm and it starts at 2pm, then the meeting starts on time. (If the meeting starts at 1;30, then it's early.)
'In time' means 'not late' or 'before it's too late'. Usually, there's some thing or event that's going to happen, and you need to arrive or send your work, etc, before that time. After that time, it's often not possible to do the thing.

For example:

• If the teacher can only check your essay if you email it before 5pm on Tuesday, then if you email it at 3pm, that's in time.
• If your son is singing at school and you arrive before he starts, then you arrive in time to hear him sing.
• If your friend is leaving and you want to say goodbye at the airport and you arrive before her plane leaves, then you got to the airport in time. (If you arrive after her plane leaves, you're too late. You can't see her.)

Here are some more examples:

• The train arrived on time (= it arrived at the time on the timetable).
• His grandmother was very ill. He flew across the world to visit her before she died. He got there in time (= he got there before she died).

When you're talking about someone arriving for something like a meeting, you can use 'on time' = the person arrives at the time on the schedule, or 'in time' = the person arrives before the meeting starts.

Let's review! Put in 'in' or 'on'.

1. The plane left __________ time.
2. She arrived __________ for the dinner party, at 7pm exactly.
3. I thought I was going to be too late but I was __________ time - I saw the professor before she left for the weekend.
4. Did the class start __________ time?
5. Were you __________ time? Did you get to the shop before it closed?
6. I arranged to meet my friend at 10 am and she arrived __________ time at 10 exactly.
7. The trains never arrive __________ time in this country!
8. She was __________ time to see her daughter perform at the show. She arrived before her daughter's part started.
9. The meeting started __________ time, at 2pm precisely.
10. I didn't get to the shops __________ time to buy the new iPhone. It was already sold out.

Prepositions of Purpose.

We use the prepositions of purpose to show the purpose for doing something. That is, the reason to do something. The prepositions of purpose are: To & For. 

Examples:

I am willing to work for BAE if they give me a job offer.
I am willing to marry Cynthia if she is willing to move to London with me.
The town council intends to tear down the old cinema to make way for the new sports centre.
Henry is soon going to go for a holiday in Mauritius.

Try the exercise and email for the answers next week.


1. We are waiting anxiously (for/to) ______________ our examination results.
2. Breto is waiting at the lounge of the conference hall (to/for) ________________ meet his business colleagues.
3. Xavier is going to go to jail (for/to) __________________ slandering the goverment.
4. Leonard Skinard and his friends are driving to Port Dickson (to/for)______________ a vacation.
5. We take vitamins (for/to) ____________ supplement our diet.
6. Shoshana is working very hard (to/for)____________ her degree in engineering.

Honesty in marking Examinations.

Honesty is the best policy as the idiom goes. Honesty gains us respect. We are acknowledged for it and even if we aren't, we have our self respect. It seems to me that some private colleges and academies in Malaysia are allowing students to pass examinations when they don't deserve to or unknowingly. It seems to me that their management does not hire a second examiner to check and confirm what the first examiner has done.

Examinations are at the core of academic life. Examinations are the essential tools for student assessment and evaluation. Examinations tells the student and his or her tutor or teacher how well the student has learnt, mastered and is able to do. It also demonstrates how ell the student was instructed. But when students pass without deserving to do so, what is the point in conducting examinations? What is it that the student has learnt and mastered? Perhaps it is the negligence on the part of teachers, tutors and lecturers who want to preserve their jobs and reputation and the institutions reputation as well.  Perhaps a high failure rate or a rate of poor grades will harm the instructor's job and the institutions profit margins. 

I think a tutor or lecturer or a teacher has to be mindful of the institution's needs and if the marking is checked by another marker so as to ensure that they can keep their jobs. The Malaysian Qualifications Agency should check and see if the examinations  are marked and checked and verified.