1. Take the object of the active verb and make it the subject of the passive verb (In the examples below, the object of the active verb is "my clothes").
2. Add the verb b to be in the same tense as the verb in the active sentence.
* Add the past participle of the active verb.
3. If the subject of the active verb has to be expressed (see functions below), it is usually introduced with by.
Present simple Active: My mother washes my clothes
Passive: My clothes are washed by my mother.
Present continuous Active: My mother is washing my clothes
Passive: My clothes are being washed by my mother.
Present perfect Active: My mother has washed my clothes
Passive: My clothes have been washed by my mother.
Past simple Active: My mother washed my clothes
Passive: My clothes were washed by my mother.
Past continuous Active: My mother was washing my clothes
Passive: My clothes were being washed by my mother.
Past perfect Active: My mother had washed my clothes
Passive: My clothes had been washed by my mother.
Future "will" Active: My mother will wash my clothes
Passive: My clothes will be washed by my mother.
Future "going to" Active: My mother is going to wash my clothes
Passive: My clothes are going to be washed by my mother.
Future continuous Active: My mother will be washing my clothes
Passive: My clothes will be being washed by my mother.
Future perfect Active: My mother will have washed my clothes
Passive: My clothes will have been washed by my mother.
Modal verbs Active: My mother might wash my clothes
Passive: My clothes might be washed by my mother.
Active: My mother can wash my clothes
Passive: My clothes can be washed by my mother.
Active: My mother must wash my clothes
Passive: My clothes must be washed by my mother.
Functions and examples
We use the passive when who or what causes the action is not important or is not known, or when we want to focus on the action.
The rubbish is taken out every day.
(We don't know who takes the rubbish out, or maybe it's not important)
The Great Wall of Chinawas built thousands of years ago.
(It's not important exactly who built it, we want to focus on the action of building)
The money has been stolen. (We don't know who stole it, and we want to emphasise the action of stealing)
My windows are cleaned once a month.
(It's not important who cleans them. The action of cleaning is more important)
Important points
1. If there are two objects in the active sentence, two passive sentences are possible.
Active: They gave me 500 dollars to do the work.
Passive: I was given 50 dollars to do the work or 500 dollars was given to me to do the work.
2. Get is often used instead of be in informal spoken English. I got offered the promotion.
The table got damaged in the fire.
I got asked to present the award.
3. The subject of the active verb (sometimes called the agent) is not usually expressed in passive sentences, because it is unknown or unimportant. However, if it is used, it is usually preceded with by.
The painting was done by Picasso.
4. When we talk about a tool used by an agent, it can be preceded by with. The painting was done with oils on canvas
The basic purpose of narrative is to entertain, to gain and hold a readers' interest. However narratives can also be written to teach or inform, to change attitudes / social opinions eg soap operas and television dramas that are used to raise topical issues. Narratives sequence people/characters in time and place but differ from recounts in that through the sequencing, the stories set up one or more problems, which must eventually find a way to be resolved.
Types of Narrative
There are many types of narrative. They can be imaginary, factual or a combination of both. They may include fairy stories, mysteries, science fiction, romances, horror stories, adventure stories, fables, myths and legends, historical narratives, ballads, slice of life, personal experience.
Features
Characters with defined personalities/identities.
Dialogue often included - tense may change to the present or the future.
Descriptive language to create images in the reader's mind and enhance the story.
Structure
In a Traditional Narrative the focus of the text is on a series of actions:
Orientation: (introduction) in which the characters, setting and time of the story are established. Usually answers who? when? where? eg. Mr Wolf went out hunting in the forest one dark gloomy night.
Complication or problem: The complication usually involves the main character(s) (often mirroring the complications in real life).
Resolution: There needs to be a resolution of the complication. The complication may be resolved for better or worse/happily or unhappily. Sometimes there are a number of complications that have to be resolved. These add and sustain interest and suspense for the reader.
To help students plan for writing of narratives, model, focusing on:
Plot: What is going to happen?
Setting: Where will the story take place? When will the story take place?
Characterisation: Who are the main characters? What do they look like?
Structure: How will the story begin? What will be the problem? How is the problem going to be resolved?
Theme: What is the theme / message the writer is attempting to communicate?
Language
Action verbs: Action verbs provide interest to the writing. For example, instead of The old woman was in his way try The old woman barred his path. Instead of She laughed try She cackled.
Written in the first person (I, we) or the third person (he, she, they).
Specific nouns: Strong nouns have more specific meanings, eg. oak as opposed to tree.
Active nouns: Make nouns actually do something, eg. It was raining could become Rain splashed down or There was a large cabinet in the lounge could become A large cabinet seemed to fill the lounge.
Careful use ofadjectives and adverbs: Writing needs judicious use of adjectives and adverbs to bring it alive, qualify the action and provide description and information for the reader.
Use of the senses: Where appropriate, the senses can be used to describe and develop the experiences, setting and character:
What does it smell like?
What can be heard?
What can be seen - details?
What does it taste like?
What does it feel like?
Imagery
Simile: A direct comparison, using like or as or as though, eg. The sea looked as rumpled as a blue quilted dressing gown. Or The wind wrapped me up like a cloak.
Metaphor: An indirect or hidden comparison, eg. She has a heart of stone or He is a stubborn mule or The man barked out the instructions.
Onomatopoeia: A suggestion of sound through words, eg. crackle, splat, ooze, squish, boom, eg. The tyres whir on the road. The pitter-patter of soft rain. The mud oozed and squished through my toes.
Personification: Giving nonliving things (inanimate) living characteristics, eg. The steel beam clenched its muscles. Clouds limped across the sky. The pebbles on the path were grey with grief.
Rhetorical Questions: Often the author asks the audience questions, knowing of course there will be no direct answer. This is a way of involving the reader in the story at the outset, eg. Have you ever built a tree hut?
Variety in sentence beginnings. There are a several ways to do this eg by using:
Participles: "Jumping with joy I ran home to tell mum my good news."
Adverbial Phrases: "Along the street walked the girl as if she had not a care in the world."
Conversations/Dialogue: these may be used as an opener. This may be done through a series of short or one-word sentences or as one long complex sentence.
Show, Don't Tell: Students have heard the rule "show, don't tell" but this principle is often difficult for some writers to master.
Personal Voice: It may be described as writing which is honest and convincing. The author is able to 'put the reader there'. The writer invests something of him/her self in the writing. The writing makes an impact on the reader. It reaches out and touches the reader. A connection is made.
In English, the gerund is identical in form to the present participle (ending in -ing) and can behave as a verb within a clause (so that it may be modified by an adverb or have an object), but the clause as a whole (sometimes consisting of only one word, the gerund itself) acts as a noun within the larger sentence. For example: Editing this article is easy.
In "Editing this article" (although this is traditionally known as a phrase, it is referred to as a non-finite clause in modern linguistics), the word "Editing" behaves as a verb; the phrase "this article" is the object of that verb. "Editing this article" acts as a noun phrase within the sentence as a whole, though; it is the subject of the verb "is."
Verbs that are often followed by a gerund include admit, adore, anticipate, appreciate, avoid, carry on, consider, contemplate, delay, deny, describe, detest, dislike, enjoy, escape, fancy, feel, finish, give, hear, imagine, include, justify, listen to, mention, mind, miss, notice, observe, perceive, postpone, practice, quit, recall, report, resent, resume, risk, see, sense, sleep, stop, suggest, tolerate and watch. Additionally, prepositions are often followed by a gerund.
For example:
I quit smoking.
We postponed making any decision.
After two years of deciding, we finally made a decision.
We heard whispering.
They denied having avoided me.
He talked me into coming to the party.
They frightened her out of voicing her opinion.
Kong is fighting for his love to JieJie.
Verbs followed by a gerund or a to-infinitive
With little change in meaning
begin, continue, start; hate, like, love, prefer
With would, the verbs hate, like, love, and prefer are usually followed by the to-infinitive.
I would like to work there. (more usual than working)
In these examples, if the subject of the verb is not the subject of the second verb, the second verb must be a gerund (instead of an infinitive).
If one is watching sports on television, for example, one can react to the programs only as follows:
I hate boxing.
I love swimming.
I enjoy golfing.
With a change in meaning
dread and hate:
These two verbs are followed by a to-infinitive when talking subjunctively (usually when using to think), but by a gerund when talking about general dislikes.
I dread / hate to think what she will do.
I dread / hate seeing him.
forget and remember:
When these have meanings that are used to talk about the future from the given time, the to-infinitive is used, but when looking back in time, the gerund.
She forgot to tell me our plans. (She did not tell me, although she should have.)
She forgot telling me our plans. (She told me, but then forgot having done so.)
I remembered to go to work. (I remembered that I needed to go to work, and so I did.)
I remembered going to work. (I remembered that I had gone to work.)
cannot bear:
I cannot bear to see you suffer like this. (You are suffering now.)
I cannot bear being pushed around in crowds. (I never like that.)
go on:
After winning the semi-finals, he went on to play in the finals. (He completed the semi-finals and later played in the finals.)
He went on giggling, not having noticed the teacher enter. (He continued doing so.)
mean:
I did not mean to scare you off. (I did not intend to scare you off.)
Taking a new job in the city meant leaving behind her familiar surroundings. (If she took the job, she would have to leave behind her familiar surroundings.)
advise, recommend and forbid:
These are followed by a to-infinitive when there is an object as well, but by a gerund otherwise.
The police advised us not to enter the building, for a murder had occurred. (Us is the object of advised.)
The police advised against our entering the building. (Our is used for the gerund entering.)
consider, contemplate and recommend:
These verbs are followed by a to-infinitive only in the passive or with an object pronoun.
People consider her to be the best. – She is considered to be the best.
I am considering sleeping over, if you do not mind.
regret:
We regret to inform you that you have failed your exam. (polite or formal form of apology)
I very much regret saying what I said. (I wish that I had not said that.)
try:
When a to-infinitive is used, the subject is shown to make an effort at something, attempt or endeavor to do something. If a gerund is used, the subject is shown to attempt to do something in testing to see what might happen.
Please try to remember to post my letter.
I have tried being stern, but to no avail.
Gerunds preceded by a genitive
Because of its noun properties, the genitive (possessive case) is preferred for a noun or pronoun preceding a gerund.
We enjoyed their [genitive] singing.
This usage is preferred in formal writing. The objective case is often used in place of the possessive, especially in casual situations:
I do not see it making any difference.
In some cases, either the possessive or the objective case may be logical:
The teacher's shouting startled the student. (Shouting is a gerund, and teacher's is a possessive pronoun. The shouting is the subject of the sentence.)
The teacher shouting startled the student. (Shouting is a participle describing the teacher. This sentence means The teacher who was shouting startled the student. In this sentence, the subject is the teacher herself.)
Either of these sentences could mean that the student was startled because the teacher was shouting.
Using the objective case can be awkward if the gerund is singular but the other noun is plural. It can look like a problem with subject-verb agreement:
The politicians' debating was interesting.
One might decide to make to be plural so that debating can be a participle.
The politicians debating were interesting.
Gerunds and present participles
Insofar as there is a distinction between gerunds and present participles, it is generally fairly clear which is which; a gerund-participle that is the subject or object of a preposition is a gerund if it refers to the performance of an action (but present participles may be used substantively to refer to the performer of an action), while one that modifies a noun attributively or absolutely is a participle. The main source of potential ambiguity is when a gerund-participle follows a verb; in this case, it may be seen either as a predicate adjective (in which case it is a participle), or as a direct object or predicate nominative (in either of which cases it is a gerund). In this case, a few transformations can help distinguish them. In the table that follows, ungrammatical sentences are marked with asterisks, per common linguistic practice; it should be noted that the transformations all produce grammatical sentences with similar meanings when applied to sentences with gerunds but either ungrammatical sentences, or sentences with completely different meanings, when applied to sentences with participles.
A descriptive text is a text which lists the characteristics of something. Take an example, the following is one of the text belongs to the descriptive text.
We get the purpose from the text above that description is used in all forms of writing to create a vivid impression of a person, place, object or event e.g. to: ·
Describe a special place and explain why it is special.
Describe the most important person in your live.
Describe the animal’s habit in your report.
Descriptive writing or text is usually also used to help writer develop an aspect of their work, e.g. to create a particular mood, atmosphere or describe a place so that the reader can create vivid pictures of characters, places, objects etc. To complete our intention to, here are the characteristics based on descriptive writing or text, below;
As a feature, description is a style of writing which can be useful for other variety of purposes as:
To engage a reader’s attention
To create characters
To set a mood or create an atmosphere
To being writing to life
While in language function, descriptive writing;
Aims to show rather than tell the reader what something/someone is like
Relies on precisely chosen vocabulary with carefully chosen adjectives and adverbs.
Is focused and concentrates only on the aspects that add something to the main purpose of the description.
Sensory description-what is heard, seen, smelt, felt, tasted.Precise use of adjectives, similes, metaphors to create images/pictures in the mind e.g. their noses were met with the acrid smell of rotting flesh.
Strong development of the experience that “put the reader there” focuses on key details, powerful verbs and precise nouns.
Beyond the characteristics stated on, descriptive writing also consists of generic structure in range as:
Have + object + past participle (to have something done)
Have + object + bare infinitive (to have someone do something)
Functions and examples
1. We use causative have when arranging for someone to do something for us.
They repaired their car. (they did it themselves)
They had their car repaired. (they arranged for someone to repair it)
I cut my hair yesterday. (I cut it myself)
I had my hair cut yesterday. (I went to the hairdresser)
2. We also use causative have when someone does something to us.
Bill had his money stolen by a thief.
Important points
1. Get is possible instead of have, usually in informal spoken English. I'm going to get my car fixed tomorrow.
2. We can also use to have someone do something to talk about giving instructions or orders (more common in American English).
I had my assistant type the report.
I'll have my lawyer look into it.
Procedures help us do a task or make something. They can be a set of instructions or directions eg step by step method to germinate seeds. The text below is an example of a procedure. The labels show the structure and language features of procedure text.
Procedures begin by outlining an aim or goal.
Sometimes there is a list of the materials and equipment needed.
A recount text is a text that tells us about a part of experience. A recount text has an orientation, a series of events in chronological order, and a reorientation that “rounds off” the sequence of events.
Joining the Traditional Dance Competition
I joined the Traditional Dance Competition in Jakarta last year. I represented my Junior High School. It was my biggest competition. I practised hard with my teacher for a month. We also prepared the best costume we had.
We only had one day in Jakarta. We went there by plane. We left at 6 a.m. and arrived in Jakarta at 7 a.m. We took a taxi to take us to the place where the competition was held. It took an hour to get there. There were already some participants when we arrived. The competition would start in an hour.
First, my teacher and I went to the dressing room. My teacher helped me do the make-up and the costume. We spent almost an hour for the preparation. I told my teacher that I was really nervous. I was not ready for this. However, she told me that everything was alright, and I felt better.
Then, the time came for me to perform on stage. There were five judges and about two hundred people watching me. However, I did not feel nervous anymore. I performed on the stage confidently. I really did the best I could. I was glad when it ended smoothly.
After that, we waited for the announcement of the result. It was 4 p.m. when the judges finished making their final decision. I was so impatient to hear the result. I still could not believe when they called my name as the first winner. I was so happy to be given the trophy. My teacher was also proud of my achievement. Finally, we went back to Yogyakarta in the evening. We were so tired. However, we were satisfied because our effort was not useless.
·The first paragraph is called orientation (provides the setting and introduces participants)
·The second until the fourth paragraph is called events (tell what happened, in what sequence)
·The last paragraph is called re-orientation (optional-closure of events)
Language Features
1.Use Past Form
To talk about past events and conditions, you use VERB-2 forms. Here are some examples taken from the text.
ØI joined the Traditional Dance Competition in Jakarta last year.
ØIt was my biggest competition.
·Telling Past Events
S + V2
Examples:
ØMy teacher helped me do the make-up and the costume.
ØI was not ready for this.
·The adverbs that are usually used in the ‘past form’ sentences are:
