Unit 2Emphasizing objects

Language Information

English VI

PASSIVE VOICE Passive voice is used in English to focus

the attention on the action.

For example:The telephone was invented in 1876.

Note that we are not mentioning who invented the telephone but the action itself.

+ a form of vb. to be + past participle

Example: A letter was written.A form of verb be is used in passive statements. It’s singular or plural to agree with the subject, and it also tells the tense of the passive construction.

Form of passive voice

Check this table to make clear the differences between active voice and passive voice.

Active Voice

Passive VoiceThe telephone was invented by

Alexander Graham Bell.

Active Voice

Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.

To rewrite active voice sentences take into account these:1. The object of the active sentence

becomes the subject of the passive sentence.

2. The subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped).Active SUBJECT VERB DIRECT OBJECT Millions of people use the Internet everyday.

Passive AGENT The Internet is used by millions of people every day.

Passive with by + agentThe agent of the a verb is the person, people or thing which performs the action. If it is necessary to mention it, use the preposition by.

For example: The paper was invented by the

Chinese.

FOR DESCRIBING OBJECTS:

Describing what something is used for

Describing what something looks like

It’s something you use to … It’s a machine you use to … It’s an object you use to... It’s a type of ( paper ) you use

to … It’s a type of (device) you use

to… It’s a thing for … It’s stuff for …

It’s a type of … They are made of … It looks like … They have …

When we describe objects, we usually use the following expressions:

EXAMPLES:

 Sewing machine: It’s something you use to sew your clothes or design new ones.Refrigerator: It’s a machine you use to keep your food fresh.Dustpan: It’s an object you use to pick up the garbage or the dust. Mop: It’s a thing for cleaning the floor. Stain remover: It’s stuff for getting marks off your clothes.  Antibacterial gel: It’s a type of liquid that we use to clean our hands from bacteria. Screws: They are made of metal Charger phone: It looks like a black box. Drawing pins: They have a round end.

Look again the previous examples and analyze the grammar rule.  After “… use to… ” we use the verb in infinitive.

It is something we use at home to give light.It is an object we use to clean the floor.

After “… use for …” we use the verb in gerund form.

It is a type of device that we use for sharpening a pencil’s writing point. It is a tool that we use for opening bottles of wine.

ADJECTIVES:

Adjectives describe nouns. They have the same form in the singular and plural.  Examples:

Singular Plural

A blue car An intelligent woman A metal corkscrewA modern computer

two blue carssome intelligent womenthree metal corkscrewssome modern computers

ORDER OF ADJECTIVES:Order of adjectivesWhen there are two or more fact adjectives in a statement, they usually go in the following order:  Opinion: wonderful, interesting, boring, horrible, difficult, easy, etc.Size: small, big, short, long, etc.Weight: heavy, light, etc.Shape: triangular, round, rectangular, square, oval, etc. Color: yellow, blue, dark, pink, red, green, etc. Origen: American, Chinese, Mexican, etc. Material: cotton, metal, plastic, paper, wool, steel, cardboard, wood, tin, rubber, glass, silk, canvas, nylon, velvet, leather, etc.  Examples: Yesterday ,I bought an expensive, brown, leather suitcase.My mother lent me a small, old, metal hammer. Daniel gave me as a present a metal corkscrew.

REFERENCES http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/passivePatricia K. Werner (2007) Mosaic 1 Grammar McGraw-HillSue Kay & Vaughan Jone (2000) Inside Out Intermediate MacmillanSue Kay & Vaughan Jone (2000) Inside Out Upper Intermediate Macmillan

Virginia Evans, Jenny Dooley, Enterprise Student’s book Grammar 2, Express Publishing, 2000. USA Chris Redston and Gillie Cunningham, face2 face Intermediate Student’s book. Cambridge University Press. 2006. United KingdomJack C. Richards with Jonathan Hull and Susan Proctor. New interchange 2 ( 1997) Cambridge Univeristy Press. United KingdomConsultada el día 16 de Julio del 2010 http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/adjord.htm Pictures taken fromSewing machine: http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/dt/dtclip/textiles_alb/images/sewing%20machine%20col_JPG.jpgDustpan: http://www.bluestonegarden.com/images/P/p-16182.jpgPins: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6Pck9l4hGE8/SBBZLdzOcqI/AAAAAAAAAZY/nG-S7C_f568/s400/thumbtack.jpgMop: http://meltyourfaceoff.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/string_mop.jpgHammer: http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/hammer1.gif