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Question
Match the excerpts below with the text types given in the box.
Excerpts
1. The tea leaves are picked and left to dry in the sun.
2. 20 ml of the salt is taken in a test tube and heated over the flame of a Bunsen
burner.
3. Many villagers were adversely affected by the flash flood. It is estimated that
nearly half of the standing crop has been submerged in water.
Text Types a) Newspaper (and formal) report _______________ b) Description of processes __________________ c) Academic writings including reporting of scientific experiments ______________ |
What are the text types in which we can expect to find frequent use of the
passive?
Solution
(a) → (3) Many villagers were adversely affected by the flash flood. It is estimated that nearly half of the standing crop has been submerged in water.
(b) → (2) 20 ml of the salt is taken in a test tube and heated over the flame of Bunsen burner.
(c) → (1) The tea leaves are picked and left to dry in the sun.
– Newspaper (and formal) report
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
When do we use the passive voice?
Example: Look at the following sentences:
a) My grandfather established this steel factory in 1940.
b) This steel factory was established in 1940 by my grandfather.
We use the passive voice when we are more interested in the action than the
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______________________________
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_________________________________
We must remember that all active constructions cannot/ should not be transformed Example: a) He is drinking water. Though sentence (b) is grammatically correct, we do not write or speak such a Hence it is necessary to keep in mind that the passive voice has certain legitimate |
Read the following excerpt from a news story and answer the questions
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74 killed in Myanmar quake.
MAESAI (THAILAND). At least 7 4 people were killed in a strong earthquake that struck Myanmar, state media said on Friday, while a series of aftershocks have caused panic but only limited damage in Thailand and Laos. The death toll from Thursday's 6.8 magnitude tremor was expected to rise slightly in Myanmar after 225 homes and nine government buildings were destroyed. Over 100 people were injured, according to state television.
The quake sparked panic, but no major damage in other countries across southeast Asia has been reported. An aftershock of an estimated magnitude of 5.5 rattled Thailand on Friday but caused limited damage, although residents living in properties close to the epicentre were advised to leave their homes.
- Hindustan Times - March 26, 2011
1. Are all the verbs in the passage in passive voice? What do you infer from this?
____________________________
____________________________
2. Underline the passive constructions in the passage and comment on why the
passive is more appropriate than the active in these.
____________________________
____________________________
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Authorities expect the death toll_____________
_____________________________
_____________________________
4. Does the re-written paragraph read well or is it a little awkward? Give reasons
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_______________________________
_______________________________
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_____________________________
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bought - diamond - sixth - Jacob-Hyderabad - by - of - Nizam |
______________________________________
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_______________________________________
_______________________________________
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As illustrated in India Today, September 1996, Ponniah Ramar, 34, an amiable individual from a Tamil Nadu village, claims to be able to convert a bucket of water into half a bucket of volatile fuel by adding a secret herb or so he says! Here is the illustration of the process of preparing the fuel. Write a report for the Junior Science Digest. You may use a combination of active and passive voice in your report, depending on what you wish to focus attention on.
MYSTERY FUEL
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_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
________________________
________________________
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