Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
Think back to when you were a small child. For each year, from the ages of five to ten, write a sentence in the simple past passive.
When I was five, I was called Bug Bunny by my sister.
When I was six, I wasn't allowed to ..... .
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
________________________
________________________
Show your writing to your partner. Do you share any experience?
(Correct each other's work, as necessary').
Solution
When I was five, I was called Bugs Bunny by my sister.
When I was six, I wasn’t allowed to cross the road alone.
When I was seven, I was allowed to play with my neighbourhood friends.
When I was eight, I was made to prepare tea for my mother.
When I was nine, I wasn’t allowed to drive a scooty.
When I was ten, I wasn’t allowed to wear half-pants.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
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?
Read the following excerpt from a news story and answer the questions
given below the excerpt.
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.
____________________________
____________________________
3. Rewrite the second paragraph, keeping all the verbs in active voice. Begin like
this ...... .
Authorities expect the death toll_____________
_____________________________
_____________________________
4. Does the re-written paragraph read well or is it a little awkward? Give reasons
for your answer.
_______________________________
_______________________________
Now read the following extracts from a passage about a diamond:
a. The Jacob Diamond is believed to have been mined in Africa and was
bought in London by Shimla-based trader called A.M. Jacob, after whom it is
named.
b. Weighing 184.75 carats, it was reckoned to be the world's seventh largest
diamond.
c. The Jacob Diamond was bought by the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mah bub Ali
Khan.
d. It was considered to be such a lucky stone that when the Nizam was offered
Rs. 1 million by the Agha Khan, he spurned the offer.
e. The famous diamond was later purchased by the Indian Government for Rs. 40
crore.
1. Give the article a title (use not more than three words) _________________________
_____________________________
2. Underline all the verb forms in the extracts above. What is the most common
verb form in the passage called? _______________________________
3. Write the appropriate newspaper headline for extract c. above. Use the jumbled
words given in the box below:
| bought - diamond - sixth - Jacob-Hyderabad - by - of - Nizam |
______________________________________
4. Now write a headline for extract e. above.
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
5. Compare your answers with your partner and then the rest of the class. Your
teacher will then discuss the possible answers.
6. Now read the extract again. You want to write a headline based on this extract. You also want to focus attention on the Nizam of Hyderabad, not the Agha Khan. Write a headline to summarise this extract in not more than five words.
In two places in the incomplete sentence there has been some reduction,
in order to avoid repetition.
1. What are the two words missing between if and found?
| 'If ( l found guilty', she will be given a life sentence. |
And what are the three words missing between 'if and 'innocent'
| 'If ( _____ ) innocent', she will use the police for wrongful arrest. |
Read the following paragraph, which contains some repetition. Edit and
rewrite the sentences so that you have one improved sentence.
a. The policeman, having been injured by the angry crowd, was lifted up by two
Arun College students. He was carried to a nearby ambulance. Then he was
taken to the city hospital.
______________________________________
Now give the sentence you have written a headline. Some of it has been done for you.
| Policeman _________ students |
b. Suppose you wish to focus attention on the kindness or bravery of the students
who helped the policeman, rather than on the policeman himself. Rewrite
passage a. above so that the focus is on the students, and give your passage a
headline.
What is the difference between the verb forms you used in 'a' above and
those you used in 'b'?
____________________________________
____________________________________
Read the set of instructions below and underline the main verb in each
sentence.
|
HOW TO MAGNETISE A SCREWDRIVER USING A COIL 1. Place a screwdriver inside a coil carrying a direct current. |
When we write a description of this experiment, which tense do we use?
Complete the description of the experiment using the information in B 1, by writing the verbs in the correct form. One example has been done for you
A screwdriver (place) is placed inside a coil carrying a direct current. The
screwdriver (become)____________ magnetised. It (removed) _____________carefully and
(place)_______________- in iron filings. It (attract) _____________the fillings.
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
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Look at the picture below. At present this room is in a terrible state. Suggest what should be done to make it fit for a student to live and work in. Use different modals in the Passive voice, as in the example.
| The Walls | should/ ought to/ must | be painted. |
__________________________
__________________________
_________________________
__________________________
__________________________
_________________________
Study the examples below:
Examples:
1. a) Mr. Akshay Pandey's car was damaged in an accident.
b) A mechanic repaired the car.
Usually in such situations, type 'b' sentences are rather uncommon. Instead,
the same idea would be expressed as
Mr. Pandey got his car repaired.
This means that Mr. Pandey arranged for a mechanic to repair his car. He did
not repair it himself. It can also be written thus:
Mr.Pandey had his car repaired.
Use the words in brackets to complete the following sentences. Use the
structure: 'have/ get something done'.
1. My neighbours ____________________ (their garden/ relay) at the moment.
2. I lost my identity card. I'll have to ______________ another (another/ make)
3. __________________-{you/ milk/ deliver) to your house every day, or do your go out and buy it?
4. A: Can I see the photographs you took during our school day function?
B: I'm afraid_______________________(not/ the film/ develop) yet.
5. Your suit is a little tight. Why don't you------------(a new one/ make)?
Rewrite the paragraph below by changing these sentences into the passive; include the agent only if necessary.
Last year Mckiney Company built two new apartment buildings in the city centre. Recently one of the buildings was damaged by an earthquake. The earthquake also destroyed the company offices in the other building. The owners of the apartments of the buildings will receive the insurance money to fix the damages. Nobody will lose the money paid for the apartments.
Two new apartment ___________Recently one of the buildings was damaged by an earthquake. The company offices in__________The insurance_______Money.
Shahin, a newspaper reporter, visited the World Book Fair at Pragati Maidan. Suddenly he saw a stall in flames. He jotted down a few notes in his notepad. Using the cues and your own ideas, write a newspaper report in the space provided. Use Active or Passive, depending on what you wish to focus on.
|
-Pragati Maidan -controlled by noon |
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
