The basics
Advanced
Subjects
Topics
|
|
The passive sentences
Active sentences and passive sentences:
He wrote a letter. Active form
A letter was written by him: Passive form
The object of an active sentence becomes the subject
of the passive sentence.
By him
(him = object of by) = by-phrase.
Form of passive verb:
BE+ past participle
Be can be in any of its forms: am, is, are, was, were, has been,
have been, had been, will be, be going to be.
Transitive and intransitive verbs:
To buy has un object.
It’s a transitive verb
A book is going to be bought.
passive form exists.
An accident happened:
To happen doesn’t have un object
It’s an intransitive verb
No passive form.
Using the by-phrase:
The by-phrase is used in passive sentences
when it is important to know who performs an action (important
information). Otherwise, the by-phrase is not considered.
The passive forms of the present & past progressive:
She is selling books.
Book are being sold (by She)
They were reading books
Books were being read (by Them)
Am, is, are + being + past participle
Was, were + being + past participle
Passive modals auxiliaries
Form: modal + BE + past participle.
He will fill out a form
A form will be filled out (by Him)
can be
would be
should be
ought to be
could be
must be
may be
might be
have to be
Using past participle as adjectives:( Stative passive)
She is young
He will be prepared for the exam
"Be" can be followed by an adjective. This adjective describes or gives
information about the subject. As the past participle
does.
Often the past participles are followed by
prepositions + an object.
Some common expressions with BE + past participle
- Be acquainted (with)
- Be bored (with, by)
- Be broken
- Be closed
- Be composed of
- Be crowded (with)
- Be devoted (to)
- Be disappointed (in, with)
- Be divorced (from)
- Be done with (with)
- Be drunk (on)
- Be engaged (to)
- Be excited (about)
- Be exhausted (from)
- Be finished (with)
- Be frightened (of, by)
- Be gone (from)
- Be hurt
- Be interested (in)
- Be involved (in)
- Be located in, south of, etc.
- Be lost
- Be made of
- Be married (to)
- Be opposed (to)
- Be pleased (with)
- Be prepared (for)
- Be qualified (for)
- Be related (to)
- Be satisfied (with)
- Be scared (of, by)
- Be shut
- Be spoiled
- Be terrified (of, by)
- Be tired (of, from)
- Be worried about
Participial adjectives: -ED, -ING:
I am interested in English grammar
The speech was interesting.
As a past participle, the present participle can be used as an adjective.
The past participle describes HOW
The present participle describes the CAUSE.
Get+ Adjective. Get + past participle:
I am getting thirsty.
They got married last year.
Get can be followed by an adjective. It describes the
change (Beginning to be, becoming)
Get can be followed by a past participle.
It describes the subject
Get + adjective
- Get angry
- Get bald
- Get big
- Get busy
- Get close
- Get cold
- Get dark
- Get dirty
- Get dizzy
- Get dry
- Get fat
- Get full
- Get hot
- Get hungry
- Get interested
- Get late
- Get nervous
- Get old
- Get quiet
- Get rich<
- Get serious
- Get sick
- Get sleepy<
- Get thirsty
- Get well
- Get wet
Get + past participle
- Get acquainted
- Get arrested
- Get bored
- Get confused
- Get crowed
- Get divorced
- Get done
- Get dressed
- Get drunk
- Get engaged
- Get excited
- Get finished
- Get frightened
- Get hurt
- Get interested
- Get invited
- Get involved
- Get killed
- Get lost
- Get married
- Get scared
- Get sunburned
- Get tired
- Get worried
Using Be used to / Accustomed to & Get used to / Accustomed to:
I am used to hot climate = I am accustomed to hot climate
I am used to living in a hot climate = I am accustomed to living in a hot.
(Normal, usual, familiar, not strange, not different to me)
Be used to, is followed by a noun or gerund:
I am getting used to (or accustomed to) the cold weather.
Something is beginning to seem usual and normal (not
before).
NOTE:
Habitual past:
I used to live (infinitive form follows used).
Used to don’t pronounce “d”)
Using "Be supposed to":
She is supposed to remember this rule.
They were supposed to not speak out.
Be supposed to is used to talk about an activity or
event that is expected to occur.
The present form of BE is used for both present & future expectations.
Here is the rule:
Subject + used to ( simple form of the verb) : not any more (past)
Subject + ( to be or to get ) + used to + noun phrase (or gerund)
= become accustomed to (the present).
I used to see some friends ( BEFORE: but not any more)
I have gotten used to my keyboard ( NOW: finally become accustomed)
He is not used to eating this kind of food ( NOW: not accustomed to eat this
sort of food
Abder. Ajaja - © - All rights reserved 2002.
|
|
