Some experiences in teaching passive sentences for students in grades 8

In English subject at the secondary school, passive sentence is also one of the important knowledge, students often have difficulties in doing exercises.. If students want to do the pass

INDEX

A INTRODUCTION

English is the language used by most countries It became the international language used to communicate between nations I am an English teacher at a secondary school and I understand clearly methods of teaching English With my teaching experience, I always learn and improve the quality of

my teaching in English

With those criterias, I chose this topic “Some experiences in teaching passive sentences for students in grades 8” In the course of research, I believe

there will be some errors, I hope to receive advice from my colleagues

I THE PURPOSE OF CHOOSING THE TOPIC.

In English subject at the secondary school, passive sentence is also one of the important knowledge, students often have difficulties in doing exercises If students want to do the passive sentences exercises well, they need to understand this form But in class only forty percents students understand the content of this, so I research this topic

II RESEARCH PURPOSE.

When I write this idea, I just wanted to contribute my part to help them understand better passive sentences

III RESEARCH SUBJECTS.

In my topic, I just focus on the theoretical part of the passive such as structured, how to use, how to switch from active to passive, several particularly

in the passive, and some writing assignments and exercise tests

IV RESEARCH METHODS.

1 Research, income forms essay assignments, test of passive sentences and how to do homework, which can assess the qualifications and the knowledge of the students about the passive

2 Research based on observation methods: attending classes of

colleagues

3 Research based on practice: teaching with the attendance of some colleagues then discuss to learn from each other

4 Research based on survey methods: Teachers ask questions to check understanding the content of the student lesson

B CONTENT INITIATIVE EXPERIENCE

I THEORETICAL BASIS OF INITIATIVE EXPERIENCE

When I was student in a secondary school, I learned about the passive sentences and had some difficulties I wanted to know how to distinguish the types of sentences and other forms of exercise

But in traditional teaching: teacher-centered, students only khow to follow and write down what the teacher says So it becomes boring lesson,

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students are not able to think creatively in class In the program of today’s textbooks to help students better understand and the difficulties in doing homework passive sentences

II THE SITUATION OF THE PROBLEM.

1 Advantages

1.1 On the part of teachers

- Have to access and use of new methods in teaching

- Creativity, learn some appropriate teaching compatible with the content

of the lecture

- Teachers use modern equipment well such as computers, speakers, projectors,

1.2 On the part of students

- The majority of school students are excellent students selected from schools in Ngoc Lac district

- The majority of students prefer studying English, and spend much time studying

2 Disadvantages

Besides the above advantages, teachers and students exist back:

2.1 On the part of teachers

Teachers also use several methods that are not suitable with the form of the lesson, so students will have some difficulties in understanding the lesson

2.2 On the part of students

Students do not pay attention to enlarge the vocabulary so vocabulary is very limited them And some of them do not study and do not homework

2.3 Teaching equipment

Equipment used for teaching English is limited Some equipments is spoiled or outdated inconsistent with teaching

III THE SOLUTION USED TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.

1 Using the passive sentences.

- When it is not necessary to mention acting agent ( because situations was too obvious or unimportant )

Eg: The road has been repaired

- When we do not know or forget the people take action

Eg: The money was stolen

- When we ourselves are interested in action than the person do the action Eg: This book was published in Vietnam

- When the subject of the sentences is subject not actively defined as: people, they, someone…

Eg: People say that he will win

[1] → It’s said that he will win

- When the speaker does not want to mention all actions cause

Eg: Smoking is not allowed here

2 Structure

I will be divided the passive sentence structure in English into two

categories:

Type 1: Passive for not continuing.

This form of the general formula:

BE + PAST PARTICIPLE

Type 2: Passive with the ongoing

This form of the general formula:

BE + BEING + PAST PARTICIPLE

The 1st type is used for 6 tenses of non-ongoing passive and the 2nd type is applied for the other 6 tenses of ongoing passive But in this research, I only want to introduce to students the tenses that they are studying in teaching program It includes 4 tenses of non-ongoing passive: present tense, past tense, past participle, future simple tense and 2 tenses of ongoing passive: present continuous and past continuous

2.1 Type 1: Passive for not continuing.

+ Simple Present:

S + am/is/are + Past Participle

Eg:

Active: They raise cows in Ba Vi [1]

Passive: Cows are raised in Ba Vi

+ Simple Past:

S + was/were + Past Participle

Eg:

Active: Jame Watt invented the steam engine in 1784 [3]

Passive: The steam engine was invented by Jame Watt in 1784

+ Present perfect:

S + have/has been + Past Participle

Eg:

Active: They have just finished the project [4]

Passive: The projects has just been finished

+ Simple Future:

S + will be + Past Participle

Eg:

Active: They will build a new school for disabled children next month Passive: A new school for disabled children will be built next month

+ Modal verb.

S + Modal Verb + be + Past Participle.

Eg 1:

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Active: You can see him now.

Passive: He can be seen ( by you ) now

Eg 2:

Active: He should type his term paper

Passive: His term paper should be typed

2.2 Type 2: Continous passive.

+ Present Continuous.

S + am/is/are + being + Past Participle

Eg:

Active: Ann is writing a letter [2]

Passive: A letter is being written by Ann

+ Past Continuous.

S + was/were + being + Past Participle.

Eg:

Active: She was cleaning the room at 7 a.m yesterday [2]

Passive: The room was being cleaned at 7 a.m yesterday

3 Turning the initiative into the passive

If the students want to change from the passive initiative to question, they should know the steps:

- Determining the object in the active sentence then transforming it into the subject of the passive sentence

- Determining the tense of the verb in the sentence of the i active sentence, putting “to be” corresponding to it and the subject of the new passive sentence

- Conjugating the main verb in the i active sentence in the form of past participle in the passive sentence

- By + Action agent ( When we want to stress triggers action )

They will finish this work tomorrow

 This work will be finished (by them) tomorrow

In this section students should note the following issues

- The manner adverbs are usually placed before the past participle in the passive sentences

Eg: He wrote the book wonderfully [4]

→ The book was wonderfully written

- By + Action agent standing behind the adverbs of place and in front of the adverbs of time

Eg1: A passer – by took him home

→ He was taken home by a passer – by

Eg2: We will receive the gifts on Monday

→ The gifts will be received by us on Monday

- Negative and interrogative passive sentences are created the same way of the active

However not every sentence can be changed from active to passive and vice versa In order to change from active to passive, the sentence has to have a transitive verb A sentence with an intransitive verb cannot be changed into passive Intransitive verb is a verb which should have an immediate objective while transitive verb does not

Eg: 1) She is making a cake → A cake is being made by her

Transitive verb 2) They run along the beach every morning

Intransitive verb

Practice

Apply the above knowledge, practice by doing the following exercises:

Exercise 1: Change these sentences into passive.

1 My father waters this flower every morning

→ ……

2 John invited Fiona to his birthday party last night

→ ……

3 No one can move the heavy rock in his garden

→ ……

4 Her mother is preparing the dinner in the kitchen

→ ……

5 We should clean our teeth twice a day

→ ……

Beside the above exercises, there are tests about passive also be applied Students have to be very confident in using structure, understand and know how to do exercises in exchange from active into passive Below are some exercises in tests which can help students practice their knowledge so they can do better test in passive voice

Exercise 2: Chose the correct answer.

1 My wedding ring of yellow and white gold

2.If your brother , he would come

a invited b were invited c were inviting d invite

3 Mr Wilson is as Willie to his friend

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a not are used b is not used c didn’t used d are not used

5 Laura in Boston

a are born b were born c was born d born

4 The special form of passive sentences.

Exchanging from active to passive completely belong to the structure of each sentence Therefore the best way to change is to consider them following the sample sentences

4.1 Sample sentences: S + V + O (C, A)

This new form language in question can be a noun or pronoun phrase

Consider some examples:

S +V+ O

Eg:

Active: Her mother is cleaning the kitchen

Passive: The kitchen is being cleaned by her mother

S+V+O+C

Eg: They called Mr Angry

→ He was called Mr Angry

S+V+O+A

Eg: He put the table in the corner

→ The table was put in the corner

For sentences that have two objects, we can use one of them transformed into the subject in the passive However, the object as a person is use the more

Eg: We gave him a nice present on his birthday

- The first way : He was given a nice present on his birthday.

- The second way : Need to add a preposition

A nice present was given to him on his birthday.

In this circumstance, there are two prepositions can be used : to, for

Some verbs that go with “to” : give, bring, send, show, write, post, pass Some verbs that go with “for”: buy, make, cook, keep, find, get, save, order

Eg1: She didn’t show me this special camera

→ This camera wasn’t shown to me

Eg2: She is making him a cup of tea.

→ A cup of tea is being made for him

4.3 Passive voice with reporting

verbs.

The narrative verbs are usually used in narrating spoken words, thoughts, questions or apologies… Some verbs always meet are say, think, know, believe, ask, tell…

Have two structures related to the reporting verb:

+ Sample sentences:

Active: S + V + O + That clause.

Passive: S (O) + be past participle + that clause.

Eg: He told me that you had a new bike [1]

 I was told that you had a new bike

+ Sample sentences:

S + V + That + Clause.

This sample has two ways to switch to passive:

Step 1: Using subject “it”

Eg: People think that I am The best student in my class [1]

 It is thought that I am the best student in my class

Step 2: Using the subject of that-clause and using prototype form of the

verb In the example above, a second transfer is

Eg: I am thought to be the best student in my class [1]

In a second transfer, you can use 3 prototype form of the verb:

+ To-inf: When the action takes place in the same place that-clause or

occurrs after the action in the same place that-clause or occurrs after the action

in the reported clause

+ Prototype continues: to be Ving, when the action in that-clause is in

the continous tense, the action in the reported clause is simple, the same rank

+ Prototype completed: To have done, when the action in that-clause

occurred before the action in the reported clause

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Eg1: People say that he is a rich man [1]

 He is said to be a rich man

Eg2: They think that she is living there

 She is thought to be living there

Eg3: They said that Tom had left home before the weekend

 Tom was said to have left home before the weekend

4.4 Imperative:

When moving imperative to a passive sentences, we follows structure:

Active: V + O + Adjunct.

Passive: Let + O + be past participle + Adjunct.

Eg: Take off your hat!

 Let your hat be taken off!

Apart from above, there is another way to exchange imperative to the passive but less than That is:

S + am/is/are + to be + P.P

Or S + should be + P.P

Eg:

Active: Look after the children please!

Passive: The children should be looked after!

Or: The children are to be looked after!

4.5 WH- question.

For the WH- questions, we divide them into two categories:

Type 1:

Eg:

Active: How many languages do they speak in Canada? [3]

Passive: How many languages are spoken in Canada?

Type 2:

Eg: Who wrote this novel? [4]

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 Who was this novel writte by?

Or:  By whom was this novel written?

4.6 Structure :

There are two circumstances occur:

a Objective of V-ing is the only one as the subject of the sentences: Eg: He kept me waiting

-> I was kept waiting ( by him)

b Objective of V-ing not only mean the subject of the sentence:

Eg : He hates people looking at him

 He hates being looked at ( by people)

4.7 Structure : S + V + O ( to)

- When the objective is not the same with subject

Eg : We asked him to do it

-> He was asked to do it

- When the objective is same as subject

Eg : She would love someone to take her out to dinner

-> She would love to be taken out to dinner

+ S + V + O + V( without

When changing to passive voice, we use To-infinitive except the verb

“let”.

Eg : We heard him sing this song.

-> He was heard to sing this song

BUT : They let us go home

-> We were let go home.

OR : We were allowed to go home

4.8 Structure Have / get something

+ have.

Active : S + have + Object (person) + bare infinitive + Object.

Eg :

I has him repair my bicycle yesterday

-> I had my bicycle repaired yesterday

+ get.

Active: S + get + O (person) + to infinitive + O ( thing)

Passive : S + get + O (thing) + Past participle (+by + O(person))

Eg:

I get her to make some coffee

-> I get some coffee made

PRACTICE.

Based on the knowledge above, ask students to complete these exercises:

Exercise I : Change these sentences in to passive: [3]

1 Do they teach English here?

->………

2 Did the teacher give some exercises?

->………

3 When will you do the work?

->………

4 What books are people reading this year?

->………

5 People saw him steal your car

->………

Exercise I1 Chose the most correct answers to complete these sentences:

1 The old lady was ……….exhausted after the long walk

a very b absolutely c pretty d fairly

2 The old man is said……….all his money to an old people’s home when

he died

a to leave b to leaving c have left d to have left

3 Nobody was injured in the accident, …………?

a was there b was he c were they d weren’t they

4 Renoir’s paintings ……… masterpieces all over the world

a had considered b are considered c are considering d consider

5 He was advised…………singing lessons

Exercise III : Select sentence with the same meaning with the given

sentences by choosing a, b, c or d.

1 It has been said that UFO sightings are increasing

a People say that UFO sightings are increasing

b people have said that UFO sightings are increasing

c That UFO sightings are increasing is true

d UFO has been said to be increasing

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