The ways of solving exercises which relate to special structures of passive voice in general certificate of secondary education

THANH HOA DEPARTURE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
DANG THAI MAI HIGH SCHOOL
EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE
THE WAYS OF SOLVING EXERCISES WHICH RELATE
 TO SPECIAL STRUCTURES OF PASSIVE VOICE IN GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION
 Teacher: Nguyen Thi Hang
 English teacher
 Experience initiative: English
THANH HOA, 2018
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Reasons for choosing the research
As we know, English is used widely in many fields all over the world, especially in technology. Moreover, English is still used as a second language in a lot of different countries. Due to its importance, English is gradually being made available to most of schools and examinations.
In general, for students in Vietnam if they want to continue their study at one of the Universities, they will have to pass the GCSE which includes English. In my opinion, this is difficult for them so the person teaching subjects should take responsibility for transmitting the knowledge effectively, need the demand of society.
As we see, in teaching English program at Upper-Secondary School now, passive sentence - a kind of exercise is quite difficult for students, especially in tests and examinations. Passive sentence is divided into two parts: normal structures and special cases of passive. Through researching and finding out status of English teacher and students, most of students feel embarrassed when they do exercises about special cases of passive voice. As a person teaching this subject, I always wonder how to help students understand and do exercises about active sentences and passive sentences, especially structures of special passive. So I choose this topic as a research problem in my experience initiative.
1.2. Aims of the research
In curriculum, the passive voice is taught in grade 10, 11 with many kinds of different exercises.
When writing this experience initiative, I only give some special cases of passive voice with form of multichoice, rewriting and putting the verbs in the correct form. I just hope to contribute some of my opinions to the issues relating to special passive voice in English to provide other teachers with different resources of reference to prepare upcoming examinations.
1.3. Subjects of research
With the topic, I choose students in high school students with good, middle, and weak performance as the subjects of research. In my experience initiative, I only focus on theory of the passive voice: the form, the usage, and how to change an active sentence into a passive sentence as well as how to do different types of exercises relating to special passive voice from grade 11. So I would like to focus on this topic to help students understand and do exercises better and better.
1.4. Scope of the study
- Researching in the process of teaching English at Dang Thai Mai Upper-Secondary School.
- Types of exercises in some reference books such as: English Grammar, First Certificate in English, or Understanding and Using English Grammar, Explaining English Grammar.
- Discussing with other teachers, applying in teaching, observing and drawing out experiences.
- A gradation exam High School, exam university and colleges of education and training in the previous years.
- In the internet.
- School year 2016-2017
- Classes: 11A4, 11A9
1.5. Research facility
I researched this topic basing on the followings:
- Actual teaching at my school.
- Some comments of colleagues.
- A number of reference books about the use of clauses and phrases in English.
- The urgent need to provide the necessary knowledge for students to access to new forms of the GCSE.
2. MAIN CONTENTS
2.1. Theoretical background.
In order to approach suitably and effectively in teaching and studying special cases of passive voice, we need to understand “ what is passive voice ? ” –“The passive voice is used when we want to emphasize the action (the verb) and the object of a sentence rather than subject. This means that the subject is either less important than the action itself or that we don’t know who or what the subject is”[1]
Example : The road has been repaired (we don’t know who caused the action)
In the English programme, the passive voice plays an important part, also the special cases of passive voice. Students often find the way to do these exercises difficult. To do these exercises better, students need to understand clearly about the active and passive voice, master the structures and ways how to change the active into passive..
2.2. The status of the problem
After the process of teaching, I recognize that the students’receptive ability is limited. Only 10 or 12 students per class understand and can do exercises about special cases of passive voice. The others feel confused and misuse the structures. Besides, the distribution of passive voice is unfocused. For example, passive infinitive and passive gerund in Unit 3 or passive with reporting verbs in Unit 16. Because of these reasons,the problem becomes more complicated for teachers in teaching English Grammar and practical
English Usage. So the first reason for my selection is that the study focuses on special cases of passive voice which help students understand them clearly. The second reason is helping students do these exercises in each examination, especially for GCSE better and better.
2.3. Teachers and working conditions
The teachers try their best to transmit the knowledge and apply teaching methods in a positive way. But teachers only can apply for some lessons, some units or some students. The first reason is the content in curriculum is too much, the number of students is too crowded (about 35 or 40 students in a class), the receptive ability is still limited so some of weak students haven’t been cared rightly so as to improve English Grammar.
2.4. Students and learning conditions
A lot of students think that English is a difficult subject, vocabulary is diversity, so they feel a bit worried about learning English. They only learn to deal with in the class and never learn by heart at home. English requires learners to work hard, spend a lot of time learning, and use the correct methods. But most of students only focus on learning many subjects such as Math, Physics or Chemistry, they spend less time studying English.
For students in poor countries or mountainous areas so the approaching with English has still many difficulties: lack of books, reference books, dictionaries or sources on the Internet.
2.5. Solutions 
2.5.1. Passive infinitve
Active: S + V1 + O1 + To-V2 + O2
If O2 in the active is the subject of the passive ,we can use the form:
Passive: SO2 + V1 + to be-V2pp + (by O1)
Eg: I want you to teach me
→ I want to be taught by you
If O2 in the active is different from the subject in the passive ,we can use the form:
Passive: S + V1 +O2 + to be-V2pp + (by O1)
Eg: I want him to repair my car
→ I want my car to be prepared by him
Eg : I hoped they invited me to the party but I wasn’t
→ I hoped to be invited to the party but I wasn’t
We can use O1 in the active like a subject in the passive. We use the form
Passive: So1 + be-V1pp + to –V2 + O2 
Eg: My father allowed me to go out with my friends.
→ I was allowed to go out with my friends by my father
Some verbs are used in this case : advise, invite, ask, beg, order, persuade, remind, tell, warn, expect.
Other structures
Active: S+ V +To-V + O
Passive: So+ V + To be + Vpp + (by Os)
Eg: Super markets started to sell fresh pasta only in the 1990s
→ Fresh pasta started to be sold by supermarkets only in the 1990s
Eg: They started to respect John
→ John started to be respected
Some verbs are used in this case : appear, seem, start, begin, come, continue and tend.
Some verbs followed by an Object + To- V in the active have no passive such as : hate, love, prefer, want, wish.
Eg: Susan liked Tom to be there
→ (We can’t write: Tom was liked to be there)
2.5.2. Passive Gerund
Active: S + V + Ving + O
a. Some verbs followed by an “ing” form can be used with a passive form	
Passive: S + V + that + O + should be Vpp
Eg: She suggests drinking beer at the party
→ She suggests that beer should be drunk at the party
b. Some verbs followed by an O + Ving can be used with a passive form
Active: S + V + O + Ving
Passive: S + V + being + Vpp (by O)
Eg: She remembered her father taking to the zoo when she was young 
→ She remembered being taken to the zoo by her father when she was young
Other verbs like this: avoid, deny, describe, dislike, face, hate, imagine,
like, remember, report or resent.
c. We often use a gerund after the verbs need, require, want. In this case, the gerund has a passive meaning
- Look at these example sentences. Notice that this construction can be in any tenses.
Eg:
- I have three shirts that need washing (need to be washed)
- I sent it back to the shop because it needed fixing (needed to be fixed).
- This letter requires signing (needed to be signed)
- The contract will require signing tomorrow ( will need to be signed)
- The house wants repainting (needs to be repainted)
- Your hair wanted cutting for weeks (has needed to be cut)
Exercise: Choose the best answer by circling A, B, C, or D
I expected to the wedding but I wasn’t
A. inviting
B.invited
C. to invite
D. to be invited
I don’t remember . of the decision to change the company policy on vacations.
A. telling 
B. being told 
C. to tell 
D. to be told 
Ms. Drake expects  about any revisions in her manuscript before it is printed. 
A. consulting 
B. being consulted
C. to consult
D. to be consulted 
Sally gave such a good speech that I couldn't resist  loudly when she finished
A. applauding
B. being applauded 
C. to applaud
D. to be applauded
Tommy admitted the rock through the window. 
A. throwing 
B. being thrown
C. to throw
D. to be thrown
If you want to develop inner tranquility, you have to stop  by very little thing that happens. 
A. bothering 
B. being bothered
C. to bother
D. to be bothered 
Paul really didn't mind  by the party to celebrate his fortieth birthday, although he told his friends that they shouldn't have done it.
A. surprising 
B. being surprised 
C. to surprise
D. to be surprised
Anne hopedto join the private club. She could make important business contacts there. 
A. to invite
B. to be invited 
C. inviting
D. being invited 
Do you mind at home if there is an emergency? 
A. to call 
B. to be called 
C. calling 
D. being called 
Key:
1D 2B 3D 4A 5A	 6B	7B 8B 9D	
2.5.3. Passive with both a direct object and an indirect object
a.Some verbs have two objects – one indirect object and one direct object
Active: S + V + Oi + Od
Passive: Oi + Be Vpp + Od + by Os
Passive: Od + be Vpp + to/ for + Oi + by Os
Subject
Verb
Indirect object
Direct object
My wife
sent
me
an email
Alice
gave
us
that vase
Her mother
bought
her
a book
Eg: My wife sent me an email
→ I was sent an email by my wife
→ An email was sent to me by my wife
Eg: Alice gave us that vase
→ We were given that vase by Alice
→ That vase was given to us by Alice
Eg: Her mother bought her a book
→ She was bought a book by her mother
→ A book was bought for her by her mother
b. We can use a prepositional phrase with to or for with an indirect object.
Common verbs with for and an indirect object are: book, buy, get, cook, keep, bring, make, pour, save, find.
Common verbs with to and an indirect object are: give, lend, offer, pass, post, read, sell, send, show, promise.
Exercises: Change the sentences with two objects into passive voice by two ways.
1. They paid me a lot of money to do the job
2. The teacher gave each of us two exercise books
3. Someone will tell him that news
4. They have sent enough money to those poor boys
5. They have given the woman in most countries in the world the right to vote
Key:
1. I was paid a lot of money to do the job
2. A lot of money was paid to me to do the job
3. Each of us was given two exercise books by the teacher
4. Two exercise books were given to each of us by the teacher
5. He will be told that news
6. That news will be told for him 
7. Those poor boys have been sent enough money
8. Money has been sent enough to those poor boys
9. The women in most countries in the world have been given the right to vote.
10. The right to vote has been given to the woman in most countries in the world.
2.5.4. Passive with some verbs of perception 
a . Passive with some verbs of perception that are followed by O + Verb
- Some of verbs of perception : hear, see, watch, notice and similar verbs can be followed by “ O + V ” or “ O + Ving”
- The infinitve is used after these verbs when we want to say that we hear/ watch / see/ look.... the whole action or event.
Active: S +see/ hear /watch/ look/ catch/ smell/+ O + V
Passive: S +be +seen/ heard/ watched/ looked/ caught/ smelt/.+ to V
Eg: I sometimes see him go out
→ He is sometimes seen to go out
Eg: We noticed the cat jump through the window
→ The cat was noticed to jump through the window
b. Passive with some verbs of perception that are followed by O + Gerund
- The ing- form is used to suggest that we hear /watch/ see/ look.... an action or event in progress
Active: S + see / hear/ watch/ look/ catch/ smell/.+ O + Ving
Passive: S + be + seen/ heard/ watched/ looked/ caught/ smelt/+Ving
Eg: I see him bathing his dog now.
→ He is seen bathing his dog now
Eg: We heard her singing loudly
→ She was heard singing loudly
2.5.5. Passive with causative verbs
a. Passive with make/ help/ let: 
- Make/ help/ let are verbs that have a similar meaning “give permission or make it possible for somebody to do or have something”
Active: S + make / help/ let .+Sb +V +O
Passive: Sb + be made / helped/ let + to –V + O
Eg: She made me work hard
→ I was made to work hard
Eg: They have made him return the money
→ He has been madeto return the money
Eg: My mother helped me clean the house
→ I was helped to clean the house
b. For “let” structure when changing into the passive it should be replaced by “be allowed to-V”
Eg: She let him enter the room
→ He was let to enter the room
Or we can write: 
→ He was allowed to enter the room
c. Passive with structure : Have/ get
- Have means: ask somebody to do something
- Get means: convince/ encourage someone to do something
Active: S + have + Sb + V + St..
Passive: S+ have + St + Vpp/Ved + by + Sb
Eg: I had him repair my bike → I had my bike repaired by him
Active: S + get + Sb +to - V + St
Passive: S + get + St + Vpp/Ved + by + Sb
Eg: We get him to look after our house when we are on business
→ We get our house looked after by him when we are on business
Exercise: Change these sentences into passive
1. I had my nephew paint the gate last week
2. She will have Peter wash her car tomorrow
3. They have her tell the story again
4. I will get the dressmaker to make a new dress
5. She often gets the technician to maintain the heater
6. John gets his sister to clean his shirt 
7. They had the police arrest the shoplifter
8. I must have the dentist check my teeth
Key:
1. I had the gate painted by my nephew last week
2. She will have her car washed by Peter tomorrow
3. They have the story told by her again
4. I will get a new dress made by the dressmaker
5. She often gets the heater maintained by the technician
6. John gets his shirt cleaned by his sister
7. They had the shoplifter arrested by the police
8. I must have my teeth checked by the dentist
2.5.6. Passive in the imperative sentences
- Sentences which express, request, order, advice, suggestion, prohibition are called imperative sentences.
a. Affirmative:
Active: V + O
Active: Let + O + be +Vpp
Eg: Do the exercise!
→ Let the exercise be done!
Eg: Do it right now!
→ Let it be done right now!
b. Negative:
Active: Don’t + V + O
Passive: Don’t let + O + be +Vpp
Eg: Don’t leave him alone!
→ Don’t let him be left alone!
For imperative sentence in activevoice,we can change into the passive voice with “should” in some circumstances:
Eg: Don’t use the car in case it breaks down.
→ The car shouldn’t be used in case it breaks down
c. 
Active: Don’t let + Sb + V + you
Passive: Don’t let yourself + be + Vpp
Eg:Don’t let the others see you
→ Don’t let yourself be seen
Exercises: Rewrite the following sentences
1. I have heard her sing that song several times
2. People saw him steal your car
3. The teacher is watching them work
4. People don’t make the children work hard
5. The detective saw the woman putting the jewelry in her bag
6. She helps me do all these difficult exercises
7. The terrorists made the hostages lie down
8. He won’t let you do that silly thing again
9. His mother made him work all day
10. Police advise drivers to use an alternative route[8]
Key:
1. She has been heard to sing that song several times
2. He was seen to steal your car
3. They are being watched to work by the teacher
4. The children aren’t made to work hard
5. The woman was seen putting the jewelry in her bag
6. I am helped to do all these difficult exercises
7. The hostages were made to lie down by the terrorists
8. You won’t be allowed to do that silly thing again
9. He was made to work all day by his mother
10. Drivers are advised to use an alternative route by police
2.5.7. Passive with reporting verbs
Active: S1 + V1 + that + S2 + V2 + O..
Some other reporting verbs (V1) can be used in this pattern:	
Think consider know believe say suppose feel show suspect rumour declare understand claim expect estimate.
If V1 and V2 are in the same tense (V1 and V2 are in the present simple or V1 and V2 are in the past simple)
Active: S1 + V1 + that + S2 + V2 + O
Passive: It +be + V1 pp + that + S2 + V2 + O..
Passive: S2 + be + V1pp + to + V2
Eg: People say that he always drinks a lot of wine
→ It is said that he always drinks a lot of wine
→ He is said to always drink a lot of wine
Eg: People know that he is very rich
→ It is known that he is very rich
→ He is known to be very rich
Eg: The police believed that the murder died
→ It was believed that the murder died
→ The murder was believed to die
b. If V1 is in the present simple and V2 is in the present continuous or if V1 is in the past simple and V2 is in the past continuous 
Active: S1 + V1 + that + S2 + be + Ving + O..
Passive: It be + V1pp + that + S2 + be + Ving + O..
Passive: S2 + be + V1pp + to be + Ving + O
Eg: They think that she is living in London
→ It is thought that she is living in London
→ She is thought to be living in London
c. If V1 is in the present simple and V2 is in the future simple
Active: S1 + V1 + that + S2 + Vfuture simple + O.
Passive: It be + V1pp + that + S2 + Vfuture simple + O..
Passive: S2 + be + V1pp + to – V2 + O..
Eg: Eg:My sister believes that he will arrive soon
→ It’s believed that he will arrive soon
→ He is believed to arrive soon
d. If V1 is in the present simple but V2 is in the past continuous
Active: S1 + Vpresent simple + that + S2 + was/ were + Ving + O..
Passive: It is +V1pp + that + S2 + was/were+ Ving + O..
Passive: S2 + am /is/ are + V1pp + to have been +Ving + O..
Eg: We think that they were doing homework
→ It is thought that they were doing homework
→ They are thought to have been doing homework
Active: S1 + Vpresent simple + that + S2 + Vpast simple + O.
e. If V1 is in the present simple but V2 is in the past simple
Passive: It is + V1pp + that + S2 + Vpast simple + O..
Passive: S2 + am/is/are + V1pp + to + have +V2pp
Eg: Villagers think that he broke into her house
→ It is thought that he broke into her house
→ He is thought to have broken into her house
Eg: They report that two people were seriously injured in the accident
→ It is reported that two people were seriously injured in the accident
→ Two people are reported to have been seriously injured in the accident
Summary:
- If ver