UNIT 2 Continue

Voice

Verbs are in active voice when the doer is the subject.

John wrote a letter to his mother.

John is the doer; the verb is in active voice.

Intransitive verbs always speak actively because the doer is always the subject.

Verbs are in passive voice when the receiver is the subject. In your study of transitive verbs,
you learned that only transitive verbs can speak passively because only transitive verbs have a
receiver.

The letter was written by John.

Letter is the receiver; the verb is in passive voice.

We can recognize passive voice immediately because it is always made up of the irregular verb
plus the third principal part of the verb.

Irregular verb + third principal part = passive voice

Was (past) given was given

Will be (future) found will be found

Are (present) chosen are chosen

Has been (present perfect) taken has been taken

Had been (past perfect) broken had been broken

Is chosen is chosen

We can also recognize the passive voice because the doer is not the subject.

Books (receiver) were taken to the library. (doer not given)

Report (receiver) was sent by my secretary. (doer is the object of by)

Exercise 43

Directions: In the following sentences, underline the irregular verb and put parentheses around
the third principal part.

Example: The money was (found) in the locker room last night.

1. The note for my absence was signed by my mother.

2. The gates of the U.S. Embassy were closed at 8:00 P.M.

3. The water will be turned off in the morning.

 4. Her bedroom had been painted last week.

5. Jane’s typewriter was purchased by her father.

6. The uses of that product have been studied thoroughly.

7. All the materials were removed from the table.

8. Her books had been taken to the library.

9. The principal’s report will be given tomorrow.

10.The news was given out very cautiously.

11.The taxi had been called.

12.The little old man was injured in a fall.

13.The microphones were set up in the auditorium.

14.The various articles will be sorted by the social committee.

15.Mr. Johnson’s lawn was mowed by Tim.

16.The papers were corrected by the teacher.

17.Her office was painted last year.

18.The computer had been repaired.

19.A computer was bought for our English class.

20.Her bracelet was stolen last night.

Distinguishing between Linking Verbs, Passive Voice, and the Progressive Form of
the Verb
Linking Verbs

Irregular verb + noun, pronoun, adjective

Is champion (noun)

Will be they (pronoun)

Has been happy (adjective)

Passive Voice

Irregular verb + third principal part of the verb

Is broken

Was given
Will be chosen

Has been taken

Progressive Form

Irregular verb + present tense verb + ing

Is sing +ing = is singing

Will be ride +ing = will be riding

Were win +ing = were winning

Had been give +ing = had been giving

Exercise 43

Directions: Write L for linking, P for passive voice, or PRO for progressive.

Example: L The wind was fierce.

__________ 1. The money will be given to the victim immediately.

__________ 2. She is captain of our volleyball team.

__________ 3. The video on prejudice was seen yesterday by the class.

__________ 4. The book will be found.

__________ 5. She is taking her little sister to the concert.

__________ 6. Sean was speaking to a hostile audience.

__________ 7. The captain had been chosen that morning.

__________ 8. Mr. Campos has been flying airplanes for years.

__________ 9. Janice will be hall monitor next week.

__________ 10. The little children were victims of war.

__________ 11. The gangs were known in our neighborhood.

__________ 12. Miss Parker will be running for mayor.

__________ 13. Bob was our favorite mascot.

__________ 14. The papers were destroyed in the fire.

__________ 15. Mary has been the best speller for two years.

__________ 16. Jane will be sending out the material next week.

__________ 17. Her mother is an excellent seamstress.

__________ 18. The news was published yesterday.

__________ 19. Our team was losing the game.

__________ 20. Jerry was given a trophy for excellence.

__________ 21. The accident was seen by all the children.

__________ 22. Laurie will be a good architect.

__________ 23. The leaflets will be distributed next week.

__________ 24. My little sister is visiting her cousin in Arizona.

__________ 25. The old lady was an excellent conversationalist.

The emphatic form of the verb emphasizes a statement or denies a contrary statement.

She does require a recommendation. (emphasis)

I did send that report. (denial)

The emphatic only has two tenses.

Present Past

Do, does did

This form is also used to ask questions.

Does he understand his predicament?

Did you write that letter?