Gerunds and Passive Voice

in
Announcement Text
by:
Afina Izzata Muslimah, S.Pd
 What are gerunds?
• An verb that ends in –ing and is acting like a
noun
– It can do everything that a noun does
• Be the simple subject
• Be a subject complement (a direct object or a predicate
nominative)
• Be the object of a preposition
 When do we use gerunds?
• To describe activities
Running is exhausting and frustrating.
(Running = simple subject)

I love swimming in the summer time.

(swimming = direct object)

My job is reading.
(reading = predicate nominative)

I thanked my English teacher for teaching me about gerunds.

(teaching = object of prepositional phrase)

• They aren’t typically used to describe people or objects.

 Why do we use gerund phrases?
• Gerund phrases can tidy up a cluttered, messy
a sentence. Sentences with gerund phrases
are generally descriptive and interesting.

• Let’s look at some examples.

 Making Gerund Phrases
• On Sunday afternoons I habitually do laundry.
• Doing laundry on Sunday afternoon has become my habit.

• On the weekend I clean my kitchen, which I enjoy.

• On the weekend I enjoy cleaning my kitchen.

• My greatest challenge in school is to focus while I read.

• My greatest challenge in school is focusing on my reading.
• Focusing on my reading is my greatest challenge in school.
 What happened?

• Miss Leung took Brian’s book.

(Subject)

• Brian’s book was taken by Miss Leung.

(Object)
 What happened?

• Miss Leung took Brian’s book.

(Subject)
Emphasis – more
IMPORTANT
• Brian’s book was taken by Miss Leung.

(Subject) (Object)
 What happened?

• Miss Leung took Brian’s book.

(Subject)

• Brian’s book was taken by Miss Leung.

(Subject) (Object)
 What happened?
DOER
• Miss Leung took Brian’s book.

(Subject)

RECEIVE DOER
• R book
Brian’s was taken by Miss Leung.

(Subject)
 Passive Voice
What are you going to learn?
1. When to Use Passive Voice
2. Structure of Passive Verbs
3. Passive Verbs in Tenses
 1. When Do We Use Passive
Voice?
A. When the RECEIVER of an action is the
EMPHASIS
B. When it is NOT NECESSARY to mention
the DOER of an action
C. When the DOER of an action is NOT
KNOWN
 1.A. When the RECEIVER of the
action is the EMPHASIS
Example:

Look! A mermaid is found by the fishermen!

What is the main message

of the sentence?
As the emphasis is on the mermaid, we
start the sentence with ‘A mermaid’
to attract readers’ attention to the
receiver of the action.
 Now let’s watch a video.
Example:

This table is reserved for Hong Kong people.

As the emphasis is on the table, we start

the sentence with ‘This table’ to attract
readers’ attention to the receiver of the
action.
 1.B. When it is NOT
NECESSARY to mention the
Example: DOER of the action
I was born in August.
Is it necessary to mention
WHO gave birth to you?
(Who else would it be if not your
mom??!!)
• As the doer of the action is
understood, we can omit it and start
the sentence with the receiver of the
action, i.e.‘I’.
 1.C. When the DOER is NOT
KNOWN
Example:

Miss Leung’s diamond ring was stolen!!

Who stole the ring?

 We do not know who stole the
diamond ring.
So, the doer is not known. Instead of starting the
sentence with ‘somebody’, i.e., ‘Somebody
stole Miss Leung’s diamond ring’, we can omit
the doer of the action and start the sentence
with the receiver of the action, i.e., ‘Miss
Leung’s diamond ring’.
2. Structure of Passive Verbs
Syntactic Structure
ACTIVE ----------------------- PASSIVE
e.g. eats ----------------------- is eaten
i.e. verb ----------------------- be + p.p.

Note: “be” is changed according to

– the tense of the sentence
– the number (singular/plural) of the subject of the
sentence.
 3. Passive Verbs in Tenses
3.1 Present Tenses

Tenses Active Passive

Present - Simple -eats -is eaten
- Continuous -is eating -is being eaten
- Perfect -has eaten -has been eaten
3.2 Past Tenses
Now, try to complete the following table:

Tenses Active Passive

Past - Simple -ate
- Continuous -was eating
- Perfect -had eaten
 ANSWERS

Tenses Active Passive

Past - Simple -ate -was eaten
- Continuous -was eating -was being eaten
- Perfect -had eaten -had been eaten
3.3 Future Tenses
Please complete the following table:

Tense Active Passive

Future - Simple -will eat
 ANSWERS
Tense Active Passive
Future - Simple -will eat -will be eaten
 Practice
 Now, rewrite the sentences below by using passive
voice.

1. The janitor cleans our classroom every day.

2. Japan exported millions of cars last year.
3. Mr. Chan will feed his dog on canned food.
 ANSWERS
1. Our classroom is cleaned (by the janitor)
every day.
2. Millions of cars were exported from
Japan last year.
3. Mr. Chan’s dog will be fed on canned
food.
 Activity

What is Different?
 Players
• Each group chooses 1 member as the player.
• All players come to the front of the room and
look carefully around the room.
• Now, would the players leave the room and
stay outside for a moment?
 Action!
• Each group takes turn to make a change to
objects in the room.
• e.g. clean the blackboard,
close the window….
 Welcome Back!

• Now, let’s invite the players to come back and

try to find out what have been changed.
 What is different?
Dear players,
• 8 changes have been made to objects in the
room.
• Check what have been changed.
• Report to the class in complete passive voice
sentences.
• e.g. The door has been closed.
• 1 mark for each correct observation.
Time Limit: 8 mins
 Relevant Web-Sites
• http://www.english4us.com
• http://www.telenex.hku.hk
You HAVE BEEN TAUGHT:
• when to use passive voice
 Congratulations!!
You HAVE BEEN TAUGHT:
• when to use passive voice
• how to form passive verbs

Give yourselves a BIG BIG

HAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Passive or ACTIVE??????)