Download THE PASSIVE VOICE Passive Voice – What you need to learn

THE PASSIVE VOICE
Passive Voice – What you need to learn
Tense
Structure
Present Simple
is / are + pp
Present Continuous
is / are + being + pp
Past Simple
was / were + pp
Example
The butter is kept here.
The butter is being kept here.
The butter was kept here.
Past Continuous
was / were + being + pp
The butter was being kept here.
Present Perfect
has / have + been + pp
The butter has been kept here.
Past Perfect
had + been + pp
Future Simple
will / shall + pp
going to (future)
The butter had been kept here.
The butter will be kept here
is / are + going + to be + pp The butter is going to be kept here.
Person or organization that does the action is called ‘the agent”- therefore for who or what does the
action we use by:
This house was built by the Government last year.
Exercise 1: Determine whether each sentence is written in the Active or Passive Voice.
1. Boys like to play soccer.
2. This room has been painted blue.
3. Cricket is played in Australia.
4. I am given a book.
5. We have lost our keys.
6. You might see dolphins here.
7. The report must be completed by next Friday.
8. They were singing a song in the lesson yesterday.
9. A letter was written to her some days ago.
10. The black bike is being repaired at the moment.
Exercise 2: Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.
1. He opens the door.
2. We set the table.
3. She pays a lot of money.
4. I draw a picture.
5. They wear blue shoes.
6. They don't help you.
7. He doesn't open the book.
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8. You do not write the letter.
9. Does your mum pick you up?
10. Does the police officer catch the thief?
Exercise 3: Write sentences in Present Simple Passive.
1. The documents / print…………………………………………………………
2. The window / open…………………………………………………………………
3. The shoes / buy…………………………………………………………………….
4. The car / wash………………………………………………………………………
5. The litter / throw away……………………………………………………….
6. The letter / send………………………………………………………………….
7. The book / read / not…………………………………………………………
8. The songs / sing / not…………………………………………………………
9. The food / eat / not……………………………………………………………
10. The shop / close /not……………………………………………………………
Exercise 4: Complete the sentences in the Past Simple Passive.
1. She sang a song.
2. Somebody hit me.
3. We stopped the bus.
4. A thief stole my car.
5. They didn't let him go.
6. She didn't win the prize.
7. They didn't make their beds.
8. I did not tell them.
9. Did you tell them?
10. Did he send the letter?
Exercise 5: Complete the following exercise with the Present Simple Passive.
1. The test / write…………………………………………………………………….
2. The table / set……………………………………………………………………..
3. The cat / feed……………………………………………………………………...
4. The lights / switch on…………………………………………………………
5. The house / build………………………………………………………………….
6. Dinner / serve……………………………………………………………………..
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7. This computer / sell / not…………………………………………………
8. The car / stop / not……………………………………………………………
Questions on the text
The Canterville Ghost
a) Highlight verbs in Passive Voice
When the American, Mr Otis, bought Canterville Castle, everyone told him that this was very foolish, as
the place was haunted. But Mr Otis answered, “I come from a modern country, where we have
everything that money can buy. And if there were such a thing as a ghost in Europe, we would have it
at home in one of our museums.”
A few weeks later, on a lovely July evening, Mr. Otis, his wife and their children, Washington, Virginia
and the twins, went down to their new home. When they entered the avenue of Canterville Castle, the
sky suddenly became dark and a spooky stillness was in the air.
Mrs. Umney, the housekeeper, led them into the library of the castle, where they sat down and began
to look around. Suddenly, Mrs. Otis saw a red stain on the floor just by the fireplace and said to Mrs.
Umney, “I am afraid something has been spilt there.”
“Yes, madam,” said the old housekeeper in a low voice, “blood has been spilt on that spot.”
“How terrible,” said Mrs. Otis; “I don't want any blood-stains in my sitting-room. It must be removed
at once.”
The old woman smiled and answered, “It is the blood of Lady Eleanor de Canterville, who was
murdered on that spot by her husband, Sir Simon de Canterville, in 1575. Sir Simon disappeared seven
years later. His body has never been found, but his ghost still haunts the Castle. The blood-stain is a
tourist attraction now and it cannot be removed.”
b) Questions on the text.

Where is Mr. Otis from?

Does Mr. Otis believe in ghosts?
yes
Which statement about the stain is true?

England
Scotland
USA
no
The housekeeper has spilt coffee there.
It's the blood of Sir Simon.
Washington Otis removes the stain.
Rewrite the following sentences in the Passive Voice.

A ghost haunts the castle. ………………………………………………………………………………..
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
Sir Simon murdered Lady Eleanor. …………………………………………………………………………………..
Rewrite the following sentence in the Active Voice.

They were led into the library by Mrs. Umney.
……………………………………………………………………………………
Exercise 6: Complete the following sentences into Future Simple Passive sentences.
1. The exhibition / visit…………………………………………………………
2. The windows / clean…………………………………………………………….
3. The message / read……………………………………………………………..
4. The thief / arrest…………………………………………………………………
5. The photo / take………………………………………………………………….
6. These songs / sing……………………………………………………………….
Exercise 7: Rewrite the sentences in Passive Voice.
Example:
Peter writes a letter.
_________________
Answer: A letter is written by Peter.
1. They built a house. ………………………………………………………………………….
2. Our uncle takes Susan to hospital. …………………………………………………
3. We have cleaned the car. ……………………………………………………………….
4. They speak English. …………………………………………………………………………..
5. The policemen help the children. ………………………………………………….....
6. A robber broke the window of the shop. ………………………………………
7. My mother sends me to the butcher. ……………………………………………….
8. Peter will look after my little brother. ……………………………………………
Exercise 8: Transform the following Active sentences into Passive sentences.
1. The whole state elects the governor.
2. Children from all countries love that game.
3. The critics reviewed the new Broadway play.
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4. The pirates hid the treasure quickly.
5. Terri examined the bugs on the tree.
Exercise 9: Make sentences based on the cues. Some sentences can only be passive, some only
active and some can be both. Decide what tense you need to use.
1. Mona Lisa – paint – in the 15th century
2. John Lennon – kill – in New York
3. Alexander Bell – invent – the telephone
4. South America – invade – in the 16th century
5. Potatoes – eat – in Europe and America
6. Penicillin – discover – 150 years ago
7. Steven Spielberg – direct – E.T.
8. Chopin – bring up – in Poland
9. Gorillas – live – in African jungle
10. The Beatles – sing – Yesterday
11. Odyssey – write – in ancient Greece
12. Millions of people – die – during World War II
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CAUSATIVE VERBS: HAVE/GET SOMETHING DONE
Have something done and Get something done are both used to refer to actions which are done for the
subject rather than by the subject. Causative verbs are used instead of passive verbs to show that the
subject causes the action to be done.
1. Have something done
I don ́t know how to repair cars, so I ́m having mine repaired at the garage round the corner.
2. Get something done
I really must get my eyes tested. I ́m sure I need glasses. Get your hair cut!
NOTE: The differences between have and get something done are that have is slightly more formal
than get, and that get is more frequent than have in the imperative form.
NON-CAUSATIVE USES OF HAVE AND GET
Have and get are also used to refer to events which happened to someone, but were outside their
control.
After being late for work every day for two weeks, Billy had his pay reduced. I stood so close to the fire
that I got my legs burnt.
LET / MAKE / HAVE / GET
The following is a mini-tutorial on the use of the causative verbs "let," "make," "have," and "get." After
you have studied the tutorial, complete the associated exercises.
Let
FORM [let + person + verb]
USE This construction means "to allow someone to do something."
Examples:
• John let me drive his new car.
• Will your parents let you go to the party?
• I don't know if my boss will let me take the day off.
Make
FORM [make + person + verb]
USE This construction means "to force someone to do something."
Examples:
• My teacher made me apologize for what I had said.
• Did somebody make you wear that ugly hat?
• She made her children do their homework.
Have
FORM [have + person + verb]
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USE This construction means "to give someone the responsibility to do something."
Examples:
• Dr. Smith had his nurse take the patient's temperature.
• Please have your secretary fax me the information.
• I had the mechanic check the brakes.
Get
FORM [get + person + to + verb]
USE This construction usually means "to convince to do something" or "to trick
someone into doing something."
Examples:
• Susie got her son to take the medicine even though it tasted terrible.
• How can parents get their children to read more?
• The government TV commercials are trying to get people to stop smoking.
Get vs. Have
Sometimes "get someone to do something" is interchangeable with "have someone do something," but
these expressions do not mean exactly the same thing.
Examples:
• I got the mechanic to check my brakes.
At first the mechanic didn't think it was necessary, but I convinced him to check the brakes.
• I had the mechanic check my brakes.
I asked the mechanic to check the brakes.
Functions
A. We use causative have when arranging for someone to do something for us.
Examples; 1. They repaired their car. (they did it themselves)
2. They had their car repaired. (they arranged for someone to repair it)
3. I cut my hair yesterday. (I cut it myself)
4. I had my hair cut yesterday. (I went to the hairdresser)
B. We also use causative have when someone does something to us.
example: Bill had his money stolen by a thief.
Important points
Get is possible instead of have, usually in informal spoken English.
example ; I'm going to get my car fixed tomorrow.
We can also use have someone do something to talk about giving instructions or orders which
is more common in American English.
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Example ; I had my assistant type the report.
I'll have my lawyer look into it.
EXERCISE 1
Rewrite these sentences using have or get.
1. The mechanic changed the oil in my car.
_______________________________________________________________________
2. The hairdresser cut my hair in a completely different style.
_______________________________________________________________________
3. A decorator has repainted our house.
_______________________________________________________________________
4. A friend of mine, who ́s an electrician, is going to repair my DVD player next week.
_______________________________________________________________________
5. My jacket is being cleaned at a specialist cleaner ́s.
_______________________________________________________________________
6. The town hall has just been rebuilt for the council.
_______________________________________________________________________
CAUSATIVE VERBS: HAVE/GET SOMETHING DONE
EXERCISE 2
Match a word from 1-8 with something that is done by that person or in that place. Then make
sentences using all the information and the verb in brackets. You may have to change the words or
add new ones. An example is given.
1. hairdresser ́s
2. optician ́s
3. dentist ́s
4. doctor ́s
5. vet ́s
6. garage
7. architect
8. accountant
vaccinate dogs (have)
do annual accounts (have)
service cars (get)
test eyes (have)
design new houses (have)
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cut hair (get)
take out teeth (have)
take blood pressure
Example:
1. Tomorrow I ́m going to the hairdresser ́s to get my hair cut.
2. Yesterday...
3. This afternoon...
4. Last week...
5. Next Saturday...
6. The day before yesterday...
7. Last year...
8. Next week...
Complete the sentences below using the correct form of the verbs "let," "make," "have," and
"get,"
1. Sam really wanted a dog, but his parents wouldn't _____ him have a pet.
2. I can't believe she _____ you look at her vacation pictures again last night. We have to look at
those stupid pictures every time we go to her house.
3. I don't know how you convince your children to clean up their rooms. I couldn't _____ my
children to clean up their rooms if my life depended on it.
4. Professor Smith _____ each of her students write an essay describing their future goals in life.
5. Professor Smith _____ her students use a dictionary while they were taking the test.
6. Debbie's husband hates the opera. But after days of nagging, she finally _____ him to go see the
new production of La Boheme.
7. Sally _____ me take off my shoes before I went into her house. She said she wanted to keep the
carpet clean.
8. Rebecca Smith requested a copy of that expense report, so I _____ the courier take one over to
her last week.
9. Diane thinks television is a waste of time, so she won't _____ her children watch TV.
10. Mr. Levine _____ his secretary call Ms. Jackson and reconfirm their meeting on Thursday.
11. Marcus _____ me drive his new BMW. I couldn't believe how quickly it picked up speed.
12. How did you _____ the doctor to make a house call? I haven't heard of a doctor actually going to
a patient's house in years.
13. My boss _____ me get him coffee, pick up his dry cleaning and buy presents for his wife. He can't
do anything by himself!
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14. Tommy didn't want to go to his cousin's birthday party, but his mom _____ him go.
15. I can't believe the zoo keeper _____ you feed the snake. That was so cool!
16. The contract was very detailed, and it was essential that the wording be absolutely correct.
Therefore, I _____ the translator recheck his work several times to make sure there would be no
misunderstandings.
17. Cheryl didn't want to wash her car, so with a little smooth talk she _____ her boyfriend to wash
it for her.
18. If you ask me nicely, I'll _____ you lick the bowl after I make the cookies.
19. Dr. Jackson _____the nurse monitor the patient's condition overnight.
20. The news coverage of the recent tornado was incredibly moving. The interview with the little
boy who lost his family in the tragedy _____everyone cry.
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COMPARISON
Comparisons indicate degrees of difference with adjective and adverbs, and may be equal or
unequal.
A.
Equal Comparisons
An equal comparison indicates that the two entities are (or are not, if negative) exactly
the same. The following rule generally applies to this type of comparison.
Subject + verb
(noun/pronoun)
+ as + (adjective/adverb) + as +
Example:
My book is as interesting as yours.
His car runs as fast as a race car.
John sings as well as his sister.
His job is not as difficult as mine.
(adjective)
(adverb)
(adverb)
(adjective)
In correct English, the subject form of the pronoun will always be used after as.
Example:
Peter is as tall as I.
You are as old as she.
The same idea can also be conveyed in another way.
Subject + verb + the same + (noun) + as + (noun/pronoun)
Example:
My house is the same height as his.
Be sure you know the following adjectives and their corresponding nouns.
Adjectives
Heavy, light
Wide, narrow
Deep, shallow
Long, short
Big, small
Nouns
Weight
Width
Depth
Length
Size
B. Unequal Comparison
This type of comparative implies that the entities are comparable in a greater or lesser
degree. The following rules generally apply to this type of comparison.
1. Add –er to the adjective base of most one-and two-syllable adjectives. (tall – taller, thick –
thicker, cold – colder)
2. Use the form more + adjective for most three-syllable adjectives, (more beautiful, more
important, more believable)
3. Use the form more + adjective for adjectives ending in the following suffixes: -ed, --ful, -ing,
-ish, and –ous. (more hated, more stylish, more cautious)
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4. Double the final consonant of one-syllable adjectives which end in a single consonant
(except w, x, and z) and are preceded by a single vowel. (big – bigger, red – redder, hot –
hotter)
5. When an adjective ends in a consonant + y, change the y to I and add er. (happy – happier,
dry – drier)
6. Remember always to use the subject form of the pronoun after than.
Example:
John’s grades are higher than his sister’s.
(adjective)
He speaks Spanish more fluently than I.
(adverb)
Today is hotter than yesterday.
(adjective)
Nouns can also be used in comparisons. Be sure to use the determiners correctly depending on
whether the adjectives are countable or non count.
Subject + verb + as + (many/much/little/few) + noun + as +
(noun/pronoun)
Subject + verb + (more/fewer/less) + noun + than + (noun/pronoun)
Example:
I have more books than she.
February has fewer days than March.
Before payday, I have as little money as my brother.
C. Illogical Comparisons
An illogical comparison is one in which unlike entities have been compared. Be sure that the
items being compared are the same. These forms can be divided into three categories:
possessives, that of, and those of.
Example:
Incorrect
: The salary of a professor is higher than a secretary.
Correct
: The salary of a professor is higher than that of a secretary.
Incorrect
Correct
: His drawings are as perfect as his instructor.
: His drawings are as perfect as his instructor’s.
D. Multiple Number Comparatives
Number multiples can include: half, twice, three times, four times, etc. Study the following rule.
Subject + verb + number multiple + as + (much/many) + noun
+ as (noun/pronoun)
Example:
This encyclopedia costs twice as much as the other one.
Budi has half as many records now as I had last year.
At Pangandaran beach, Rudi ate three times as many oysters as Joko.
E. Double Comparatives
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These sentences begin with a comparative construction, and thus the second clause must also
begin with a comparative.
The + comparative + subject + verb + the + comparative + subject +
verb
The hotter it is, the more miserable I feel.
The higher we flew, the worse Santi felt.
The sooner you take medicine, the better you will feel.
F. Positives, Comparatives, and Superlatives
Most descriptive adjectives have three forms: the positive (happy), the comparative (happier),
and the superlative (happiest).
The positive shows no comparison. It describes only the simple quality of a person, thing, or
group.
 The house is big.
 The flowers are fragrant.
The comparative involves two entities and shows a greater or lesser degree of differences
between them.
 My dog is smarter than yours.
 Bob is more athletic than Deni.
In the superlative degree, three or more entities are compared, one of which is superior or
inferior to the others. The following rule applies.
 Dian is the shortest of the three sisters.
 John is the tallest in his class.
 These shoes are the least expensive of all.
COMPARISONS: USING LIKE AND ALlKE
You have a ballpoint pen with blue ink.
I have a ballpoint pen with blue ink.
(a) Your pen is like my pen.
(b) Your pen and my pen are alike.
(c) Our pens are alike.
like . = similar to
alike = similar
Like and alike have the same meaning, but the sentence patterns are different:
This + be + like + that.
This and that + be alike.
Complete the sentences with like and alike.
1. You and I have similar books. In other words, your book is like mine. Our books are alike
2. Mr. Chang and I have similar coats. In other words, Mr. Chang's coat is …… mine. Our coats are ……
3. Ken and Sue have similar cars. In other words, their cars are……
4. You and I have similar hats. In other words, your hat is ……mine.
5. A town is a city ……in some ways.
6. A foot and a hand are ……in some ways, but different in other ways.
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7. A dormitory and an apartment building are ……in many ways.
8. A motorcyle is ……a bicycle in some ways.
Mary is 25 years old.
John is 20 years old.
(a) Mary is older than John.
(b) Health is more important than money.
(c) INCORRECT: Mary i s more old than John.
(d) INCORRECT: Health is important than money.
When we use adjectives (e.g., old, important) to compare two people or two things, the adjectives have
special forms:
In (a): we add -er to an adjective, OR
In (b): we use more in front of an adjective.
The use of -er or more is called the COMPARATlVE FORM.
Notice in the examples: than follows the comparative form: More than, more important than.
EXERCISE: Write the comparative forms for the following ADJECTIVES.
1. old - older than
2. small
3. big
4. important
5. easy
6. difficult
7. long
8. heavy
9. sweet
10. expensive
11. hot
12. cheap
13. good
14. bad
15, far
16. lazy
EXERCISE: Complete the sentences. Use the COMPARATIVE form of the words in italics.
1 . comfortable - This chair is more comfortable than that chair.
2. large - Your apartment is …….. mine.
3. warm - It's ……..today ……..yesterday.
4. dark - Tom's mustache is ……..Don's.
5. important - Love is ……..money.
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6. lazy - I'm ……..my roommate.
7. tall - My brother is ……..I am.
8. heavy - Iron is ……..wood.
9. difficult - My physics course is ……..my math course.
10. good - Nadia's English is ……..her husband's.
11. long - The Nile River is ……..the Mississippi.
12. intelligent - A dog is ……..a chicken.
13. good - My wife's cooking is ……..mine.
14. bad - My cooking is ……..my wife's.
15. short - My little finger is ……..my middle finger.
16. pretty - This dress is ……..that one.
17. far - Your apartment is ……..from school ……..mine.
18. strong - A horse is ……..a person.
19. curly - Ken's hair is ……..mine.
20. beautiful - A rose is ……..a weed.
EXERCISE: Complete the sentences. Use the COMPARATIVE form of the words in italics.
1 . good - The weather today is ……..it was yesterday.
2. bad -The weather yesterday was ……..it is today.
3. funny - This story is ……..that story.
4. interesting - This book is ……..that book.
5. smart - Joe is ……..his brother.
6. famous - A movie star is ……..I am.
7. wide - A highway is ……..an alley.
8. deep - The Pacific Ocean is ……..the Mediterranean Sea.
9. confusing This story is ……..that story.
10. hot - Thailand is ……..Korea.
11. thin - A giraffe's neck is ……..an elephant's neck.
12, far - My house is ……..from downtown……..your house is.
13. good - Reading a good book ……..is watching television.
14. easy - My English class is ……..my history class.
USING AS…AS; USING LESS
John is 21 years old.
Mary is 21 years old.
(a) John is as old as Mary.
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Notice the pattern: as + adjective + as
In (a): Their ages are the same.
(b) This watch is as expensive as that watch.
In (b): The price of the watches is the same.
Fred is 20 years old.
Jean is 21 years old.
(c) Fred isn't as old as Jean.
(d) Fred is younger than Jean.
(c) and (d) have the same meaning.
(e) This book isn't as expensive as that book.
( f) This book is cheaper than that book.
(e) and (f) have the same meaning.
(g) This book isn’t as expensive as that book.
(h) This book is less expensive than that book.
(g) and (h) have the same meaning. Less is the opposite of more. Less is used with adjectives that have
two or more syllables (except most adjectives that end in -y). Less is usually not used with one syllable
adjectives or adjectives that end in -y.
INCORRECT: Fred is less old than Jean.
CORRECT: Fred isn't as old as Jean.
Fred is younger than Jean.
EXERCISE: Complete the following sentences by using as . . . as and the ADJECTIVE in italics.
1 . tall - Mary is as tall as her brother.
2. sweet - A lemon isn't ...... an orange.
3. big- A donkey isn't ...... a horse.
4. friendly - People in this city are ...... the people in my hometown.
5. dark - Paul's hair isn't ...... his brother's.
6. cold - The weather isn't ...... today ...... as yesterday.
7. pretty - This dress is ...... that one.
8. expensive - A pencil isn't ...... a pen.
The Superlative: Using -est and most
(a) COMPARATIVE:
My thumb is shorter than my index finger.
(b) SUPERLATIVE:
My hand has five fingers. My thumb is the shortest (finger) of all.
The comparative (-er/more) compares two things or people.
The superlative (-er/most) compares three or more things or people.
EXERCISE: Write the comparative and superlative forms of the following ADJECTIVES
1. long - longer (than) - the longest (of all)
2. small
3. heavy
4. comfortable
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5. hard
6. difficult
7. easy
8. hot
9. cheap
10. interesting
11. pretty
12. strong
13. good
14. bad
15. fat
EXERCISE 30: Complete the sentences. Use the correct form of the ADJECTIVES
1. large - The largest city in Canada is Toronto.
2. long - The Nile is ...... river in the world.
3. interesting - I'm taking four classes. My history class is ....... of all.
4. high - Mt. McKinley in Alaska is ........ mountain in North America.
5. tall - The Sears Tower is ............building in Chicago.
6. big - Lake Superior is ............lake in North America.
7. short - February is ............month of the year.
8, far - Pluto is ............planet from the sun.
9. beautiful - In my opinion, Seattle is ............city in the United States.
10. bad - In my opinion, Harry's Steak House is ............restaurant in the city.
1 1. good - In my opinion, the Doghouse Cafe has ............food in the city.
12. comfortable - Ken is sitting in ............chair in the room.
13. fast - ............way to travel is by airplane.
14. good - When you feel depressed, laughter is ............medicine.
15. large - Asia is ............continent in the world.
16. small - Australia is ............continent in the world.
17. expensive - Sally ordered ............food on the menu for dinner last night.
18. easy - Taking a taxi is ............way to get to the airport.
19. important - I think good health is ............thing in life.
20. famous - The Gateway Arch is ............landmark in St. Louis, Missouri.
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QUESTION TAGS
Question Tags are commonly used in English for 2 main functions:
1) To get someone involved in a conversation, to encourage a response
With this type of question tag, the speaker may often know the answer.
Intonation tends to rise slightly and then fall at the end of the tag.
Example:
That barman was a bit rude, wasn't he? (falling intonation)
2) To confirm information that you think is true
With this type of question tag, the speaker expects the listener to know the answer and is asking a
genuine question.
Intonation tends to rise sharply at the end of the tag.
Example:
I switched off the iron before we came out, didn't I? (rising intonation)
How to Form Question Tags
Although other forms of tag, such as reinforcement tags, same-way tags and attention signals exist in
English, most question tags follow the following logic:
Positive statements
Say a positive statement, repeat the auxiliary verb in the negative, add the subject:
He’s absolutely crazy, isn’t he?
Negative statements
Say a negative statement, repeat the auxiliary verb in the positive, add the subject:
He isn't crazy, is he?
Exceptions
There are many! Note the following:
Let's go out, shall we? (use shall after let's)
I'm older than you, aren't I? (use aren't after I'm)
Sign here, please, will/would you? (use will/would after imperatives)
Final Note
In many forms of spoken British English, a universal tag is sometimes preferred to all the above
complications:
Examples:
He lives here, innit? pronounced /init/
We didn't have enough money to get in, innit?
etc.
This is considered slang and incorrect by other speakers, and is rarely accepted in exams!
Exercise 1 Insert a Tag
Complete each question or statement with an appropriate tag. All the tags used in these examples are
inverted.
Examples:
He’s absolutely crazy, isn’t he? Positive statement, negative tag
He isn't crazy, is he? Negative statement, positive tag
1. You’re Russian, ___________?
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2. The capital of Mongolia is Ulan Bator, _________?
3. You’ve done a lot of travelling, ___________?
4. You speak Farsi, _________?
5. Let’s play a trick on him, _________?
6. Oh, shut up, _________!
7. You wouldn’t hurt me, ___________?
8. Don’t be too upset about it, ________?
9. Let’s go to the pub tonight, _________?
10. You couldn’t lend me a fiver, __________?
11. There’ll be lots to see in Sicily, __________?
12. You can’t smoke at ‘Rose of York’, __________?
13. Say something to me in Greek, _________?
14. There isn’t any smog in the Highlands of Scotland, ________?
15. Your father works in Canada, ___________?
16. You met your husband in Canada, __________?
17. Help me with these bags, _________?
18. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, _________?
19. You haven’t broken that as well, __________?
20. There aren’t any theatres in Saudi Arabia, __________?
21. Sit down a moment, ________?
22. Look after this for a moment, _________?
23. You couldn’t help me with my homework, __________?
24. There won’t be too many people at the party, __________?
25. She looks really great, __________?
26. Your father doesn’t drink whisky, _________?
27. You haven’t got a dog, ________?
28. I’m a teacher, ___________?
29. There isn’t any soccer violence in your country, __________?
30. He’s got a very peculiar voice, __________?
31. Oh, shut the door, _________?
32. Soho isn’t a very nice area, ________?
33. You haven’t got a pen by any chance, _________?
34. Let’s take a break, _________?
35.You don’t like football, ________?
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36. They’re not exactly slim, _________?
37. Your brother can’t drive, _________?
38. She’s never loved her parents, ________?
39. It’s extremely cold in Siberia in the winter, ________?
40. She’s going to have a baby soon, ________?
41. Let’s meet at 8, ________?
42. Some people are really crazy, _________?
43. We’re going to Bournemouth on Saturday, _________?
44. You’d like to win a fortune on the lottery, __________?
45. You've been working late again, ____________?
46. The night bus service is very convenient, ________?
47. I’ve been teaching for sixteen years, __________?
48. You must be careful when you go to Rio de Janeiro, __________?
49. It’s been raining for days now, _________?
50. I’m always right, _________?
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CONJUNCTIONS
A conjunction is a joiner, a word that connects parts of a sentence.
There are three basic types of conjunctions.
 coordinating conjunctions used to connect two independent clauses,
 subordinating conjunctions used to connect the dependent clause and the rest of the
sentence, and
 correlative conjunctions which always travel in pairs, and join sentence parts that
should be treated as equal.
Coordinating conjunctions may join single words, or they may join groups of words. They always join
similar elements: e.g. subject+subject, verb phrase+verb phrase, sentence+sentence.
The seven coordinating conjunctions in English are: FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET, SO
An easy way to remember these six conjunctions is to think of the word FANBOYS. Each of the letters
in this somewhat unlikely word is the first letter of one of the coordinating conjunctions.
Among the coordinating conjunctions, the most common, of course, are AND, BUT and OR.
Coordinating conjunctions are used to join words, phrases, and independent clauses.
Examples of coordinating conjunctions in sentences:
Ex. He only wears striped ties and polka dotted bow ties. ( And joins two words.)
Ex. The shoes were not blue suede nor black leather. (Nor joins two phrases.)
Ex. It wasn’t a costume party, yet many came dressed as literary villains. (Yet joins two independent
clauses.)
Coordinating conjunctions are also used to join independent clauses.
Examples of coordinating conjunctions in sentences:
He only wears brown wingtips; consequently, he does not wear white socks. ( Consequently joins two
independent clauses.)
The shoes were not suede; however, they were leather. (However joins two independent clauses.)
It was not a Halloween party; nevertheless, many came dressed in costumes. (nevertheless joins two
independent clauses.)
Coordinating conjunctions are used to join independent clauses.
Examples of coordinating conjunctions in sentences:
He only wears brown wingtips; consequently, he does not wear white socks. ( Consequently joins two
independent clauses.)
The shoes were not suede; however, they were leather. (However joins two independent clauses.)
It was not a Halloween party; nevertheless, many came dressed in costumes. (nevertheless joins two
independent clauses.)
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A subordinating conjunction is a word which joins together a dependent clause and an independent
clause.
Common subordinating conjunctions: BECAUSE, AS, SINCE, SO, ALTHOUGH, (even) THOUGH,
WHEREAS, WHILE, AFTER
Subordinate conjunctions often begin a dependent clause. If the dependent clause begins or interrupts
the sentence, then it is separated from the independent clause by a comma.
Examples of subordinate conjunctions in sentences:
Ex. Once she found the perfect broach, she purchased three outfits to match it. (Once demonstrates a
time context. A comma is used because the conjunction begins the sentence.)
Ex. He wore the top hat wherever he went. (Wherever demonstrates a location context. Though
wherever begins the dependent clause, no comma is used because it does not begin the sentence or
interrupt the sentence.)
Some conjunctions combine with other words to form what are called correlative conjunctions.
They always travel in pairs, joining sentence parts that should be treated as equal.
Correlative Conjunctions also connect sentence elements of the same kind, however, unlike
coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions are always used in pairs.
Examples:
both - and
not only - but also
not - but
either - or
neither - nor
whether - or
as - as
EXERCISE
A. Match the sentence halves to make a complete sentence. Draw lines between the two.
but we have enough money.
Both Peter
Not only do we want to go
Either Jack will have to work more hours
That story was
Students who do well not only study hard
In the end he had to choose
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neither true nor realistic.
and I are coming next week.
either his career or his hobby.
but also use their instincts if they do not
know the answer.
or we will have to hire somebody new.
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B. Combine the following sentences into one sentence using paired conjunctions (conjunctions
that go together). Choose from the following options: both ... and; not only ... but also; either ... or;
neither ... nor
1. We could fly. We could go by train.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. She will have to study hard. She will have to concentrate to do well on the exam.
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Jack is not here. Tom is in another city.
______________________________________________________________________________________
4. The speaker will not confirm the story. The speaker will not deny the story.
______________________________________________________________________________________
5. Pneumonia is a dangerous disease. Small pox is a dangerous illness.
______________________________________________________________________________________
6. Fred loves traveling. Jane wants to go around the world.
______________________________________________________________________________________
7. It might rain tomorrow. It might snow tomorrow.
______________________________________________________________________________________
8. Playing tennis is good for your heart. Jogging is good for your health.
______________________________________________________________________________________
C. Choose the conjunction that makes the most sense in the sentence.
1. You can come to the meeting ____ you can hear all the information.
a. So
b. Because
c. While
d. Until
e. Nevertheless
2. I’m not leaving _____ I get an apology from you.
a. So
b. Because
c. While
d. Until
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e. Nevertheless
3. I came here _____ you could give me an explanation.
a. So
b. Because
c. While
d. Until
e. Nevertheless
4. Bob is very tall _____ Bill is very short.
a. So
b. Because
c. While
d. Until
e. Nevertheless
5. You look frightened _____ there is nothing to be scared of.
a. So
b. Because
c. While
d. Until
e. But
6. I refuse to pay anything _____ you do the work properly.
a. So
b. Because
c. While
d. Until
e. But
7. I’m going shopping for food this evening _____ I am having guests for dinner.
a. But
b. While
c. Until
d. Because
e. So
8. You seem happy _____ you are smiling all the time.
a. But
b. While
c. So
d. Because
e. Nevertheless
9. I don’t mind if you go out for lunch _____ we will take a break at noon.
a. So
b. Because
c. While
d. Until
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e. Therefore
10. I don’t think she’s perfect for the job; _____ she’s certainly better qualified than Steve.
a. Until
b. Nevertheless
c. While
d. So
e. Therefore
Fill in the coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, so, or yet) that most logically links the two parts of
each of the following compound sentences. Remember to insert a comma before each coordinating
conjunction.
Example: Many people travel abroad to adopt children, for adopting internationally is often easier than
adopting an American or European child.
1. Many people today desperately want children _______ they are unable to conceive a child.
2. For many of these people, adoption is the answer ___________ a lot of them will choose international
adoption.
3. Children adopted by Americans frequently come from orphanages in poor countries _____ starting a
new life in the United States is not always easy for these children.
4. Loving partents and a stable home may seem like luxuries _________ the child is also leaving a
familiar world behind.
5. Before the 1980s, adoption experts told adoptive parents to ignore their children’s background
______________ most children adopted internationally had no sense of their culture.
6. For example, either the Korean War orphans arriving in the United Sates in the 1950s were too
young to remember Korea ________they were urged to abandon any memories they had.
7. These Korean children were given American names ____ they often ended up living in towns where
there were no other Asian children.
8. Today, adoptive parents usually try to find out all they can about their children’s native country
and language ________ teaching adopted children about their native culture is considered essential.
9. Adoptive parents often form support groups for adopted children from a particular country _____ in
these groups, their children can meet others who have similar backgrounds.
10. Today’s adoptive parents no longer ignore their children cultural backgrounds ________ do they try
to make their children conform to an “American” standard.
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