Order of Adjectives

DETE DETE DETE NU INTE OPI SIZ LE SH WI PARTI AG CO ORI MAT NOU DENO NOU
RMIN RMIN RMIN MB NSIFI NIO E
NG AP DT CIPLE E LO GIN ERIA N
MINAL
N
1
2,3
ER 1 ER 2 ER 3 ER
ER
N
TH E H
R
L
all of

the

very

both of Dr.
Martin'
s

quite

nar
ro
w
rare

rather prett sma

y
ll

an

ugly

neither my
of

some unu
what sual

her

none
of

first

the

next

the

last

thre
e

old

Itali
an

tattere ant
d
iqu
e
faded
long

enor
mou
s

his

those

worn

thi
n

chipp
ed

art

books

doll

bro Spa
wn nish

tapest
ry

an blu Chin porc flower

cie e
ese elain
nt

rou
nd

red

earrin
gs
myste
ry

big

two

utterly stra
nge

carve
d

woo
d
yell
ow

their

exci
ting

novel
s
techno breakt
logical hroug
h

four
fant
asti
c

vases

plasti
c

old

Fren
ch

statue
s
schoo
l

buses

impre
ssioni
st

painti
ng

New
York
min
ute

social

life

chemic chang
al
es
cur
ren
t

the
same

street
s

Jap cloth
ane
se

exci
ting

his

side

com
plet
e

Ger
man

philoso thoug
phical ht
family medic
al

underl
ying

histor
y

neurol condit
ogical ions

This category is sometimes called condition. Quirk has age, color, participle: "old
interlocking Chinese designs," "grey crumbling Gothic church tower" (A Grammar of
Contemporary English, pp. 92325).
2

An adjective derived from a noun. Examples include biological, classical, ethical, moral,
philosophical, social, and technological.
3

Compare "family medical history" and "geopolitical battle lines." The denominal
adjective can go before the first or second noun. Its placement depends on what the
adjective is modifying. In "family medical history," only the history is medical, whereas in
"geopolitical battle lines," "battle lines" is a single entity.

The order in these categories never varies.

The order in these categories sometimes varies.
The order in these categories varies less, but you may see "old worn" instead of "worn old," for example.

The order listed in this chart is generally accepted by authorities, but there is some
disagreement about certain details. The colors indicating more variability are the usual
areas of disagreement. One problem is that certain collocations are preferred above
others. For example, Quirk mentions that English speakers usually say "beautiful long
hair" but "long straight hair." The best way to learn these variations is by extensive
reading.
It is important to understand that we usually use only two or three adjectives together. It
is extremely rare to use four or more at the same time. The examples in the table are
only for the purposes of illustration.
It would be interesting to highlight combinations of two, three, and four adjectives you
find in your reading. You could use a different color for each number. You will find that
you will have many twoadjective combinations, fewer threeadjective combinations,
and almost no fouradjective combinations.
It would also be a good idea to keep a list of phrases that contain adjectives in a
different order from that of the table. Examples you keep in a notebook can be a very
valuable learning tool. You might also want to search the Web with your favorite search
engine for specific combinations ("worn old" vs. "old worn," for example).
You can also do a simple search of the British National Corpus to search their database
using more sophisticated parameters.

Whatever you decide to do, remember that reading is the best way to develop both
vocabulary and a feel for the language. The more you read, the more you will develop
an ear for the language"certain combinations just won't sound "right." As you become
more advanced, extensive reading will help you more than grammatical explanations.
Use grammar as a basis for investigating the language in depth by reading.

So vs. Such
such + a/an + (adjective)+ singular count noun + (that):
1. This has become such a mess that we will have to start over.
2. He is such a danger to himself that he will have to be hospitalized.
3. Why was that such a traumatic event in her life?
such + (adjective)+ singular noncount noun + (that):
4. Such information should be made available to everyone.
5. I have never seen him display such confidence.
6. Such compelling evidence cannot be ignored.
such + (adjective)+ plural count noun + (that):
7. "Such persons shall enjoy the protection of the present treaty."
8. Such matters are best discussed in private.
9. Such subtle distinctions are unnecessary in the present context.
so + adjective/adverb + (that):
10. The economic stimulus package is so crucial to economic growth that the president is personally
calling members of Congress.
11. The Internet makes it so easy for students to cheat that many teachers are now using special
software to catch instances of plagiarism.
12. The food at that restaurant was so thoroughly uninteresting that I will never go back.
13. Credit cards are not so readily accepted in some countries.
14. Our company is doing so well that we have almost doubled the number of our employees in less than
a year.
15. I'm surprised to see his name mentioned so frequently in the papers.
16. That company has spent so much on advertising that it had to raise its prices.
17. We have saved thousands of dollars because the new system is so much more efficient than the old
one.
18. There are so many houses for sale in our are that prices have come down considerably.
19. Our city has so many spectacular restaurants that it is difficult to decide where to eat.
20. So little is known about that disease that it is difficult to treat it.
21. There is so little time to do all that one would like to do.

22. So few jobs were created by the tax cut that the president is proposing a new stimulus package.
23. That is an excellent restaurant, but so few people know about it that I am afraid it will go out of
business.
24. Why do politicians so often forget their campaign promises?
25. So far, the economists have been correct in their predictions. [so far = until now]
26. So long as the government spends more than it receives, the national debt will increase.[so long as =
as long as = provided that]

Notes:
such + a/an
is used before a singular count noun [1-3].
such without a/an is used:
before noncount nouns [3-5]
before plural nouns [6-8]
so is used:
before an adjective alone [10-11]
before an adverb + adjective [12-13]
before an adverb alone [14-15]
So is also used with much, many, little, few, often, far, long, etc. [16-26]

Going to vs. Will

By tense:
GOING TO
Going to is used to refer to plans that the speaker has made. In other words, the speaker has already
made a decision as to what he is going to do.

I'm really tired. I'm going [to go] to bed early tonight.

I'm going [to go] to Hawaii on my vacation.

My son is going to have his birthday party at a pizzeria this Saturday.

My dad is going to buy a high-definition TV.

In order to maintain the current price, the newspaper is going to have fewer pages.

The company is going to lay off 2,000 workers.

We use going to when we have evidence now of a future event.

Look at all those black clouds! It's going to rain today.

That car is going too fast. It's going to crash.

WILL
Will is used for promises. It does not matter if the time between the promise and the action is very long or
very short.

I'll see you tomorrow.

I'll bring you the book on Monday.

I'll help you with that this evening.

We use will when we make a decision to do something at the moment of speaking. This can be
considered a very short-term promise or an unplanned action, both of which require the use of will to
express a future idea.
A: Someone is at the door.
B: I'll see who it is.
A: The telephone is ringing.
B: I'll answer it.
We use will when we offer to do something for someone.
A: I have to clean my room before we leave.
B: Don't worry. I'll help you with it.
We use will when we ask someone to do something.

Will you take seat?

Will you open the window. It's hot in here.

By function:

PLANS
Going to is used to refer to plans that the speaker has made. In other words, the speaker has
already made a decision as to what he is going to do.

I'm really tired. I'm going [to go] to bed early tonight.

PROMISES
Will is used for promises. It does not matter if the time between the promise and the action is
very long or very short.
o

Can you lend me ten dollars? I'll pay you back on Friday.

Teacher (to students): I'll explain the answers after everyone finishes the test.

PREDICTIONS
Both will and going to are used to express future ideas. Although the two forms are sometimes
used interchangeably, there is usually a difference in their use.
Going to is usually used when we have objective knowledge for our prediction, whereas will is
usually used when we have only subjective knowledge. Examples of objective knowledge would
be a letter from a person stating his intentions, or black clouds in the sky indicating rain.
Subjective knowledge is what we believe or think. As Michael Swan explains, "When we use will,
we are not showing the listener something; we are asking him or her to believe something."1

The company is going to invest $50 million in a new plant. [objective (external)
knowledge - factual knowledge - the company's plans]

The economy will improve in the second half of the year. [subjective (internal) knowledge
- opinion - asking the reader/listener to believe this statement]

OFFERS
We use will when we offer to do something for someone.
o

You've got too many shopping bags. I'll help you carry them.

REFUSALS

We use won't (will not) when someone refuses to do something.

o

Tiffany won't go to the party with me. [She refuses.]

My father won't take me to the rock concert on Friday. [He refuses.]

REQUESTS
We use will when we ask someone to do something.
o

Will you wash the dishes for me tonight?

Will you feed the dog before you leave for school?

We often use will after verbs like be afraid, be sure, believe, doubt, expect, suppose, and think and with
adverbs such as perhaps, possibly, and probably2 to indicate a certain doubt or uncertainty about the
future.

1
2

A: I'm afraid he won't like that sweater.

B: Oh, I'm sure he'll love it.

I suppose Henry will come to the party.

I doubt he will be interested in your explanation.

A: Do you think it will rain?

B: It will probably rain later tonight.

Perhaps you'll feel better after you eat.

Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, p. 214

Elaine Walker and Steve Elsworth, Grammar Practice for Upper Intermediate Students, p. 56

Adverbs of Frequency
The most common adverbs of frequency are always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, rarely, and
never. The following chart shows the relative frequencies of these adverbs. It is important to understand
that the percentages only show approximate frequencies; other sources will have slightly different
numbers. What is important is not the absolute number, but only the relative frequency.

What are adverbs?

Traditionally an adverb is defined as a word that modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, or a whole
clause or sentence. There are many kinds of adverbs; common types include adverbs of manner that tell
how (easily, quietly), adverbs of time that tell when (afterwards, later), adverbs of place and direction that
tell where (there, downstairs, backward, up), adverbs of degree that tell how much (very, almost,
extremely) and adverbs of frequency that tell how often (always, sometimes, never).

What do we mean by adverbs of frequency?

Adverbs of frequency tell us how often an action takes place.

Are there other adverbs of frequency?

Yes. In addition to the adverbs in the chart above, other common adverbs of frequency include constantly,
generally, normally, regularly, frequently, routinely, repeatedly, occasionally, infrequently, and hardly ever.

Where do we put adverbs of frequency?

The basic rule is that adverbs of frequency come before the main verb but after present and past forms of
be (am, are, is, was, were). In the case of tenses that use an auxiliary, we put the adverb between the
auxiliary and the main verb. The following tables show the position of the adverbs of frequency in
affirmative, negative, interrogative, and imperative sentences.

Affirmative Sentences
Subject Auxiliary
The side
effects

Adv. of
Frequency
usually

Main
Verb
go

Predicate
away after a few hours.

sometimes

have

trouble accessing my
favorite web site.

Beethoven

often

went

to Baden for the

summer.

Kevin

has

never

been

a fan of SUVs.

Brian

has

always

wanted

to own a restaurant.

will

always

be

grateful to you.

Affirmative Sentences with BE

Subject

BE

Adv. of Frequency

Predicate

The bus

is

usually

on time.

Some people

are

never

satisfied.

Negative Sentences
Adv. of
Frequency

Subject Auxiliary

Main
Verb

Predicate

Suzanne

doesn't

usually

get

involved in politics.

It

doesn't

often

snow

here at Christmas.

don't

ever

download

music from the

Internet.

Negative Sentences with BE

Subject
Iron supplements

BE + not Adv. of Frequency

aren't

Professor Morgan isn't

Predicate

usually

necessary for men.

often

at a loss for words.

Interrogative Sentences
Auxiliary Subject

Adv. of
Frequency

Main
Verb

Predicate

Does

Kimberly

usually

have

breakfast at
home?

Do

you

always

read

the fine print?

Did

Chris

ever

play

basketball?

Don't

you

ever

get

tired?

Interrogative Sentences with BE

BE Subject
Are

Adv. of Frequency

Predicate

you

always

so cheerful in the morning?

Isn't Ted

usually

here by eight o'clock?

Imperative Sentences
Adv. of Frequency

Verb

Predicate

Always

do

your best!

Never

forget

this rule!

Always

be

truthful!

Short Answers with Adverbs of Frequency

Subject
A: Will you ever change?
B:I

Adv. of
Frequency

Auxiliary or
BE

never

will.

never

has.

A: Do they ever study together?

B:They

sometimes

do.

A: Is Jessica ever wrong?

B:She

seldom

is.

A:Has Shirley ever been to

Austria?
B:She

Distribution of Adverbs of Frequency by Sentence

Type
Adv. of Frequency

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Imperative

always

usually

often

sometimes/occasionally

rarely/seldom/hardly ever/scarcely
ever1

never1

ever

Although used in sentences with affirmative form, the meaning is negative.

Distribution of Adverbs of Frequency by Sentence

Position
Adv. of Frequency

Initial

always
X

often
sometimes/occasionally
rarely/seldom/hardly ever/scarcely ever

ever

Final

usually

never

Medial
X
X

X
X

If placed in initial position, subject-verb inversion occurs. See below for examples.

Subject-Verb Inversion
Negative
Main
Auxiliary Subject
Adverb
Verb

Predicate

Never

did

think

I would see my book in print.

Seldom

have

we

had

a professor with such

enthusiasm.

"Scarcely

had

he

finished

speaking when the door of

the queen's apartment
opened...."

Relative Frequencies of the Adverbs

ADVERB

FREQUENCY

never

202

often

153

always

141

ever

103

sometimes

63

usually

51

generally

39

normally

20

constantly

16

rarely

16

regularly

16

frequently

15

repeatedly

15

routinely

11

occasionally

almost never

seldom

Indirect Object with Verbs of Saying

A group of verbs, most of which come from Latin and refer to saying or speaking, use only the to-form of
the indirect object.
For example:
The teacher explained the lesson to us. (NOT The teacher explained us the lesson.)
address
announce
ascribe
attribute
commend
confess
credit
dedicate
describe
dictate
disclose
divulge
explain
express
impart
introduce

leak
mention
propose
prove
recommend
refer
relate
relay
repeat
report
reveal
say
speak
suggest
unburden

Example sentences:
She addressed her remarks to the students.
He attributed his success to hard work.
They broke the news to the press on Monday morning.
We commend his soul to the deep.
He confessed his involvement in the crime to the police.
He credited his success to staying focused.
He dedicated his life to the search for knowledge.

She described the assailant to a police artist.

She dictated the book to an assistant.
Company representatives disclosed their plans to purchase a factory in Ohio.
He divulged his plans to a journalist.
He explained his motives to detectives, police said.
French President Jacques Chirac expressed his condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He imparted his knowledge to his students.
The first season of The X-Files introduced us to Agents Scully and Mulder.
They leaked the report to the media.
She mentioned the restaurant to her students.
The committee proposed the new policy to the Board of Directors.
Velikovsky unsuccessfully tried to prove his thesis to the academic community.
Captain Pasley recommended the young man to Captain Bligh in 1791.
His doctor referred him to a specialist.
He related the story to me over dinner one evening.
The spy relayed the information to his superiors.
He repeated the story to his friends at work.
They never reported the incident to the police.
He revealed his secret to his friend.
You should have said something to her.
The look on her face spoke volumes to me.
Someone suggested the idea to a professor at Berkeley.
She unburdened herself to her best friend.

Verbs with Two Object Patterns

Many English verbs can be followed by a direct and an indirect object. A number of
these verbs have two patterns--one with and one without "to."
When a verb is followed by two nouns (V N1 N2), N1 is the indirect object and N2 is the
direct object.
IO
DO
John gave Mary a present.
With many verbs the indirect object can follow a prepositional phrase with "to," and the
order of the two objects reversed.
John gave a present to Mary. (NOT John gave to Mary a present.)
Here is a list of common verbs which can be used with and without "to."
assign
award
bring
fax
feed

mail
offer
owe
pass
promise

send
show
sing
take
teach

give
grant
hand
lend
loan

pay
read
serve
show
sell

tell
throw
wire
write

Another group of verbs uses this same pattern with "for" instead of "to."
IO
DO
Mary made John a cake.
Mary made a cake for John. (NOT Mary made for John a cake.)

Here is a list of common verbs which can be used with and without "for."
bake
book
build
buy
cook

do (a favor)
find
get
knit
make

order
play
pour (a drink)
prepare
reserve
sing

English Prepositions
aboard

concerning

of

about

considering

off

above

despite

off of

across

down

on

after

due to

on account of

against

during

on behalf of

ahead of

except

on pain of

all over

except for

on pain of

along

excepting

on the strength of

along with

following

on top of

alongside

for

onto

amid

for the sake of

opposite

amidst

from

out (He ran out the door.)

among

granted

out of

amongst

in

outside

apart from

in accordance with

over

apropos (of)

in addition to

owing to

around

in aid of

past

as (He worked as a
diplomat.)

in between

pending

in case of

per

in charge of

plus

in common with

re

in comparison with

round

in contact with

save (=except)

in default of

since (He hasn't written

since June.)

as for
as of
as to
aside from
astride
at

in exchange for
at the expense of
at the hands of

in face of
in favor of

at variance with
atop

in front of
in lieu of

away from

than (The new microchip

is smaller than a postage
stamp.)
through
throughout
till

bar (=except)

in line with

to

barring (=except)

in need of

together with

because of

in place of

toward

before

in quest of

towards

behind

in regard to

under

below

in relation to

underneath

beneath

in respect of

unlike

beside

in return for

until

besides

in search of

up

between

in spite of

up to

beyond

in view of

upon

but (=except) (All but one

were sleeping.)

including

upon

inside

via

instead of

with

into

with regard to

less

with respect to

like

within

minus

without

near

worth (It is well worth the

effort.)

by
by dint of
by means of
by virtue of
by way of
close by
close to
next to
notwithstanding

Verbs Followed by Gerund and/or Infinitive

Gerund only

Infinitive only

Gerund or Infinitive

admit

afford

attempt*

anticipate

agree

can/can't bear

appreciate

appear

begin

avoid

arrange

cease

can't help

ask

continue

consider

attempt

dislike

defend

beg

dread

defer

care

forget*

delay

chance

hate

deny

choose

intend

detest

claim

like

discuss

consent

love

dislike

conspire

neglect

dread

dare

prefer

enjoy

decide

propose

excuse

demand

regret*

fancy

deserve

remember*

finish

endeavor

can/can't stand

forgive

expect

start

imagine

fail

stop*

involve

happen

try*

keep (=continue)

hesitate

mention

hope

mind

intend

miss

learn

pardon

manage

postpone

mean

prevent

need

quit (=stop)

omit

recall

offer

recollect

plan

resent

prepare

resist

pretend

resume

promise

risk

prove

save (=avoid the trouble of) refuse

suggest

remain

understand

rush
seem
struggle
swear
tend
threaten

wait
want
wish

Common Verbs and Their Prepositions

about

at

in

agree

aim

aid

argue

bark

assist

boast

excel

believe

brag

frown

compete

care

glare

confide

complain

grin

consist

cry

growl

deal

do

jump at (the chance)

delight

dream

laugh

end

fight

look

engage

forget

nod

excel

gripe

scream

help

hear

shoot

indulge

joke

shout

invest

know

smile

major

laugh

stare

meddle

lie

throw s.t. at s.o./s.t.

participate

read

wave

persevere

talk

whistle

persist

think

wink

reside

wonder

yell

result

worry

share

write

specialize
star
succeed

s.o.=someone

s.t.=something

Common Verbs and Their Prepositions

2
on

to

with

act

adapt

agree

agree

adjust

argue

bank

admit

assist

bet

apologize

collide

build

appeal

compare

choke

attend

compete

comment

belong

comply

concentrate

complain

continue

count

confess

cooperate

depend

connect

cope

differ

contribute

deal

disagree

decline

disagree

dwell

decrease

fight

elaborate

drop

help

enlarge

fall

identify

expand

get

plead

experiment

go

proceed

fall

happen

quibble

focus

increase

reason

harp

jump

struggle

impose

listen

sympathize

improve

move

tamper

insist

object

lean

point

lecture

react

operate

read

rely

refer

remark

relate

report

reply

speak

resort

speculate

respond

spy

return

stumble

rise

talk

sink

trip

slip

vote

speak

wager

stick

work

submit

write

subscribe
surrender
talk
wave
write

English Pronouns
SUBJECT
PRONOUNS

OBJECT
PRONOUNS

POSSESSIVE
ADJECTIVES

POSSESSIVE
PRONOUNS

REFLEXIVE
PRONOUNS

me

my

mine

myself

you

you

your

yours

yourself

he

him

his

his

himself

she

her

her

hers

herself

it

it

its

(its)

itself

we

us

our

ours

ourselves

you

you

your

yours

yourselves

they

them

their

theirs

themselves

ACTIVE VOICE
AFFIRMATIVE

SIMPLE TENSES
SIMPLE PAST

SIMPLE PRESENT

SIMPLE FUTURE

I WORKED

I WORK

I WILL WORK

YOU WORKED

YOU WORK

YOU WILL WORK

WE WORKED

WE WORK

WE WILL WORK

THEY WORKED

THEY WORK

THEY WILL WORK

HE WORKED

HE WORKS

HE WILL WORK

SHE WORKED

SHE WORKS

SHE WILL WORK

IT WORKED

IT WORKS

IT WILL WORK

PROGRESSIVE TENSES
PAST PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT
PROGRESSIVE

FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE

I WAS WORKING

I AM WORKING

I WILL BE WORKING

HE WAS WORKING

HE IS WORKING

HE WILL BE WORKING

SHE WAS WORKING

SHE IS WORKING

SHE WILL BE WORKING

IT WAS WORKING

IT IS WORKING

IT WILL BE WORKING

WE WERE WORKING

WE ARE WORKING

WE WILL BE WORKING

YOU WERE WORKING

YOU ARE WORKING

YOU WILL BE WORKING

THEY WERE WORKING

THEY ARE WORKING

THEY WILL BE WORKING

PERFECT TENSES
PAST PERFECT

I HAD WORKED

PRESENT PERFECT

I HAVE WORKED

FUTURE PERFECT

I WILL HAVE WORKED

YOU HAVE WORKED

YOU HAD WORKED

WE HAVE WORKED

YOU WILL HAVE WORKED

WE HAD WORKED

THEY HAVE WORKED

WE WILL HAVE WORKED

THEY HAD WORKED

HE HAS WORKED

THEY WILL HAVE WORKED

HE HAD WORKED

SHE HAS WORKED

HE WILL HAVE WORKED

SHE HAD WORKED

IT HAS WORKED

SHE WILL HAVE WORKED

IT HAD WORKED

IT WILL HAVE WORKED

PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES

PAST PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

FUTURE PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

I HAD BEEN WORKING

I HAVE BEEN WORKING

I WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING

YOU HAD BEEN WORKING

YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING

YOU WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING

WE HAD BEEN WORKING

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING

WE WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING

THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING

THEY WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING

HE HAS BEEN WORKING

HE WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING

SHE HAS BEEN WORKING

SHE WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING

IT HAS BEEN WORKING

IT WILL HAVE BEEN WORKING

THEY HAD BEEN WORKING

HE HAD BEEN WORKING
SHE HAD BEEN WORKING
IT HAD BEEN WORKING

ACTIVE VOICE
NEGATIVE

SIMPLE TENSES
SIMPLE PAST

SIMPLE PRESENT

SIMPLE FUTURE

I DIDN'T WORK

I DON'T WORK

I WON'T WORK

YOU DIDN'T WORK

YOU DON'T WORK

YOU WON'T WORK

WE DIDN'T WORK

WE DON'T WORK

WE WON'T WORK

THEY DIDN'T WORK

THEY DON'T WORK

THEY WON'T WORK

HE DIDN'T WORK

HE DOESN'T WORK

HE WON'T WORK

SHE DIDN'T WORK

SHE DOESN'T WORK

SHE WON'T WORK

IT DIDN'T WORK

IT DOESN'T WORK

IT WON'T WORK

PROGRESSIVE TENSES
PAST PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT
PROGRESSIVE

FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE

I WASN'T WORKING

I'M NOT WORKING

I WON'T BE WORKING

HE WASN'T WORKING

HE ISN'T WORKING

HE WON'T BE WORKING

SHE WASN'T WORKING

SHE ISN'T WORKING

SHE WON'T BE WORKING

IT WASN'T WORKING

IT ISN'T WORKING

IT WON'T BE WORKING

WE WEREN'T WORKING

WE AREN'T WORKING

WE WON'T BE WORKING

YOU WEREN'T WORKING

YOU AREN'T WORKING

YOU WON'T BE WORKING

THEY WEREN'T WORKING

THEY AREN'T WORKING

THEY WON'T BE WORKING

PERFECT TENSES
PAST PERFECT

PRESENT PERFECT

FUTURE PERFECT

I HADN'T WORKED

I HAVEN'T WORKED

I WON'T HAVE WORKED

YOU HADN'T WORKED

YOU HAVEN'T WORKED

YOU WON'T HAVE WORKED

WE HADN'T WORKED

WE HAVEN'T WORKED

WE WON'T HAVE WORKED

THEY HADN'T WORKED

THEY HAVEN'T WORKED

THEY WON'T HAVE WORKED

HE HADN'T WORKED

HE HASN'T WORKED

HE WON'T HAVE WORKED

SHE HADN'T WORKED

SHE HASN'T WORKED

SHE WON'T HAVE WORKED

IT HADN'T WORKED

IT HASN'T WORKED

IT WON'T HAVE WORKED

PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES

PAST PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

FUTURE PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

I HADN'T BEEN WORKING

I HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING

I WON'T HAVE BEEN WORKING

YOU HADN'T BEEN WORKING

YOU HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING

YOU WON'T HAVE BEEN

WORKING

WE HADN'T BEEN WORKING

WE HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING

WE WON'T HAVE BEEN WORKING

THEY HADN'T BEEN WORKING

THEY HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING

HE HADN'T BEEN WORKING

HE HASN'T BEEN WORKING

SHE HADN'T BEEN WORKING

SHE HASN'T BEEN WORKING

IT HADN'T BEEN WORKING

IT HASN'T BEEN WORKING

THEY WON'T HAVE BEEN

WORKING
HE WON'T HAVE BEEN WORKING
SHE WON'T HAVE BEEN
WORKING

IT WON'T HAVE BEEN WORKING

ACTIVE VOICE
INTERROGATIVE

SIMPLE TENSES
SIMPLE PAST

SIMPLE PRESENT

SIMPLE FUTURE

DID I WORK?

DO I WORK?

WILL I WORK?

DID YOU WORK?

DO YOU WORK?

WILL YOU WORK?

DID WE WORK?

DO WE WORK?

WILL WE WORK?

DID THEY WORK?

DO THEY WORK?

WILL THEY WORK?

DID HE WORK?

DOES HE WORK?

WILL HE WORK?

DID SHE WORK?

DOES SHE WORK?

WILL SHE WORK?

DID IT WORK?

DOES IT WORK?

WILL IT WORK?

PROGRESSIVE TENSES
PAST PROGRESSIVE

WAS I WORKING?

PRESENT
PROGRESSIVE

AM I WORKING?

FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE

WILL I BE WORKING?

WAS HE WORKING?

IS HE WORKING?

WILL HE BE WORKING?

WAS SHE WORKING?

IS SHE WORKING?

WILL SHE BE WORKING?

WAS IT WORKING?

IS IT WORKING?

WILL IT BE WORKING?

WERE WE WORKING?

ARE WE WORKING?

WILL WE BE WORKING?

WERE YOU WORKING?

ARE YOU WORKING?

WILL YOU BE WORKING?

WERE THEY WORKING?

ARE THEY WORKING?

WILL THEY BE WORKING?

PERFECT TENSES
PAST PERFECT

PRESENT PERFECT

FUTURE PERFECT

HAD I WORKED?

HAVE I WORKED?

WILL I HAVE WORKED?

HAD YOU WORKED?

HAVE YOU WORKED?

WILL YOU HAVE WORKED?

HAD WE WORKED?

HAVE WE WORKED?

WILL WE HAVE WORKED?

HAD THEY WORKED?

HAVE THEY WORKED?

WILL THEY HAVE WORKED?

HAD HE WORKED?

HAS HE WORKED?

WILL HE HAVE WORKED?

HAD SHE WORKED?

HAS SHE WORKED?

WILL SHE HAVE WORKED?

HAD IT WORKED?

HAS IT WORKED?

WILL IT HAVE WORKED?

PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES

PAST PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

FUTURE PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

HAD I BEEN WORKING?

HAVE I BEEN WORKING?

WILL I HAVE BEEN WORKING?

HAD YOU BEEN WORKING?

HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING?

WILL YOU HAVE BEEN

WORKING?

HAD WE BEEN WORKING?

HAVE WE BEEN WORKING?

HAD THEY BEEN WORKING?

HAD HE BEEN WORKING?
HAD SHE BEEN WORKING?

WILL WE HAVE BEEN WORKING?

HAVE THEY BEEN WORKING?
HAS HE BEEN WORKING?
HAS SHE BEEN WORKING?
HAS IT BEEN WORKING?

HAD IT BEEN WORKING?

WILL THEY HAVE BEEN

WORKING?
WILL HE HAVE BEEN WORKING?
WILL SHE HAVE BEEN
WORKING?
WILL IT HAVE BEEN WORKING?

PASSIVE VOICE
AFFIRMATIVE

SIMPLE TENSES
SIMPLE PAST

SIMPLE PRESENT

SIMPLE FUTURE

I WAS GIVEN

I AM GIVEN

I WILL BE GIVEN

HE WAS GIVEN

YOU ARE GIVEN

YOU WILL BE GIVEN

SHE WAS GIVEN

WE ARE GIVEN

WE WILL BE GIVEN

IT WAS GIVEN

THEY ARE GIVEN

THEY WILL BE GIVEN

WE WERE GIVEN

HE IS GIVEN

HE WILL BE GIVEN

YOU WERE GIVEN

SHE IS GIVEN

SHE WILL BE GIVEN

THEY WERE GIVEN

IT IS GIVEN

IT WILL BE GIVEN

PROGRESSIVE TENSES
PAST PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT
PROGRESSIVE

I WAS BEING GIVEN

I AM BEING GIVEN

HE WAS BEING GIVEN

HE IS BEING GIVEN

SHE WAS BEING GIVEN

SHE IS BEING GIVEN

IT WAS BEING GIVEN

IT IS BEING GIVEN

WE WERE BEING GIVEN

WE ARE BEING GIVEN

YOU WERE BEING GIVEN

YOU ARE BEING GIVEN

THEY WERE BEING GIVEN

THEY ARE BEING GIVEN

FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE

RARELY USED

PERFECT TENSES
PAST PERFECT

PRESENT PERFECT

FUTURE PERFECT

I HAD BEEN GIVEN

I HAVE BEEN GIVEN

I WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN

YOU HAD BEEN GIVEN

YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN

YOU WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN

WE HAD BEEN GIVEN

WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN

WE WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN

THEY HAD BEEN GIVEN

THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN

HE HAD BEEN GIVEN

HE HAS BEEN GIVEN

SHE HAD BEEN GIVEN

SHE HAS BEEN GIVEN

IT HAD BEEN GIVEN

IT HAS BEEN GIVEN

THEY WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN

HE WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN
SHE WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN
IT WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN

PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES

PAST PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

FUTURE PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

RARELY USED

RARELY USED

RARELY USED

PASSIVE VOICE
NEGATIVE

SIMPLE TENSES
SIMPLE PAST

SIMPLE PRESENT

SIMPLE FUTURE

I WASN'T GIVEN

I'M NOT GIVEN

I WON'T BE GIVEN

HE WASN'T GIVEN

YOU AREN'T GIVEN

YOU WON'T BE GIVEN

SHE WASN'T GIVEN

WE AREN'T GIVEN

WE WON'T BE GIVEN

IT WASN'T GIVEN

THEY AREN'T GIVEN

THEY WON'T BE GIVEN

WE WEREN'T GIVEN

HE ISN'T GIVEN

HE WON'T BE GIVEN

YOU WEREN'T GIVEN

SHE ISN'T GIVEN

SHE WON'T BE GIVEN

THEY WEREN'T GIVEN

IT ISN'T GIVEN

IT WON'T BE GIVEN

PROGRESSIVE TENSES
PAST PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT
PROGRESSIVE

I WASN'T BEING GIVEN

I'M NOT BEING GIVEN

HE WASN'T BEING GIVEN

HE ISN'T BEING GIVEN

SHE WASN'T BEING GIVEN

SHE ISN'T BEING GIVEN

IT WASN'T BEING GIVEN

IT ISN'T BEING GIVEN

WE WEREN'T BEING GIVEN

WE AREN'T BEING GIVEN

YOU WEREN'T BEING

GIVEN

YOU AREN'T BEING GIVEN

FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE

RARELY USED

THEY AREN'T BEING GIVEN

THEY WEREN'T BEING
GIVEN

PERFECT TENSES
PAST PERFECT

PRESENT PERFECT

FUTURE PERFECT

I HADN'T BEEN GIVEN

I HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN

I WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN

YOU HADN'T BEEN GIVEN

YOU HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN

YOU WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN

WE HADN'T BEEN GIVEN

WE HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN

WE WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN

THEY HADN'T BEEN GIVEN

THEY HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN

HE HADN'T BEEN GIVEN

HE HASN'T BEEN GIVEN

SHE HADN'T BEEN GIVEN

SHE HASN'T BEEN GIVEN

THEY WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN

HE WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN
SHE WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN
IT WON'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN

IT HADN'T BEEN GIVEN

IT HASN'T BEEN GIVEN

PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES

PAST PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

FUTURE PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

RARELY USED

RARELY USED

RARELY USED

PASSIVE VOICE
INTERROGATIVE

SIMPLE TENSES
SIMPLE PAST

SIMPLE PRESENT

SIMPLE FUTURE

WAS I GIVEN?

AM I GIVEN?

WILL I BE GIVEN?

WAS HE GIVEN?

ARE YOU GIVEN?

WILL YOU BE GIVEN?

WAS SHE GIVEN?

ARE WE GIVEN?

WILL WE BE GIVEN?

WAS IT GIVEN?

ARE THEY GIVEN?

WILL THEY BE GIVEN?

WERE WE GIVEN?

IS HE GIVEN?

WILL HE BE GIVEN?

WERE YOU GIVEN?

IS SHE GIVEN?

WILL SHE BE GIVEN?

WERE THEY GIVEN?

IS IT GIVEN?

WILL IT BE GIVEN?

PROGRESSIVE TENSES
PAST PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT
PROGRESSIVE

WAS I BEING GIVEN?

AM I BEING GIVEN?

WAS HE BEING GIVEN?

IS HE BEING GIVEN?

WAS SHE BEING GIVEN?

IS SHE BEING GIVEN?

WAS IT BEING GIVEN?

IS IT BEING GIVEN?

WERE WE BEING GIVEN?

ARE WE BEING GIVEN?

WERE YOU BEING GIVEN?

ARE YOU BEING GIVEN?

WERE THEY BEING GIVEN?

ARE THEY BEING GIVEN?

FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE

RARELY USED

PERFECT TENSES
PAST PERFECT

PRESENT PERFECT

FUTURE PERFECT

HAD I BEEN GIVEN?

HAVE I BEEN GIVEN?

WILL I HAVE BEEN GIVEN?

HAD YOU BEEN GIVEN?

HAVE YOU BEEN GIVEN?

WILL YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN?

HAD WE BEEN GIVEN?

HAVE WE BEEN GIVEN?

WILL WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN?

WILL THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN?

HAD THEY BEEN GIVEN?

HAVE THEY BEEN GIVEN?

WILL HE HAVE BEEN GIVEN?

HAD HE BEEN GIVEN?

HAS HE BEEN GIVEN?

WILL SHE HAVE BEEN GIVEN?

HAD SHE BEEN GIVEN?

HAS SHE BEEN GIVEN?

WILL IT HAVE BEEN GIVEN?

HAD IT BEEN GIVEN?

HAS IT BEEN GIVEN?

PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES

PAST PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

PRESENT PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

FUTURE PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

RARELY USED

RARELY USED

RARELY USED

1. Grammar: Traditional Rules, Word Order, Agreement, and Case

56. shall / will
the traditional rules. The traditional rules state that you use shall to show what happens
in the future only when I or we is the subject: I shall (not will) call you tomorrow. We
shall (not will) be sure to keep in touch. Will, on the other hand, is used with subjects in
the second and third persons: The comet will (not shall) return in 87 years. You will (not
shall) probably encounter some heavy seas when you round the point. However, you can
use will with a subject in the first person and shall with a subject in the second or third
person to express determination, promise, obligation, or permission, depending on the
context. Thus I will leave tomorrow indicates that the speaker is determined to leave. You
shall leave tomorrow has the ring of a command. The sentence You shall have your
money expresses a promise (I will see that you get your money), whereas You will have
your money makes a simple prediction.
the reality. The English and some sticklers about usage are probably the only people
who follow these rules, and then not with perfect consistency. In America, people who try

to adhere to them run the risk of sounding pretentious or haughty. Americans normally
use will to express most of the senses reserved for shall in British usage. Americans use
shall chiefly in first person invitations and questions that request an opinion or
agreement, such as Shall we go?, and in certain fixed expressions, such as We shall
overcome. In formal style, Americans use shall to express an explicit obligation, such as
Applicants shall provide a proof of residence, though must or should works just as well
here. In speech you can get the distinctions in meaning delineated in the traditional rules
by putting stress on the auxiliary verb, as in I will leave tomorrow (I intend to leave).
You can also choose another auxiliary verb, such as must or have to, that is less open to
misinterpretation, or you can make your meaning clear by adding an adverb such as
certainly.

The Difference Between will and shall

Reader Eric wonders about the uses of will and shall.
When do you use will and shall? I know that [they] mean the same thing, but I would like to know
when to use them in the correct grammatical sense.
In modern English will and shall are helping verbs. They are used with other verbs, but lack
conjugations of their own.
Both are signs of the future tense.
The old Walsh English Handbook that I used in high school gives this rule for forming the future:
Use shall in the first person and will in the second and third persons for the simple future tense:
I shall sing this afternoon.
You will succeed.
He will stay at home.
My observations suggest that shall is rarely used by American speakers.
The two words existed as separate verbs in Old English, the form of English spoken from 450-1150
C.E.
The verb willan meant wish, be willing, be about to.
The verb sculan (pronounced [shu-lan], had the meanings be obliged to, have to, must, be destined
to, be supposed to.
In modern usage traces of the old meanings persist for speakers who use both forms.
Will can imply volition or intention, while shall can imply necessity:
I will scale Mount Everest. (and no one can stop me!)
You shall take the garbage out before you do anything else. (You have no choice, Junior!)
A second element enters into the use of shall and will.
As a matter of courtesy, a difference exists according to whether the verb is used with a first or
second person subject. Which to use depends upon the relationship between speakers.
Parents, teachers, employers, and staff sergeants are within their rights to tell someone You shall
complete this assignment by 9 p.m. Such a construction offers no alternative. It is the same as
saying You must complete this assignment.

In speaking to an equal, however, the choice is left up to the other person:

I shall drive to Tulsa today. You will follow on Tuesday. (Its still up to you.)
Heres a frequently quoted joke that illustrates the consequences of using shall and will incorrectly:
A foreign tourist was swimming in an English lake. Taken by cramps, he began to sink. He called out
for help:
Attention! Attention! I will drown and no one shall save me!
Many people were within earshot, but, being well-brought up Englishmen and women, they honored
his wishes and permitted him to drown.
All of which is the short answer to Erics question. For the long answer, take a look at Fowler (Modern
English Usage) and the OED.
By the way, the verb will in the sense of bequeath derives from the noun will in the sense of wish.
A will expresses the wishes of the person who writes it. The verb will (bequeath) does possess a
complete conjugation.

English Grammar 101: Parts of Speech

A word is a part of speech only when it is used in a sentence. The function the word serves in a
sentence is what makes it whatever part of speech it is.
For example, the word run can be used as more than one part of speech:
Sammy hit a home run. (run is a noun, direct object of hit)
You mustnt run near the swimming pool. (run is a verb, part of the verb phrase must (not) run)
Here is a simple overview of the English parts of speech and what they do. Each part of speech is
linked to an DWT article that tells more about it.
NOUN - Nouns are naming words. We cant talk about anything until we have given it a name.
PRONOUN - A pronoun is a word that stands for a noun.
VERBS - The verb is the motor that runs the sentence. A verb enables us to say something about a
noun.
ADJECTIVE - An adjective is a word that describes a noun.
ADVERB - An adverb adds meaning to a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
PREPOSITION - a preposition is a word that comes in front of a noun or a pronoun and shows a
connection between that noun or pronoun and some other word in the sentence
CONJUNCTION - a conjunction joins words and groups of words.
INTERJECTION An interjection is a word or phrase thrown into a sentence to express an emotion,
for example, Homer Simpsons Doh!

shall or will
Shall and will are both used as auxiliary verbs to form the future tense. In standard British English, the traditional
difference between the two is that shall is used with I and we: I shall leave and will is used with nouns and you, he,
she, it and they: You will stay. In practice, though, shall is going out of use in this role, and will is widely used for the
first person: I will leave. This is now widely accepted as part of standard English. In American English, will is the norm
in all persons for the future tense.
A parallel development has been the gradual decline of will in the first person and shall in the second and third
persons to express determination, promises or commands. I will leave now indicates merely intention, not, as in the
past, determination; and usages like Cinderella, you shall go to the ball now sound rather old-fashioned.
The first person shall does survive as a way of making a suggestion or asking a question: Shall I put the light on?
means 'Would you like me to put the light on?', not 'Am I going to put the light on?'

TOO and ENOUGH - grammar help.

Online activities at 'too-enough quiz'

Back to primero bat.

1. TOO.
It is an adverb and is there followed by adjectives or adverbs: denotes a quality in
excess:

Coffee is too hot, I can't drink it

It is usually continued through a 'to - infinitive':

Coffee is too hot to drink.

Actions in the infinitive can refer to a different subject from the first in the sentence:

Coffee is too hot FOR THE OLD MAN to drink.

Quite another different usage is that you may find when followed by nouns, in that
case MUCH and MANY are required.

They drink too much wine

They invite too many people to their parties.

ENOUGH

a. as an adjective
appears before nouns and expresses sufficiency :

They have enough books in the house , they don't have to buy any.

b. as an adverb
appears after adjectives or adverbs and also expresses a degree in sufficiency.

He is strong enough, he will cross the dessert.

The same as with 'too', a 'to-infinitive usually follows'

He is strong enough to cross the dessert.

And for is used to refer the action to another subject:

Our flat is not big enough to hold 20 people.

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

COMPARISONS OF QUANTITY
To show difference: more, less, fewer + than
Examples:
With countable nouns: more / fewer

Eloise has more children than Chantal.

Chantal has fewer children than Eloise.

There are fewer dogs in Cardiff than in Bristol

I have visited fewer countries than my friend has.

He has read fewer books than she has.

With uncountable nouns: more / less

Eloise has more money than Chantal.

Chantal has less money than Eloise.

I spend less time on homework than you do.

Cats drink less water than dogs.

This new dictionary gives more information than the old one.

So, the rule is:

MORE + nouns that are countable or uncountable
FEWER + countable nouns
LESS + uncountable nouns
To show no difference see next page.

Active and Passive Voice

Sentences can be written or spoken in the active or passive
voice. In the active voice, the subject of the sentence acts upon
something or someone. In the passive voice, the subject is acted
upon.
For example:
Active Voice: The twister left a path of destruction.
Passive Voice: A path of destruction was left by the twister.
Writers should usually use the active voice rather than the
passive. Its considered to be a more powerful and
straightforward form of expression. The active voice also uses
less words to convey the same message.
The following sentences are written in the passive voice.
Rewrite them in the active voice.

1. James was chosen by Kathy to be her assistant.

2. This awful mess was made by your friends!

3. Everyone in need is helped by Michael.

4. You will be made well by this medicine!

5. Many inventions were created by Edison.

6. The article was written by my friend.

7. Many fine sites are hosted by Software Workshop.

8. Claudia was enraged by Richards sarcastic comments.

Active Voice vs. Passive Voice

by Tina Blue
July 5, 2002

If there is one thing most people remember from their high school or
college composition classes, it's that you are not supposed to use the passive
voice in your writing.
But like most of the "rules" of writing (and many of the "rules" of grammar
and usage), this one isn't really a rule. There are some times when the
passive voice is appropriate, and some times when it is even needed.

In general, it is best to think of writing not as rule-driven, but rather as

context-sensitive.* Even if a "rule" is useful 99% of the time, rigidly applying it
in the rare case where it isn't appropriate will undermine the effectiveness of
your writing. I prefer to think of most of the so-called rules of writing as
guidelines, some more generally applicable than others.
The rule against using the passive voice happens to be an appropriate
guideline most of the time. You are more likely to write badly by ignoring it
than by following it. But it's still better to make your writing choices
consciously than to go on automatic pilot and let the "rules" do all your writing
for you.
What is the passive voice, and what is it used for?
Verbs in English are inflected to show five main traits: person, number,
tense, voice, and mood.
Voice is determined by whether the subject of the sentence is the agent
or the receiver of the action of a transitive verb. (A transitive verb is one
that takes a direct object.**)
~I broke the window.
~The boys ate all of the pie.
~With the money from her mother's life insurance Diane
bought a new car and took a trip to Europe.

In the preceding examples, which are in the active voice, the agent of the
action is the subject of the sentence. But in the next set of examples, which
are in the passive voice, the receiver of the action is the subject of the
sentence.
~The window was broken.
~The window was broken by me.
~All of the pie was eaten.
~All of the pie was eaten by the boys.
~With the money from her mother's life insurance a new car was
bought and a trip to Europe was taken.

~With the money from her mother's life insurance a new car was
bought and a trip to Europe was taken by Diane.

Notice that when a sentence is written in the passive voice, the agent of an
action can be omitted. That is part of the appeal of the passive voice to
certain writers. If the writer wishes to obscure responsibility for an action, then
the passive voice allows him to eliminate all reference to the person who
committed the act. Think of how often statements coming out of the Nixon
White House during Watergate were couched in the passive voice: e.g.,
Mistakes were made.
Even if the agent of an action is mentioned in a passive voice sentence,
the emphasis is not on the actor, but on the receiver of the action. The
subject slot in a sentence is the starring role. Anyone or anything relegated to
a little sidecar of a prepositional phrase tacked on at the end of the sentence
is not being emphasized at all.
~The window was broken.
~The window was broken by me.
~All of the pie was eaten.
~All of the pie was eaten by the boys.

In these sentences, the fact that the window was broken or that the pie
was eaten sits front and center. In the examples without agents, no one in
particular appears to be responsible for the broken window or the devoured
pie. And even in the sentences where the guilty parties make an appearance,
they do so in a way that does not call attention to them.
But sometimes the agent of an action needs to be omitted. For example,
the textual conventions*** governing lab reports do not permit the use of
the first person ("I" or "we") at all, and in fact any mention of the researchers,
even in the third person, is frowned upon. Thus, lab reports are filled with
clauses like these: the pigeons were observed over a period of three weeks;
the subjects were divided into three groups; members of the control group
were given a placebo. . . .
The reason for this convention is that science is supposed to be objective,
and removing all reference to the researchers emphasizes that stance of
objectivity. It's almost as if disembodied hands are performing the
experiments, and disembodied eyes are observing the results.****

The use of the passive voice in lab reports also keeps the spotlight focused
on the experiment itself, rather than yanking it over to the researchers. It's a
matter of emphasis.
Now, here are a few passive voice sentences from earlier in this very
article, and one from another article on this website:
~Notice that in these sentences, the fact that the window was
broken and the pie was eaten sits front and center.
~Anyone or anything relegated to a little sidecar of a prepositional
phrase tacked on at the end of the sentence is not being
emphasized at all.
~Another problem with many English classes is that students are
usually taught by teachers that think writing is "rule-driven."

Now watch what happens to my intended meaning and emphasis if I try to

recast these as active voice sentences:
~Notice that in these sentences, the fact that someone broke the
window and someone ate the pie sits front and center.
~When anyone or anything is relegated to a little sidecar of a
prepositional phrase tacked on at the end of the sentence, then
is not emphasizing that person or thing at all.

the writer

~Another problem with many English classes is that the teachers

usually think that writing is "rule-driven."

Obviously, the sentences using the passive voice convey my meaning

more precisely. In the first two, switching to the active voice moves the
emphasis away from the points I wish to emphasize. And in the third
sentence, I have completely lost the reference to the students.
The 95% "rule"
I think of the passive voice as one of the tools available to me as a writer.
A handyman has many tools, and some of them are needed more often than
others. But just because hammers and screwdrivers are appropriate for more
tasks than some of the more exotic tools in his toolbox, that doesn't mean he
should just throw away all of the other tools. At some point he is bound to

come across a task that calls for that weird little thingamajig he almost never
uses, and when that happens, he will use that very thingamajig, not a
hammer or a screwdriver. On the other hand, he would be very foolish to try
using that odd little tool when all he wants to do is drive a nail or tighten a
screw.
Even though it is true that the passive voice is sometimes needed, that
doesn't mean it should be used very often. I tell my own students to make
sure that at least 95% of their verbs are in the active voice.*****
In fact, even that may be too generous. No passive voice verb should be
allowed to stand unless it can justify itself. In other words, every time you use
a passive verb, ask yourself why you are using a passive construction there.
If you don't have a good reason for it, then rewrite the sentence to use the
active voice. Many, even most, of your essays will have no need at all for the
passive voice, so keep it tucked away in the bottom of your toolbox and bring
it out only to do those jobs that can't be done by the active voice.

Active and Passive Voice

By Stacie Heaps
Professional Writer and Editor
In most cases and with most styles of writing, the active voice is preferred to the passive voice. The active voice is stronger
than the passive, and it therefore produces more powerful sentences.
If the subject of the sentence is the person or thing doing the acting, then the verb is in active voice.
Examples:

My boss made the decision yesterday.

Doug coordinated the meeting in Pauls absence.
We proposed the change last week.
The computer just crashed.

If the subject of the sentence is the person or thing receiving the action, then the verb is in passive voice. The passive voice is
created by writing a form of the verb to be with the past participle form of a verb. Such forms often include a by phrase after
the verb phrase to indicate who performed the action. In addition to being less direct, the passive voice is also generally
wordier than the active voice.
Examples:

The decision was made by my boss yesterday.

The meeting was coordinated by Doug in Pauls absence.

The change was proposed (by us) last week.

Using the Passive Voice

There are times when the passive voice is preferred, however. For example, the passive voice is necessary when the person
who acted is unknown.
Examples:

The package was sent to me last week. (We do not know who sent the package.)
The company was founded in 1992.
Many acts of service were performed without our knowledge.

The passive voice is also a good choice when the doer of the action is unimportant.
Examples:

The roads were cleared early this morning.

The mess was cleaned up before we arrived.
In the business world, important decisions are made every day.
The tickets were sold out last month.

Moreover, the passive voice is appropriate when you want the emphasis of the sentence to be on the action, rather than on the
person who performed the action. To shift the emphasis to the person acting, we use a prepositional phrase beginning with by.
Examples:

The message was delivered by John this afternoon.

The decision was made by the directors to sell the building.
Property in this town has been bought and sold by various investors over the years.
Several years ago the company was sold to our competitors by a man from the East.

And finally, the passive voice is useful when you want the doer of the action to remain anonymous.
Examples:

Last night the announcement was made that 300 employees would be laid off.
Three million dollars was donated to the foundation on Tuesday.
The cookies and other treats were delivered to the children while they were playing outside.

Also see the article entitled Conciseness.

Revising Passive Sentences

When changing a passive construction to the active voice, make sure that you keep the same verb tense.
Original:

Every day donuts are bought by our human resources representative.

Not:

Every day our human resource representative bought donuts.

But:

Every day our human resource representative buys donuts.

Original:

That movie was produced by Jonathan Doe, I believe.

Not:

Jonathan Doe had produced that movie, I believe.

But:

Jonathan Doe produced that movie, I believe.

Original:

The decision has already been made by the managers.

Not:

The managers had already made the decision.

But:

The managers have already made the decision.

Again, when deciding whether to use the active or passive voice, think about the purpose of the sentence and the audience for
whom it is intended. Then determine which part of the sentence is more importantthe action itself or the person or thing
doing the actingand write accordingly.

Passive Voice
Exercises on Passive

Use of Passive
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is
performing the action.

Example: My bike was stolen.

In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows:

Example: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a
mistake.).

Form of Passive
Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)

Example: A letter was written.

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence

the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)

the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

Examples of Passive
Tense

Subject

Verb

Object

Simple Present

Active:
Passive:

Simple Past

Active:
Passive:

Present Perfect

Active:
Passive:

Future I

Active:
Passive:

Hilfsverben

Active:
Passive:

writes

a letter.

is written

by Rita.

wrote

a letter.

A letter

was written

by Rita.

Rita

has written

a letter.

has been written

by Rita.

will write

a letter.

will be written

by Rita.

can write

a letter.

can be written

by Rita.

Rita
A letter
Rita

A letter
Rita
A letter
Rita
A letter

Examples of Passive
Tense

Present
Progressive

Past Progressive

Past Perfect

Future II

Conditional I

Conditional II

Subject

Verb

Object

is writing

a letter.

is being written

by Rita.

was writing

a letter.

was being written

by Rita.

had written

a letter.

A letter

had been written

by Rita.

Active:

Rita

will have written

a letter.

Passive
:

A letter

will have been written

by Rita.

Active:

Rita

would write

a letter.

Passive
:

A letter

would be written

by Rita.

Active:

Rita

would have written

a letter.

Active:

Rita

Passive
:

A letter

Active:

Rita

Passive
:

A letter

Active:

Rita

Passive
:

Passive
:

A letter

would have been written

by Rita.

Passive Sentences with Two Objects

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two objects becomes the
subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put
the focus on.

Subject

Active:

Rita

Verb

Object 1

Object 2

wrote

a letter

to me.

Passive:

A letter

was written

to me

by Rita.

Passive:

was written

a letter

by Rita.

.
As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound very elegant. Thats why it is usually dropped.

Personal and Impersonal Passive

Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive.

Example: They build houses. Houses are built.

Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object
that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you
need an impersonal construction therefore this passive is called Impersonal Passive.

Example: he says it is said

Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin). In English,
Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, know).

Example: They say that women live longer than men. It is said that women live longer than men.
Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.

Example: They say that women live longer than men. Women are said to live longer than men.

The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put
into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs
and that are dropped).
Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to
become the subject of the passive sentence.