ACTIVE / PASSIVE VOICE

Active voice
In most English sentences with an action verb, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb. These examples show that the subject is doing the verb's action.

Because the subject does or "acts upon" the verb in such sentences, the sentences are said to be in the active voice.

Passive voice
One can change the normal word order of many active sentences (those with a direct object) so that the subject is no longer active, but is, instead, being acted upon by the verb - or passive. Note in these examples how the subject-verb relationship has changed.

Because the subject is being "acted upon" (or is passive), such sentences are said to be in the passive voice. NOTE: Colorful parrots live in the rainforests cannot be changed to passive voice because the sentence does not have a direct object. To change a sentence from active to passive voice, do the following: 1. Move the active sentence's direct object into the sentence's subject slot

2. Place the active sentence's subject into a phrase beginning with the preposition by

3. Add a form of the auxiliary verb be to the main verb and change the main verb's form

Because passive voice sentences necessarily add words and change the normal doer-action-receiver of action direction, they may make the reader work harder to understand the intended meaning. As the examples below illustrate, a sentence in active voice flows more smoothly and is easier to understand than the same sentence in passive voice.

It is generally preferable to use the ACTIVE voice.

To change a passive voice sentence into an active voice sentence, simply reverse the steps shown above. 1. Move the passive sentence's subject into the active sentence's direct object slot

2. Remove the auxiliary verb be from the main verb and change main verb's form if needed

3. Place the passive sentence's object of the preposition by into the subject slot.

Because it is more direct, most writers prefer to use the active voice whenever possible. The passive voice may be a better choice, however, when

the doer of the action is unknown, unwanted, or unneeded in the sentence Examples

the writer wishes to emphasize the action of the sentence rather than the doer of the action Examples

the writer wishes to use passive voice for sentence variety.

Present Tense - Third Person

English Grammar Rules

Normally in the present tense we add S to the end of the verb in the 3rd person (He, She, It).
Verb 3rd Person

Speak Speaks Play Give Plays Gives

Make Makes

He speaks three languages. She drinks coffee every morning. My dog hates my cat.

Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs in English in the present tense follow very simple rules. The only change that is made to these verbs is in the third person for He, She or It. 1. If the verb ends in SS, X, CH, SH or the letter O, we add + ES in the third person.
Verb Kiss Fix 3rd Person Kisses Fixes

Watch Watches Crash Crashes

Go

Goes

A mechanic fixes cars. She watches soap operas every afternoon. He kisses his wife before he goes to work.

2. If the verb ends in a Consonant + Y, we remove the Y and + IES in the third person.
Verb 3rd Person

Carry Carries Hurry Hurries Study Studies Deny Denies

Isabel studies every night. The baby cries all the time. He denies all responsibility.

Negative Sentence
To form the negative we use the auxiliary do not. Again, the only variation occurs in the 3rd person where we use does not.

Positive I talk She talks

Negative I do not talk She does not talk

You sleep He sleeps

You do not sleep He does not sleep

Carol studies Carol does not study We study We do not study

In the negative, the main verb is always in the bare infinitive (without TO). It doesn't change for the third person. We don't put an S on the end of the verb in the negative form. In the examples above - talk, sleep and study do not change in the 3rd person.

He speaks Italian He doesn't speak Italian.

Remember: Do not can be abbreviated to Don't and Does not can be abbreviated to Doesn't.

Conditional sentences - type I

Conditional sentences (if-clauses, main clauses)

Use
It is possible to fulfil a condition which is given in the if-clause.

Form
if clause main clause will-future or infinitive or Modal + infinitive

Simple Present

Examples
If I study, If you see John tonight, If Ben gets up early, I will pass the exams. tell him to e-mail me. he can catch the bus.

The if-clause can be at the beginning or at the end of the sentence. If I study, I will pass the exams I will pass the exams. if I study.

Conditional sentences - type II

Conditional sentences (if-clauses, main clauses)

Use
It is theoretically possible to fulfil a condition which is given in the if-clause.

Form
if clause main clause would + infinitive or could + infinitive or might + infinitive

Simple Past

Examples
If I studied, If I studied, If I studied, I would pass the exams. I could pass the exams. I might pass the exams.

The if-clause can be at the beginning or at the end of the sentence. If I studied, I would pass the exams I would pass the exams. if I studied.

Conditional sentences - type III

Use
It is impossible to fulfil a condition which is given in the if-clause.

Form
if clause main clause would + have + past participle or could + have + past participle or might + have + past participle

Past Perfect

Examples
If I had studied, If I had studied, If I had studied, I would have passed the exams. I could have passed the exams. I might have passed the exams.

The if-clause can be at the beginning or at the end of the sentence. If I had studied, I would have passed the exams I would have passed the exams. if I had studied.