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Arrange a game in which a player has to say (1) the end of a sentence, (2) the beginning of it.
One player says, "I gave Nick a pen," another player says, "Nick took the pen."
Or: One player says, "I borrowed some money from Ralph," another player says, "Since Ralph is
generous and kind he lent you some money and you borrowed it from him."
Complete the conversation. Put in the two phrases on the right and decide which pattern to use. Put the
new information at the end.
A: When I got some petrol at the garage, they gave me this card. You can buy things with it, it says
here. this card — me
: Yes, when you buy petrol, they give 1 ... l a little sticker— you
to stick on the card. When you've filled all
the spaces on the card, you take 2 ... and 2 the card — the garage
hand 3 ... . He'll give 4 ... from the catalogue. 3 it — the cashier
The more cards you fill, the better. Twenty 4 something — you
cards will buy 5 .... 5 a sports bag — you
A: I haven't got a catalogue.
B: Well, I'll show 6 ... then. 6 mine — you
Key: 1 you a little sticker; 2 the card to the garage; 3 it to the cashier;
4 something to you; 5 a sports bag for you; 6 you mine.
The agent in sentences with a passive structure is expressed by "by" + N. The majority of passive
sentences that occur in speech and writing (85%) do not have an explicit agent. The EFL teacher has to
tell the students when and why to retain the agent in those 15% of passive sentences rather than trying to
give them rules for omitting the agent in those 85% of passive structures. It happens in one of the
following cases:
1. The agent is a proper name, a renowned artist, poet, inventor, etc. who is too important to be omitted
in the context. Radio was invented by Popov.
2. The agent is an indefinite noun phrase, i.e. new information for which sake the sentence was
construed.
The details were given by a secretary, not by the senior staff.
3. The agent is an inanimate noun phrase which gives unexpected information.
The effect was achieved by a change of tactics.
The agentless passive structures should be more emphasized by the EFL teacher.
In a passive sentence the point of interest can be other information such as time, place, manner or
instrument. The instrument, tool with which something is done is rendered by a noun phrase with the
preposition "with."
The window was broken by Jack. (agent)
The window was broken with a hammer, (instrument)
The passive structure should not be confused with "be" +A structures in which A is a participial
adjective having the form of participle II.
"At" is used to indicate a reaction to someone or something after the following adjectives:
amazed disappointed
amused embarrassed
annoyed irritated
astonished pleased