Personal / Impersonal passive constructions

The verbs think, believe, say report, know, expect, consider, understand, etc. are used in the following passive patterns in personal and impersonal constructions:

REPORTED SPEECH

Change of tenses

When we report someone's words afterwards, the verb forms often move into the past. This is because what they said is now in the past.

Notice:

a The changes in place and time references in the reported statements.

here → there

last year → the year before

b Other modal verbs (would, could, should, ought, might) do not change in  

reported speech

c The changes in pronouns used in reported speech.

Verbs and conjunctions used for reporting

a In statements, say and tell are the most common reporting verbs.

He said it was true. Not: He told it was true.

He said it was true. Not: He said me it was true.

He said to me (that) it was true. Not: He told tome (that) it wan true.

These verbs can be followed by that, but it is not necessary.

b  In questions, ask and want to know are common reporting verbs.

c In Yes/ No questions the verb is joined to the reported words with if or  

whether.

d In Wh- questions, we do not need if or whether.

‘What do you think?' → He asked me what I thought.

Word order in reported questions

The word order in reported questions is the same as in normal statements.

‘Can you come early?’→ She asked if I could come early.

‘Did you see anything suspicious?’ → The police officer wanted to

know if we had seen anything suspicious.

CONDITIONALS

Conditionals are clauses introduced with if. There are three types of conditional clauses: Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3. There is also another common type, Type 0.

Type 0 Conditionals

They are used to express something which is always true. We can use when (=whenever) instead of if.

If/When the sun shines, snow melts.

Type 1 Conditionals

They are used to express real or very probable situations in the present or future.

If he doesn’t study hard, he won’t pass his exam.

Type 2 Conditionals

They are used to express imaginary situations which are contrary to facts in the present and, therefore, are unlikely to happen in the present or future.

If I got up earlier, I would not be late for classes.

Type 3 conditionals

They are used to express imaginary situations which are contrary to the facts in the past. They are also used to express regrets and criticism.

If John hadn’t got up late, he wouldn’t have missed the train.

INFINITIVE – GERUND – PARTICIPLES

The Infinitive

The to-infinitive is used:

1 To express purpose:

Sam went to the bank to get some money.

2 After certain verbs: afford, agree, appear, decide, expect, hope, offer, plan, promise, refuse, want, etc.

He promised to help us.

3 After adjectives: happy, glad, clever, mean, stupid, etc:

I’m very glad to seeyou.

4 After too / enough

She is too young to stay out so late.

The bare infinitive is used:

1 After the modal verbs (must, may, should, can, etc.)

You must study hard.

2 After the verbs let, make, see, hear, and feel.

They made him pay for the damage.

The Gerund

The Gerund is used:

1 As a noun:

Swimming keeps you fit..

2 After certain verbs: admit, avoid, consider, delay, deny, discuss, enjoy,

 imagine, postpone, suggest, etc

They considered movingto Spain.

3 After  dislike, enjoy, hate, like, love, prefer:

She likes painting.

BUT: I would like to go to the cinema tomorrow.

4 After expressions such as: it’s no use, what’s the use, can’t help

there’s no point (in), can’t stand

What’s the use of waiting for an answer?

5 After prepositions:

He left without saying goodbye.

He was found guilty of lying in court.

The Participles

The Participles are:

Present Participles (staying, leaving, etc.),

Perfect Participles (having left,etc.).

Past Participles (stayed, left, etc.)

1 Present and past participles can be used as adjectives.

It was an embarrassingsituation. (What kind of situation? Embarrassing.)

He was embarrassed.(How did he feel? Embarrassed.)

2  Participles can also be used:

a to express reason.

Feeling shy, Laura didn't talk to Ben.

Having seen the filmbefore, I decided to stay at home.(= Because I had seen the film before, I decided to stay at home.)

b to express time.

Aftertaking/having takenhis Master's degree,he applied for a job.

Having taken his Master's degree,he applied for a job.

We met John while shopping.

c instead of the past simple in narratives when we describe actions  

happening immediately one after the other.

Hearing the news, she fainted.

d to avoid repeating the past continuous in the same sentence.

He was walking down the street whistlinga tune. (= He was walking down the street and he was whistlinga tune.)

SUFFIXES

Common suffixes for nouns

-ance, -ence

Often used to form abstract nouns from adjectives ending in -ant or-ent:

patient – patience, tolerant – tolerance.

-ее

Used to describe a person on whom an action is performed: employee (= person who is employed), trainee (= person who is being trained).

- er, -ian, -or

Often used for people or things that do a particular job: act – actor, football – footballer, music – musician.

-hood

Used to form abstract nouns, especially those concerned with periods of life or relationships between people: child – childhood. mother - motherhood

-ism

Often used to describe particular religions or ideologies, and with some abstract nouns: liberalism, criticism, cynicism.

-ist

Used to describe people's beliefs and sometimes their occupation:

journalis, pianist.