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PRONUNCIATION

Past Tense Endings

hepasttenseformsof regular
English words end in -ed, -d, or -ied. These past tense endings
Hlowfixed pronunciation patterns.
endings are pronounced as /rd/
lb the consonant sounds /t, d/, past tense
PRESENT TENSE PRONUNCIATION PAST TENSE PRONUNCIATION
Part pa:t parted pa:tid
wanted WDntrd
want WDnt
faund founded faondid
found
raid rerd raided rerdid

ter the consonant sounds /p, k, tf, f, 0, s, J/, past tense endings are pronounced as //
PRONUNCIATION PAST TENSE PRONUNCIATION
PRESENT TENSE

tap taæp tapped taept

look luk looked lukt
watch wpt watched wott
laugh la:f laughed laft
earth 3:0 earthed 3:0t
CCase si:S ceased sSt

brush bra brushed brat

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After allother consonants and all vowels. past tense endings are pronounced as /d/
PRESENT TENSE PRONUNCIATION PAST TENSE PRONUNCIATION
rub TAb rubbed CAbd

drag dræg dragged drægd

plunge plands plunged plandyd

hum hAm hummed hamd

starve sta:v starved stavd

call kT:l called kT:ld

dry drat dried drard

pray prer prayed prerd

EXERCISE
ldentify whether the past tense endings of the following words are pronounced as /rd/, /u
or /d/. Transcribe the past tense forms of each word using phonemic symbols.
1 search 5 pass 9. dash 13. hint
2. borrow 6. fund 10. guide 14. pour
3 fll 7. pick 11. skid 15. undo
4. 16. praise
SCore 8. lie 12. weigh

VOCABULARY

Technical Vocabulary for Everyday Conversations

There are many words from the fields of science and technology that are used in multiple
senses in everyday communication in English. In this unit, we will look at a few of them.
browser
application to view webpages: This web browser has several privacy-focused features.
someone who looks around casually in ashop without secking anything specific: The shop
keeper disliked browsers who hung around all day without buying anything.
cellular

relating to living cells: Humans are multi-cellular organisms.

relating to mobile telephone systems: UPhone offers better cellular coverage than CityTel.
climate
long-term weather condition of a region: The earth's climate is rapidly changing.
prevailing trend of public opinion: The political climate was quite hostile to new ideas.
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current
Aow of electricity through a conductor: I measured the current in thecircuit.
flow ofa fluid in aspecific direction: The Gulf Stream current warms western Europe.
belonging to the present moment: The current Instagram trend is making travel reels.
ferment

undergo fermentation: The grape juice has fermented into wine.

agitation among people, often leading to violence: It was atime of religious ferment.
glacial
extremely cold or icy: The river water felt glacial today.
moving extremely slowly (like aglacier): His writes at aglacial pace.
monitor

screen used to display visual output: My computer monitor was dusty.

observe or track something closely: The cyclone needs to be monitored.
network
linked group of computers: Our school network was hacked recently.
interact with others to develop contacts: She attends seminars to network with peers.
patch
small piece of code inserted into a computer program to improve or correct it: The latest
software patch is slowing computers down.
Small part different fromthe surrounding area: He has a bald patch on his head.
small piece of ground: Sai grows tomatoes in the patch behind his house.
mend something that is torn or broken: The municipal corporation is hastily patching
potholes before the monsoon begins.
satellite

natural or man-made object orbiting alarger object in space: Jupiter has many satellites
community or country dependent on another: I live in a satellite township.
virulent
(of adisease) extremely harmful in its effects: Smallpox is virulent.
bitterly hostile: Her speech against the committee members was virulent.

EXERCISE
For eachof the words on the following page, find at leasttwo meanings:one usage related
to science and technology, and another, more general one. Use the words in sentences of
your own that demonstrate the multiple meanings of the word.

157
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 INSPIRING ENGLISH

Maria was given a present by Vidya. (indirect object Maria made the subject of the
passiveconstruction)

Apresent was given to Maria by Vidya. (direct object apresent made the subject of the
passive construction)
When the object of a verb in the active voice is a clause introduced by that, the
corresponding sentence in the passive voice begins with it.
Everyone says that the elections should be postponed.
It is said that the elections should be postponed. (by everyone is felt to be unnecessary
and is usually omitted)
We know hat many species of plants and animals are in danger of extinction.
It is known that many species of plants and animals are in danger of extinction. (by us
usually omitted)
In the sentences above that are in the active voice, the doer(s) appearing as their subjects
do not refer to aparticular person or people. We therefore omit them when the sentences
are changed into the passive voice. But note that we do not do this if the reference is to a
particular person or people.
The scientist proved that the new virus is drug resistant.
It was proved by.the. scientist that the new virus is drug resistant.
HOW TO CONVERT FROM ACTIVE TO PASSIVE
Two changes happen to a sentence when we convert it from the active voice to the passive.
The words/phrases in the subject and object positions are interchanged, and by is added
to what appears in the object position (eg., 'by us, by her:, 'by them').
The verb in the active voice changes to the verb be in an appropriate tense + the past
participle of the main verb.
The table below shows how to change the form of the verb when converting from the active
to the passive voice.
TENSE ACTIVEFORM PASSIVE FORM

write, writes am/is/are + written

simple present She writes stories. Stories are written by her.
am/is/are+ writing am/is/are + being written
present continuous
She is writing stories. Stories are being writen by her.
has/have+ written has/have + been written
present perfect She has written stories. Stories have been written by her.

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Wrote was/were+ written

simple past She wrote stories. Stories were written by her.

past continuous was/were writing was/were + being written

She was writing stories. Stories were being written by her.
had written had + been written
past perfect
She had written stories. Stories had been written by her.
will/shall write will/shall be written
simple future
She will write stories. Stories will be writtenby her.
will/shall + have written will/shall+ have been written
future perfect She will have written stories. Stories will have been written by her.
The perfect continuous tenses and the future continuous are not included in the table because
they are rarely used in spoken or even in written English.
Next, look at the following commands (where you is the implied subject in the sentences in
the active voice) and see how they can be changed into the passive voice.
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
Give him some money.
........ Let himn be given some money.
Make the bed. Let the bed be made.
The form of the verb in passive voice is thus let' + new subject + 'be' + past participle.
Finally, note how questions are changed into passive voice.
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
Did you understand the lesson? Was the lesson understood by you?
Do they sell building material? Is building material sold by them?
Is she knitting a sweater? Is a sweater being knit by her?
Will Neha buy the two-wheeler? Willthe two-wheeler be bought by Neha?
Should we offer money for the food? Should money be offered for the food?
Has Rita read the books? Have the books been read by Rita?
When didthe owner shut down the factory? When was the factory shut down by the owner?
Note that the active voice is the usual, preferred form in the case of questions.
USES OF ACTIVE AND PASSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS
The actiye voice is used when we want to give prominence to the doer of the action.
The pews.editor briefed the young reporter.

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The passive voice is used to highlight the receiver of the action.

The young reporter was briefed by the news editor.
The active voice is more commonly used than the passive voice. For example, the sentence
'Suresh drinks coffee at breakfast, in the active voice, is more likely to be used in speech and
writing than the passive 'Coffee is drunk at breakfast by Suresh. However, the passive voice
has its uses in English and is, in fact, preferred in the following situations:
when we want to draw attention to the result of an action or to its receiver, rather than
tothe doer of the action
Ten new extension centres have been opened by the bank.
when the doer of an action is not really important or relevant to the context, is unknown,
or is too well understood to require mention
The room was cleaned before the guests arrived.
Although the phrase 'by + noun phrase is often omitted, as in the example above, in
somecases an adverbial is needed in order to make the sense of the sentence complete.
Rice is grown in many parts.of the.world.
Inother cases, a'by +noun phrase' is needed to complete the sense of the sentence.
The draft of the Indian Constitution was prepared by DrAmbedkar.
in newspaper reports and scientific and technical writing, where the focus is on the event
or process described rather than on the agent
People in the afected areas were evacuated and sent torelief camps.
The mixture of hydro chloric acid and salt was shaken vigorously.
when we wish to make astatement or an order sound impersonal or less unpleasant
Students will be assessed at the end of each semester.
The work has to be completed by Friday.
when talking about natural calamities, like earthquakes and typhoons
Japan was rocked by a powerful earthquake in 2011.
when we wish to hide the identity of the performer of an action
It is confirmed that the leaders of the two countries will hold talks soon.
when people in general are the performers of actions
Alot of money is being spent now on food, clothes and entertainment.
where the doer of an action is represented by an indefinite pronoun, such as 'someone
She called the dentist's clinic for an appointment and was told that he was away.
(rather than ...someone told her that he was away')

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EXERCISES
A. Rewrite the following sentences in passive form using the words iin brackets. Use the
'by + .. phrase only if you think it is really necessary.
For example: We are shortlisting candidates for the interview. (being)
Candidates for the interview are being shortlisted.
1. The chairman praised Sarala for her good work. (was)
2. People say that she is an excellent pilot. (said)
3. The child will always remember the story. (remembered)
4. Find the lost documents immediately. (found)
5. When are you buying the motorcycle? (being)
6. Can you pay the tuition fees tomorrow? (paid)
7. Everyone trusts an honest person. (trusted)
8. Iknow Amina. (known)

B. Do as directed in the brackets at the end of each sentence below.

For example: The offhce willbe giving us a housing loan. (Begin the sentence with we')
We will be given a housing loan by the office.
1. Abook on naturopathy is being published by Peacock Books.(Begin the sentence with
Peacock Books.)
2. The doctor will ask hera few questions. (Begin the sentence with she')
3. It is felt that noone is prepared to work hard. (Begin the sentence with we')
4. The electrician can repair the switch. (Begin the sentence with the switch')
5. My phone has been stolen. (Begin the sentence with 'someone')
6. The cats have not been fed today. (Begin the sentence with 'no one')
7 The audience saw a man walking up to the stage. (Begin the sentence with 'a man.)
8. Zaid was being chased by adog. (Begin the sentence with 'a dog')

ADDITIONAL READING

Why We Love Holiday Rituals and Traditions

Dimitris Xygalatas
The mere thought ofholiday traditions brings smiles to most people's faces and elicits te ellng
of sweet anticipation and nostalgia. We can almost smell those candles, tastethose special
meals, hear those familiar songs in our minds.
Ritual marks some of the most important moments in our lives, from personal
milestones like birthdays and weddings to seasonal celebrations like Thanksgiving and

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