MASTER ENGLISH SENTENCES WITH S+V (9) : How to create the passive after the first verb
A SENTENCE: S+V PATTERN & FOUR ELEMENTS
English sentences are not so complicated if you analyze them or create them with a framework in mind, S+V & four elements (Verb, Noun, Adjective, Adverb). I will analyze one sentence and you can do the same when you read so complex English texts will become easier to understand.
Sentence: Actually, having more holidays helps those clever men work more efficiently.
[Step 1 - look at a bigger picture]
S (Subject): having more holidays
V (Action/State): helps those clever men work more efficiently
[Step 2 - look into details]
Noun: holidays, those men
Verb: having, helps, work
Adjective: more (to describe the noun 'holidays'), clever (to describe the noun 'men')
Adverb: efficiently (to describe the verb 'work'), more (to emphasize the adverb 'efficiently'), actually (to add more information to the whole sentence, 3 possible positions in a sentence-the beginning, the middle and the end of a sentence)
If you go backward, you can create a sentence of your own very easily.
In this lesson, we will not discuss adjectives or adverbs but the verbs in the action part of a sentence and we will even include two or three verbs. This brings us to the question on how to change the second and third verbs correctly and verb forms are what we need to learn so we can make correct changes.
VERB FORMS
Here are some examples of different verb forms.
regular verb: V1-work, V2-worked, V3-worked, V4-working, V5-works
[V2 and V3 forms have 'ed' ending so we call them 'regular verbs' and there are rules concerning how to add 'ed' to the verb.]
irregular verb: V1-get, V2-got, V3-got / gotten, V4-getting, V5-gets
[They are called irregular verbs because V2 and V3 have no 'ed' ending.]
be verb: V1-be, V2-was / were, V3-been, V4-being, V5-am / is / are
[They are 'be verbs'. V2 and V5 have different options depending on the subject they follow.]
helping verb: V1-shall, V2-should
[These are 'helping verbs' or 'auxiliary verbs' and have only two forms.]
ACTIVE ACTION PATTERNS
Next the verbs will be used in sentences to demonstrate various patterns.
(1) one verb action (only one verb in the action part of a sentence):
Eg (example). He is a lawyer.
[S-subject: he] [V-action: is a lawyer]
Verb forms: V1-be, V2-was / were, V3-been, V4-being, V5-am / is / are
The first and only verb 'is' reveals the time when this action happens. This action happens at present so we choose V5 form 'is' to let readers know he is a lawyer now.
Eg. He was a lawyer.
We use 'was' to show this action happened in the past so he was a lawyer before. Here the verb should be V2 form 'was'.
Eg. She has a house.
[S-she] [V-has a house]
Verb forms: V1-have, V2-had, V3-had, V4-having, V5-has
The verb 'has' shows she has a house now and we use V5 form to express something at present or now.
Eg. She had a house.
The verb is changed into 'had' because this actions happened in the past meaning she had a house before. V2 form 'had' is used to show a past action.
(2) two verb action
Eg. Her parents will tell her to contact you.
[S-subject: her parents] [V-action: will tell her to contact you]
Verb forms: V1-tell, V2-told, V3-told, V4-telling, V5-tells
Verb forms: V1-contact, V2-contacted, V3-contacted, V4-contacting, V5-contacts
There are two verbs in the action part ('will tell' & 'to contact'). The first verb is decided by the time when the action happens. Judged by 'will tell', we know this will happen in the future and V1 form 'tell' is used for something in the future with 'will' (will+V1). The second verb changes according to the first verb. When 'tell' appears as the first verb, the second verb should be changed into 'to V1' form so we see 'to contact' in this example.
Eg. Sleeping will help our bodies recover
[S-subject: sleeping] [V-action: will help our bodies recover]
Verb forms: V1-help, V2-helped, V3-helped, V4-helping, V5-helps
Verb forms: V1-recover, V2-recovered, V3-recovered, V4-recovering, V5-recovers
There are also two verbs in the action part. The first verbs in the following examples have all been designed to use V1 form so I will only focus on the other verbs. When the first verb is 'help', the second verb should adopt 'V1' form so 'recover' is used in this sentence.
Eg. We girls will go swimming.
[S-subject: we girls] [V-action: will go swimming]
Verb forms: V1-go, V2-went, V3-gone, V4-going, V5-goes
Verb forms: V1-swim, V2-swam, V3-swum, V4-swimming, V5-swims
If the verb 'go' is followed by another verb in V4 form (go+Ving), it means 'doing an activity'.
The examples above represent various patterns regarding verbs in the action part, especially changes of the second verbs, with 'active' meanings [see my lesson S+V (8) for comparison of active and passive actions]. The patterns are as follows:
[S: Subject] [V: Action]
-.................... [V+(N)+X ...]
-.................... [V+(N)+to V1 ...]
-.................... [V+(N)+V1 ...]
-.................... [V+(N)+V4 ...]
PASSIVE ACTION PATTERNS
Now I am making further changes to the second verbs in the patterns from above by using 'be verbs'.
[S: Subject] [V: Action]
-.................... [V+(N)+X...]
-.................... [V+(N)+to be ...]
-.................... [V+(N)+be ...]
-.................... [V+(N)+being ...]
Next, I am adding the third verb to the action part and all of them use V3 form.
[S: Subject] [V: Action]
-.................... [V+(N)+ X +V3]
-.................... [V+(N)+to be +V3]
-.................... [V+(N)+ be +V3]
-.................... [V+(N)+ being+V3]
In this way, passive actions are created after the first verbs, with the second and sometimes third verbs.
Let's compare active action patterns with passive ones again so you can observe their relationships.
⇨1. the verbs after the first verbs are 'active' actions (Learn more in the lessons S+V:1, 3, 5, 6, 7)
[S: Subject] [V: Action]
-.................... [V+(N)+X .....]
-.................... [V+(N)+to V1 .....]
-.................... [V+(N)+V1 .....]
-.................... [V+(N)+V4 .....]
⇨2. the verbs after the first verbs become 'passive' actions (Learn more in the lesson S+V:8)
[S: Subject] [V: Action]
-.................... [V+(N)+ X +V3]
-.................... [V+(N)+to be +V3]
-.................... [V+(N)+ be +V3]
-.................... [V+(N)+ being +V3]
What do they look like in real sentences?
[1] Action: V+(N)+to be+V3
Eg. We want to be respected.
[S-subject: we] [V-action: want to be respected]
Verb forms: V1-respect, V2-respected, V3-respected, V4-respecting, V5-respects
Eg. The protesters should decline to be named.
[S-subject: the protesters] [V-action: should decline to be named]
Verb forms: V1-name, V2-named, V3-named, V4-naming, V5-names
Eg. The politicians expect to be elected.
[S-subject: the politicians] [V-action: expect to be elected]
Verb forms: V1-elect, V2-elected, V3-elected, V4-electing, V5-elects
Eg. The investors expect profit figures to be published.
[S-subject: the investors] [V-action: expect profit figures to be published]
Verb forms: V1-publish, V2-published, V3-published, V4-publishing, V5-publishes
When you use the first verbs like 'want', 'decline', 'expect' or 'expect'+Noun, the passive action after those verbs is created with 'to be' and 'V3' , such as 'to be respected', 'to be named', 'to be elected' and 'to be published'.
Eg. The plants need to be trimmed.
[S-subject: the plants] [V-action: need to be trimmed]
= The plants need trimming
[S-subject: the plants] [V-action: need trimming]
Verb forms: V1-trim, V2-trimmed, V3-trimmed, V4-trimming, V5-trims
This is a special case. If we want to create a passive action after the verb 'need', there are two ways to achieve this, one with 'to be' and 'V3' (to be trimmed), the other with 'V4' (trimming).
[2] Action: V+(N)+be+V3
Eg. I let myself be fooled.
[S-subject: I] [V-action: let myself be fooled]
Verb forms: V1-fool, V2-fooled, V3-fooled, V4-fooling, V5-fools
If a sentence has 'let' as the first verb, 'be' and V3 (be fooled) are needed to create a passive action behind 'let'.
[3] Action: V+(N)+being+V3
Eg. You can avoid being caught.
[S-subject: you] [V-action: can avoid being caught]
Verb forms: V1-catch, V2-caught, V3-caught, V4-catching, V5-cathes
If you see verbs like 'avoid', you can create a passive action after those verbs by adding 'being' and 'V3' such as 'being caught' in the sentence above.
[4] Action: V+N+X (no be verb)+V3
Eg. I will have my hair cut.
[S-subject: I] [V-action: will have my hair cut]
Verb forms: V1-cut, V2-cut, V3-cut, V4-cutting, V5-cuts
Eg. The union leader will get the workers fired.
[S-subject: the union leader] [V-action: will get the workers fired]
Verb forms: V1-fire, V2-fired, V3-fired, V4-firing, V5-fires
Eg. You will see the sale advertised.
[S-subject: You] [V-action: will see the sale advertised]
Verb forms: V1-advertise, V2-advertised, V3-advertised, V4-advertising, V5-advertises
Eg. The residents want the criminal punished.
[S-subject: The residents] [V-action: want the criminal punished]
Verb forms: V1-punish, V2-punished, V3-punished, V4-punishing, V5-punishes
The verbs such as 'have', 'get', 'see' and 'want' are often followed by a noun and then a passive action that is expressed with only one verb in V3 form.
In the case of 'want', whether it is followed by a noun will affect how the passive actions after 'want' is formed:
want+X+to be+V3
want+N +V3
[5-1] Special situations: V+(N)+to get+V3
Eg. The politicians expect to get elected.
[S-subject: the politicians] [V-action: expect to get elected]
When the passive actions are difficult, unexpected or unwelcome, we can also use 'get' to replace 'be verb' so 'to be' is changed into 'to get' in this example because getting elected is not an easy task.
[5-2] Special situations: V+(N)+getting+V3
Eg. You can avoid getting caught.
[S-subject: you] [V-action: can avoid getting caught]
In this sentence, 'being' is replaced by 'getting' because 'getting caught' is something unwelcome.
Don't forget to watch the video more so you can listen and speak more, which will help you be familiar with what you have learned.
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