Grammar

Passive Voice

·         When you express passive forms in present activity, you use the following pattern.

Subject + be (is, am, are) + verb 3 + object

·         When you express in past activity, you use the following one.

Subject + be (was, were) + verb 3 + object

·         After the verb, the passive forms can be followed by the word “by” to show the doer.

Example :

1.      Pontianak is passed by the equator

2.      I was hit by him

·         When the doer (the person who does the action) is not known or is not  important.

Example:

1.      This apple is grown in Malang

2.      English is spoken all around the world

·         When the doer of the action is understood from the context.

Example:

The burglar was arrested yesterday. [The police arrested him.]

·         When the action is more important than the doer.

Example:

1.      The Planetarium will be closed at 5 pm.

2.      The famous singer was shot at the concert last night.

If Clause (Conditional Sentences)

·         If clause is used to show conditional sentences .

·         In a conditional sentence there is a main clause and if-clause.

·         If + subject and verb = an if-clause.

·         When we talk about general truths, cause and effect, facts, habitual reactions, commands, and advice, if-clause and main clause are in simple present.

Example:

1.      If you cool metal, it contrast. [cause and effect]

2.      If you go around the world, you return to the same point. [general truth]

3.      If you feel sick, see a doctor. [advice]

·         To express strong possibility, if-clause is in simple present and main clause is in future tense [will].

Example: If you study hard, you will pass.

·         To express an unreal situation in the present or in the future, if-clause is in simple past and main clause is in past future [would, could, might].

The Use of Connectors (So, Too, Either, Neither)

·         and.. too

Trans TV is in Jakarta, and RCTI is  too.

·         and so..

Trans TV is in Jakarta,  and so is RCTi.

·         The sentences above have the same meaning.

·         After  and so…, the auxiliary verb (aux) comes before the subject.

·         and… either

I don’t like reading magazine, and Nania doesn’t either.

·         and neither…

I don’t like reading magazine, and neither does Nania.

·         The sentences above have the same meaning.

·         After  and neither…, the auxiliary verb comes before the subject.

·         A negative auxiliary verb is used with and… either. An affirmative auxiliary verb is used with and neither…

The Use of While

·         The past progressive is often used in a sentence together with past simple tense.

·         When this happens, the past progressive usually refers to longer action, the past simple refers to a shorter action/event that happened in the middle of the longer one.

·         The pattern:

Past simple tense WHILE past progressive

S + verb 2 WHILE S + was/were + verb 1 + ing

Shorter action – longer action

Or WHILE Past Progressive, Past simple tense

Emphasizing the Contrast

·         Although is used to emphasize the contrast or to introduce a statement that makes your main statement seem suprising or unlikely.

·         We can also use though and even though to emphasize that something is true although something else has happened or is true.

·         Though is commonly used in speaking.

Relative Clauses: Who, Whom, Which, That, Where

·         We use a relative clause to identity or define the noun preceding it.

·         Who is used for people in the subject position.

·         Whom is used for people in the object position. It is generally used in very formal English.

·         Who is usually used in speaking.

·         Which is used for animals and things.

·         That is used for people, animals, and things

·         Which is more formal than that.

·         Where refers to place.

from the book "The Bridge English Competence"