Passive Voice: Video and Model Text and Freer Practice

(TESOL Materials--Passive Voice)

Video: The Passive Voice

Worksheet: docs, pub

Notes: The video comes from Easy English Youtube Channel.  I've made up a worksheet to accompany it.

Staging follows like this:

Lead-in: Talk to a partner about a time that you were late.  Why were you late?

Gist Listening: Watch the video. Jerry has been late 3 times.  Why has he been late? (note: stop the video at 6:20)

Specific Information Questions: Use Worksheet.  Only play until 2:30.

Noticing the Target Language: Handout out adjusted transcript.  Tell students that some of the sentences are different from the video.  Play the video again, and students correct the sentences on the transcript to make them the same as the video.  Check answers with answer sheet.

The Clarification Stage: 

Clarify Meaning: Display video from 7:04.  Have the sound off.  Concept Checking Questions: Do these sentences have the same meaning?

Clarify Form: Display screen of video at 8:00.  Elicit the form from students for each passive tense.

Clarify pronunciation: Remove screen from view of students, and drill pronunciation.

Possibly follow up with Controlled and Semi-Controlled Practice: (e.g. here, here or here).

In the Freer Practice: Students write about a time they were late using the passive voice (link)  Feedback with a gallery walk (link).

The Passive Voice

https://youtu.be/7FBr-G0ur9I?si=CNn6h6zcsbYB-TNC

1. How many times has Jerry been late this week?

2. How long was Jerry’s car sitting in the same spot this morning?

3. What stopped traffic today?

4. Where did the animals escape from?

5. How late was Jerry yesterday?

6. Why did the policeman pull Jerry over?

1. How many times has Jerry been late this week?

2. How long was Jerry’s car sitting in the same spot this morning?

3. What stopped traffic today?

4. Where did the animals escape from?

5. How late was Jerry yesterday?

6. Why did the policeman pull Jerry over?

Boss: Jerry, this is the third time you've been late this week. We needed you in that meeting today. Fortunately we did the deal, but it almost didn't happen.

Jerry: I'm really sorry, but I was stuck in traffic. My car was sitting in the same spot for 30 minutes.

Boss: If you're getting stuck in traffic every day then you should leave the house earlier.

Jerry: I know, but that isn't the problem. Today was the first time that I was stuck in traffic and it wasn't normal rush hour traffic either.

Boss: What do you mean?

Jerry: Today a zebra stopped traffic.

Boss: A zebra?

Jerry: Yeah, I saw it. The zebra walked right in front of my car. Another car almost hit  the zebra. People saw other animals on the freeway too. It was crazy

Boss: You expect me to believe that a zebra delayed you.

Jerry: It's true. People talked about it on the radio. You should listen to the report. People think that the animals escaped from the zoo

Boss: I'm going to have to check out your story. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now, but what about yesterday? You were an hour late.

Jerry: Yesterday I was driving to work when a policeman stopped my car. The policeman pulled me over and the policeman told me I was under arrest.

Boss: Really? Why?

Jerry: The policeman said that people had seen my car at the scene of a crime

Boss: It sounds like you're making up stories.  Did that really happen?

Jerry: It's all true. When the policeman pulled me over, the policeman asked me to get out of the car. He handcuffed my hands behind my back. He said that people had seen my car on the camera of a gas station that the thieves had robbed.

Boss: Jerry, this is the third time you've been late this week. You were needed in that meeting today. Fortunately the deal was done, but it almost didn't happen.

Jerry: I'm really sorry, but I was stuck in traffic. My car was sitting in the same spot for 30 minutes.

Boss: If you're getting stuck in traffic every day then you should leave the house earlier.

Jerry: I know, but that isn't the problem. Today was the first time that I was stuck in traffic and it wasn't normal rush hour traffic either.

Boss: What do you mean?

Jerry: Today traffic was stopped by a zebra

Boss: A zebra?

Jerry: Yeah, I saw it. The zebra walked right in front of my car. It was almost hit by another car. Other animals were seen on the freeway too. It was crazy

Boss: You expect me to believe that you were delayed by a zebra.

Jerry: It's true. It was talked about on the radio. You should listen to the report. It is thought that the animals escaped from the zoo

Boss: I'm going to have to check out your story. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now, but what about yesterday? You were an hour late yesterday.

Jerry: Yesterday I was driving to work when my car was stopped by a policeman. I was pulled over and the policeman told me I was under arrest.

Boss: Really? Why?

Jerry: The policeman said that my car had been seen at the scene of a crime

Boss: It sounds like you're making up stories.  Did that really happen?

Jerry: It's all true. When I was pulled over the policeman asked me to get out of the car.  My hands were handcuffed behind my back. He said that my car had been seen on the camera of a gas station that had been robbed.

Write about a time you were late.  (This can be a real story or an imagined story.)  Use the passive voice.

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Your classmates’ stories are posted around the room.  Read them.  Which story is your favorite?  Why?

Name of classmate	Why were they late
Name of classmate	Why were they late

Which story was your favorite?  Why?

Gerunds and Infinitives with Verbs: Video and Gapfill Worksheet

Video: Gerunds and Infinitives with Verbs

Worksheet: docs, pub

I used this video from Easy English when introducing gerunds and infinitives following certain verbs.

The video is quite long, but I only play the first 2 and a half minutes.

As a lead-in, I introduce the term work-life balance, and I get students to talk about what work-life balance is like in their country.

Then, I play the video with the gist question "What is Susan's work-life balance like?"

Then we play the video again with the specific information questions.

Then a gap-fill and then a sorting activity for the noticing phase.

Don't Forget to Live Your Life- Gerunds and Infinitives with Verbs

https://youtu.be/PT85QlyEjQI?si=JREELkdpDI8M4RT7

What time does Susan wake up every day?

What time does Susan go to sleep?

What does Susan aspire to be in the next five years?

What does Susan need to raise money to buy?

Who does Susan miss living with?

Who does Susan miss joking around with?

What time does Susan wake up every day?

What time does Susan go to sleep?

What does Susan aspire to be in the next five years?

What does Susan need to raise money to buy?

Who does Susan miss living with?

Who does Susan miss joking around with?

https://youtu.be/PT85QlyEjQI?si=JREELkdpDI8M4RT7

Hi Maria.

Hi Susan 

It's so good________ you. I'm trying________  when the last time I saw you was.

Oh, I don't know. But every time I suggest ________ , you have some excuse. Are you trying ________  me?

You know I always look forward ________  you! I’ve been meaning ________  you a visit, but I just couldn't find the time. I love ________ time with you.  You're my best friend. But I've been very busy with my job. I want ________  promoted and earn more, but promotions take a lot of work. Imagine________   ________  up at 5 am every day and ________ ________  at midnight! I aspire ________  a CEO in the next five years and I'll work towards ________ my dream a reality.

If you continue ________  so hard, you risk ________ sick.

I need ________ money________  a bigger apartment and a new car. I have lots of plans and dreams that I need ________ .

You always need ________  money for something and you neglect ________  life to the fullest. You never get ________  enough time with the people you love. And time passes by.

That's true. I don't get ________  my family as often as I'd like. I miss ________ with my parents. I remember ________ in and ________ up to a home-cooked breakfast. I miss ________ my parents out in the garden every day ________ after their vegetable plants. I also miss ________ around with my brother. I plan ________ them next month. I've been so busy lately that I struggle ________  in touch with them.

Hi Maria.

Hi Susan 

It's so good to see you. I'm trying to remember when the last time I saw you was.

Oh, I don't know. But every time I suggest meeting, you have some excuse. Are you trying to avoid me?

You know I always look forward to meeting you! I’ve been meaning to pay you a visit, but I just couldn't find the time. I love spending time with you.  You're my best friend. But I've been very busy with my job. I want to get promoted and earn more, but promotions take a lot of work. Imagine having to get up at 5 am every day and going to sleep at midnight! I aspire to be a CEO in the next five years and I'll work towards making my dream a reality.

If you continue to work so hard, you risk getting sick.

I need to raise money to buy a bigger apartment and a new car. I have lots of plans and dreams that I need to achieve.

You always need to raise money for something and you neglect to live life to the fullest. You never get to spend enough time with the people you love. And time passes by.

That's true. I don't get to see my family as often as I'd like. I miss living with my parents. I remember sleeping in and waking up to a home-cooked breakfast. I miss seeing my parents out in the garden every day looking after their vegetable plants. I also miss joking around with my brother. I plan to visit them next month. I've been so busy lately that I struggle to stay in touch with them.

Sort these words into two categories

aspire, continue, get, go, good, have, imagine, look forward to, love, mean, miss, need, neglect, plan, raise money, remember, risk, suggest, struggle, try, want, work towards,

words that are followed by an infinitive (to+V1)	words that are followed by a gerund (Ving)

Look at this sentence:

It’s so good to see you.

What do you think the rule is?

1. adjectives are followed by gerunds

2. adjectives are followed by infinitives