🍓Up the ante🍓

            🍒*Up* the ante  🍒                                         I'm sure you will enjoy this. One word in the English language that could be in a noun, verb, adj, adv, prep is *UP*.Read until the end... you'll laugh.

This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is *'UP'*. It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].
It's easy to understand *UP*, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake *UP*?

At a meeting, why does a topic come *UP*? Why do we speak *UP*, and why are the officers *UP* for election (if there is a tie, it is a toss *UP*) and why is it *UP* to the secretary to write *UP* a report? We call *UP*our friends, brighten *UP* a room, polish *UP* the silver, warm *UP* the leftovers and clean *UP* the kitchen. We lock *UP* the house and fix *UP* the old car.

At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir *UP* trouble, line UP for tickets, work *UP* an appetite, and think *UP* excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed *UP* is special.

And this *UP* is confusing: A drain must be opened *UP* because it is blocked *UP*.

We open *UP* a store in the morning but we close it *UP* at night. We seem to be pretty mixed *UP* about *UP*!

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of *UP*, look *UP* the word *UP* in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes *UP* almost 1/4 of the page and can add *UP* to about thirty definitions.

If you are *UP* to it, you might try building *UP* a list of the many ways *UP* is used. It will take *UP* a lot of your time, but if you don't give *UP*, you may wind *UP* with ( *UP* to) a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding *UP*. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing *UP*. When it rains, it soaks *UP* the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry *UP*. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it *UP*, for now...... my time is *UP*!

So, did this whole thing, crack you *UP*?

Send this on to everyone you look *UP* in your address book... or not... it's *UP* to you.

Advice for writing Literary Papers

🍒      Advice for Writing Literary Papers or Essays🍒

When it comes to English Literature, there's no end to the topics that you can research on that novel or other piece that you've been reading. The easiest way to get an idea for that next research topic on English literature for your essay is to start broad and then work toward making it more specific and interesting for your readers. Here are a few examples of research topics in literature to get you started.

1. Gender roles

How are the roles of men and women portrayed in the novel? Are they distinctly different? Do they have equal rights? What gender expectations do they follow or fight against?

2. Comparisons between genres

How does each genre tell its story? What are the differences and similarities between the two? Is one more effective than the other?

3. Historical background

Who is the author and what is their story? Were there controversies associated with him/her or their work? What is the significance of this novel in
the time it was written? How does it reflect the society and beliefs of its time?

4. Politics

What issues in politics does this novel address? Discrimination? Rights? Equality?

5. Religion

How is this novel religious? What beliefs is it promoting or questioning?

6. Comparisons between two characters

This can be between characters in the same novel or two different ones. How are their differences and similarities important to the novel?

7. Comparisons between two novels

If the novels seem completely different but represent the same genre or come from the same time period, this may be something you want to explore.

8. Allusions within the novel

What are some significant allusions within the novel? These could be religious, refer to other novels or authors, etc. How is this important to understanding the novel and its place in English Literature?

9. Criticism

What are some of the most notable criticisms out there? What is your response and how does it compare to other critics out there?

10. Symbolism

What are important symbols in the novel? How are they significant?

🍒Expressions in English🌼

ENGLISH EXPRESSIONS

            As...as expressions

what part of speech _"as...as" is?_

I found an answer "as quickly as" I could. Now, this structure is used to measure and compare things that are similar in proportion, and you're right about the adjectives and adverbs going between the as…as. The first as functions as an adverb and modifies the following adverb or adjective. The second functions as a preposition when connected to noun or a pronoun, or as a conjunction when it relates to a following clause, such as in the sentence: I found an answer as quickly as it was possible to do.

I like to think *_“I'm as good a dancer as Michael Jackson”_*. OK,OK, maybe _not as good a dancer_, but did you notice the use of the adjective and the noun? …_as good a dancer as Michael Jackson_. When we use an adjective and a noun between an *‘as…as’* expression, we must remember the article. …_‘as good a dancer’_. And this is also true for *‘an’* …*‘as delicious an orange as’*…

To make these expressions negative we put not before the _as…as_. For example: *_“he was not as smart as his sister”*. And in negative expressions we can replace the first *‘as’* with *‘so’*. For example: _“he was not so smart as his sister”_.

These expressions are *“idiomatic”* and they're very, very common in English. We have a few set ones which people tend to repeat over and over again. For example: *_“When I saw the ghost, I went as white as a sheet”_*. Or: *_“In the library be as quiet as a mouse”_*. Or: *_“I was late for work. I ran as fast as lightning”_*.

SUMMARY

*‘As…as’* expressions are used to compare things of a similar nature. In between the _as...as_ we put an adjective,adverb or adjective noun combination:

i) _*I am as cold as ice*_.
ii) _*He ran as quickly as he could*_.
iii) _*She is as clever a person as Albert*_
    *_Einstein_*.

Adverb and Preposition

The first *‘as’* is an adverb, modifying the following adverb or adjective. The second ‘as’ is either a preposition when connecting to noun or pronoun:

E
_He was as big as a mountain_, or a conjunction when connecting to a clause: _He was as tall as he would ever grow_.

USING NOUNS

When using a noun between _‘as…as’_, it is important to remember the article *‘a’* or *‘an’*

E:
> _*It was as bright a day as I have seen in a*_
    *_long time_*.
> _*It was as provoking an exhibition as the*_
    *_one before it_*.

NAGETIVES

To make _‘as…as’_ expressions negative, use *'not'* before them. When using a negative, the first *‘as’* can be substituted with *‘so‘*:

E
1- *_I am not as clever as you_*.
2- *_I am not so clever as you_*.

IDIOMS

There are many common idiomatic expressions in English using this structure:

E
> *_She was as brave as a lion_*.
> *_They were as tall as trees_*.
> _*I'm as cool as a cucumber*_.

🌼English Diphthongs and Triphthongs🌼

English Diphthongs and Triphthongs:

Diphthong
• Diphthong: Sounds which consist of a movement or glide from one vowel to another.
• Pure Vowel: A vowel which remains constant, it does not glide.
• Diphthongs have the same length as the long vowels.
• The first part (sound) is much longer and stronger than the second part.
• Example: aɪ in the words ‘eye’ and ‘ɪ ’ consists of the ‘a’ vowel, and only in about the last quarter of the diphthong, does the glide to ‘ɪ’ becomes noticeable.

English has 8 diphthongs.
Centering diphthong:
1. three (3) ending in ‘ə’ : ɪə, eə, ʊə
Closing diphthong
2. three (3) ending in ‘ɪ’: eɪ, aɪ, ɔɪ
3. two (2) ending in ‘ʊ’: əʊ, aʊ

Examples:
• ɪə : beard, weird, fierce, ear, beer, tear
• eə: aired, cairn, scarce, bear, hair,
• ʊə: moored, tour, lure, sure, pure
• eɪ : paid, pain, face, shade, age, wait, taste, paper
• aɪ: tide, time, nice, buy, bike, pie, eye, kite, fine
• ɔɪ: void, loin, voice, oil, boil, coin, toy, Roy
• əʊ: load, home, most, bone, phone, boat, bowl
• aʊ: loud, gown, house, cow, bow, brow, grouse

Triphthongs

• A triphthong is a glide from one vowel to another and the to a third, all produced rapidly and without interruption. For example, a careful pronunciation of the word ‘hour’ begins with a vowel quality similar to ‘ɑ:’, goes on to ‘ʊ’ then ends in ‘ə’.
• It says /aʊə/
• Triphthong : 5 closing diphthongs with ‘ə’ added on the end.
– eɪ + ə = eɪə . as in layer, player
– aɪ + ə = aɪə. as in lire, fire
– ɔɪ + ə = ɔɪə, as in loyal, royal
– əʊ + ə = əuə, as in lower, mower
– aʊ + ə = auə, as in power, hour.

🌼PREPOSITIONS🌼

Prepositions
****************
Definition
A preposition is a word that indicates location (in, near, beside) or some other relationship (about, after, besides) between a noun or pronoun and other parts of the sentence. A preposition isn't a preposition unless it goes with a related noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition.

Examples:
Let's meet before noon.
Before is a preposition; noon is its object.

We've never met before.
There is no object; before is an adverb modifying met.
********************************
Rule 1. A preposition generally, but not always, goes before its noun or pronoun. One of the undying myths of English grammar is that you may not end a sentence with a preposition. But look at the first example that follows. No one should feel compelled to say, or even write, That is something with which I cannot agree. Just do not use extra prepositions when the meaning is clear without them.

Correct: That is something I cannot agree with.

Correct: Where did you get this?

Incorrect: Where did you get this at?

Correct: How many of you can I depend on?

Correct: Where did he go?

Incorrect: Where did he go to?
***************************
Rule 2a. The preposition like means "similar to" or "similarly to." It should be followed by an object of the preposition (noun, pronoun, noun phrase), not by a subject and verb. Rule of thumb: Avoid like when a verb is involved.

Correct:
You look like your mother.
That is, you look similar to her. (Mother is the object of the preposition like.)

Incorrect:
You look like your mother does.
(Avoid like with noun + verb.)
************************
Rule 2b. Instead of like, use as, as if, as though, or the way when following a comparison with a subject and verb.

Correct: You look the way your mother does.

Incorrect: Do like I ask. (No one would say Do similarly to I ask.)

Correct: Do as I ask.

Incorrect: You look like you're angry.

Correct: You look as if you're angry. (OR as though)

Some speakers and writers, to avoid embarrassment, use as when they mean like. The following incorrect sentence came from a grammar guide:

Incorrect: They are considered as any other English words.

Correct: They are considered as any other English words would be.

Correct: They are considered to be like any other English words.

Remember: like means "similar to" or "similarly to"; as means "in the same manner that." Rule of thumb: Do not use as unless there is a verb involved.

Incorrect: I, as most people, try to use good grammar.

Correct: I, like most people, try to use good grammar.

Correct: I, as most people do, try to use good grammar.
****************************
NOTE

The rule distinguishing like from as, as if, as though, and the way is increasingly ignored, but English purists still insist upon it.
************************

🌼Aspects of Past Tense🌼

🍒Aspects of the Past Tense  🍒
What are the aspects of the past tense?
The past tense is combined with four traditional aspects to form the structures that are known as the past simple, the past continuous (or past progressive), the past perfect, and the past perfect continuous. Although these structures are generally taught as individual “tenses” of verbs, they are actually a combination of the past tense and aspect. While the tense tells us when the action takes place in relation to the time (in this case, the past), the added aspect tells us how the event takes place in time.
Past Simple
The past simple structure is used to express actions and events that were completed at a given moment in the past. Whether the occurrence is of short or long duration, the simple aspect emphasizes its completion. The past simple is formed by adding “-d” or “-ed” to the end of regular verbs, but the past form of irregular verbs must be memorized. For example:
“They lived next door to us for years.” (regular)
“I locked myself out of the house this morning.” (regular)
“We went to a private school when we were young.” (irregular)
Past Continuous
The past continuous is the combination of the past tense with the continuous aspect. It emphasizes the progress of an action that occurred in the past, rather than its completion. It is often used for actions that are interrupted by other actions, and it is formed using the past form of the verb be (was/were) + the present participle. For example:
“They were playing outside when their father arrived.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t answer the phone; I was driving when you called.”
“We were eating dinner when my in-laws told us the good news.”
The past continuous usually occurs only with action verbs, not with stative verbs. For instance, we cannot say “I was knowing John many years” or “She was seeming sad.”
Past Perfect
The past perfect is the combination of the past tense with the perfect aspect. It is used for actions or states that began and were completed before another action in the past took place. It is formed using had + the past participle. For example:
“She had already eaten when she arrived.”
“We had seen the movie, but we watched it again.”
“I’d had a bad cold that week, but I went on my vacation anyway.”
Past Perfect Continuous
The past perfect continuous is the combination of the continuous and perfect aspects with the past tense. It is used for actions that took place before another past action. The main difference between it and the past perfect structure is that the past perfect continuous emphasizes the progress of the action instead of its completion. It is also used to emphasize the action’s strong effect on another moment in the past. Like the past continuous, the past perfect continuous is generally only used with action verbs, not stative verbs. It is formed using had + been + the present participle. For example:
“We had been waiting for a long time when the bus finally came.”
“My little sister had been sitting very quietly, but then she started to cry.”
“I’d been cleaning all day, so I was too tired to go out last night.”

🌼Opinions in Everyday English 🌼

🌼🍓Opinions

in everyday English

🌼I think (that)
this is the usual way of talking about your opinions in everyday English:
I think that the law should be changed. | We always thought he was so cool. | Do you think that people should be able to work as many hours as they like?

warning Don’t use this phrase in essays and formal writing. See next page for written alternatives.

🌼I believe (that)
used when talking about strongly held beliefs, especially about moral issues:
I believe that the death penalty should be abolished. | I believe it is wrong to kill animals. | We firmly believe that the value of life is not measured by wealth.

warning I believe (that) sounds rather serious, and is used about things that you believe in very strongly.

🌼I feel (that)
used when talking about your opinions, especially when they are based on your general feelings:
I feel he is too old for the job. | I feel that appearances are very important. | I can’t help feeling that our main priority should be dealing with climate change.

personally/as far as I’m concerned
used when you want to emphasize your own personal opinion:
Personally, I don’t care how much it costs. | As far as I’m concerned, they should stop complaining and get on with their work. | He can say what he likes, as far as I’m concerned.

it seems to me (that) also the way I see it spoken/if you ask me spoken
used when giving your opinion about something, especially when there is a lot that you want to say about a situation:
It seems to me that the world would be a much better place if we didn’t rely so much on our cars. | The way I see it, there are only two real choices. | If you ask me, they should give kids fewer tests, not more.

warning Using these phrases will give you time to think about what you want to say. In addition, it is a good idea to vary your language and use them instead of always saying ‘I think that ...’

🌼in my opinion/view
used when talking about your opinions, especially about serious subjects:
In my opinion, he’s mistaken. | It is, in my view, one of the finest buildings in London. | Learning Chinese characters is, in my opinion, the most time-consuming and difficult part of the language.

warning Don’t use in my opinion in formal essay writing. See next page for written alternatives.
warning Don’t say ‘according to my opinion’.

🌼speaking as
used when introducing your opinion by mentioning something important about yourself, which makes you able to talk about it from personal experience, or affects your feelings about it:
Speaking as a regular user of the railway, I can only say that the service has gone down in recent months. | Speaking as a mother of two young children, I feel really concerned about the future of our planet.

in formal written English

warning In formal written English, you usually avoid using phrases that begin with ‘I’, and ‘in my opinion’ when writing about your opinions. In essays, it is often better to quote other people’s opinions to support your argument, rather than saying ‘I think that ...’ This will give your argument more authority.

in this writer’s view/opinion also it is this writer’s view/opinion that
used in formal writing instead of in my opinion:
This is the most important section of the book, in this writer’s opinion. | It is this writer’s view that the new city centre is a great improvement on the old one.

as sb points out/notes/remarks
used when referring to another writer’s opinions, and what they have said:
As Lowry points out in her article, teaching does not have the same status as research. | As Dawkins notes in his discussion of the evolution of the eye, ‘eyes have evolved between forty and sixty times, in many different invertebrate groups.’

express the view/opinion that
used when referring to another writer’s opinions, and what they have said:
Freud himself expressed the view that some dreams may be forgotten because they are too upsetting. | Thomas Jefferson expressed the opinion that for a state to be healthy, it needed to have a revolution every 20 years.

according to sb
used when saying what other people, organizations, reports etc have said:
According to the researchers, ‘some patients tended to see their illness as a punishment’. | Locally-grown food can be better for the environment than organic food, according to a report published yesterday.

warning Don’t say ‘according to me’ or ‘according to my opinion’. You can only use according to when saying what other people, reports etc have said.

be of the opinion that/take the view that
used when saying what someone’s opinion is:
6 out of 10 EU citizens were of the opinion that the European Union should have a single currency. | The Court took the view that he had acted legally.

it is sb’s belief that
used when saying what someone believes to be true:
It is our belief that children should enjoy their time at school. | It was their belief that certain individuals were born with criminal tendencies.

for sb
used when saying what someone’s opinion is, especially when this is a general opinion that affects their other ideas about a subject:
For Dawkins, genes are everything, or at least they can account for everything. | For Ruskin, art was something that could not be produced using machines.

from sb’s point of view/standpoint
used when saying how someone’s situation affects their opinion:
From the farmers’ point of view, it is better to have too much rain than none at all. | From a business standpoint, it made perfect sense to combine the two operations together.

🌼🍒🍓Active and Passive Voice 🍒🍓🌼

🍒👑Using the Passive Voice with Different Tenses👑🍒

We can use passive voice with most tenses.

To change the tense of a passive sentence, you change the form of the verb 'be'.

The main verb in a passive sentence is always in the past participle form.

Using the Passive Voice with Different Tenses

Tense

Active Voice
Passive Voice
💎Present Simple

James writes the letters.

The letters are written by James.

💎Past Simple

James wrote the letters.

The letters were written by James.

💎Present Continuous

James is writing the letters.

The letters are being written by James.

Present Perfect

James has written the letters.

The letters have been written by James.

💎Future Simple (going to)

James is going to write the letters.

The letters are going to be written by James.

💎Future Simple (will)

James will write the letters.

The letters will be written by James.

💎Past Continuous

James was writing the letters.

The letters were being written by James.

Past Perfect

The scientists had found the cure, but it was too late.

The cure had been found, but it was too late.

💎Future Perfect

The scientists will have found a cure by then.

A cure will have been found by then.

It is uncommon to use the passive voice with the following tenses:

💎Present Perfect Continous;

💎Future Continuous;

💎Future Perfect Continous;

💎Past Perfect Continous.

If we used the passive voice for these tenses, we would have two forms of the verb 'be' together.

This makes the sentence awkward and confusing.

We make the present perfect continuous tense in the active voice like this:

subject + have + been + verb (-ing)

The present perfect continuous tense in the passive voice would look like this:

subject + have + been + being + past participle

👑Active and Passive Voice: Tense-wise Rules👑

Simple Present tense

An Active sentence in the simple present tense has the following structure:

Subject + first form of the verb + object

A passive sentence in the simple present tense has the following structure:

Object of the active sentence + is/am/are + past participle form of the verb + by + subject of the active sentence

Changing an assertive sentence into the passive

Active: I write a letter.

Passive: A letter is written by me.

Active: I help you.

Passive: You are helped by me.

Active: I love my parents.

Passive: My parents are loved by me.

Active: We love our country.

Passive: Our country is loved by us.

Changing a negative sentence into the passive

Active: I do not write a letter.

Passive: A letter is not written by me.

Active: I do not abuse my servants.

Passive: My servants are not abused by me.

Active: I do not write novels.

Passive: Novels are not written by me.

Active: He does not tease her.

Passive: She is not teased by him.

Changing an interrogative sentence into the passive

Structure: Is/are/am + object of the active verb + past participle form of the verb + by + subject of the passive verb

Active: Do you write a letter?

Passive: Is a letter written by you?

Active: Do you write stories?

Passive: Are stories written by you?

Active: Does she make candles?

Passive: Are candles made by her?

Active: Who does not obey you?

Passive: By whom are you not obeyed?

Active: Which newspaper do you read?

Passive: Which newspaper is read by you?

Active: Does she do her duty?

Passive: Is her duty done by her?

Notes:

The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb.

Therefore, sentences which do not have an object cannot be changed into the passive.

The following sentences, for instance, cannot be changed into the passive because they do not have objects.

The old man sat in a corner.

The child sleeps.

The wind blows.

The dog barks.

The fire burns.

He laughed aloud.

👑Passive Verb Tense👑

What do they mean?

Passive verb tenses identify the time of the action in your sentences. Make sure not to confuse passive verb tenses with the passive voice. While writing in the passive voice requires the use of passive verb tenses, tenses refer to the time of the action, and voice refers to how verbs function with respect to a sentence’s subject. Writing in the passive voice is only accomplished through the use of passive verb tenses, with each identifying when in time the passive action takes place.

How are they created?

Passive verb tenses are created by using the past participle form (expresses passive action) of a verb preceded with a “to be” verb. Sometimes linking verbs are used as well. For most regular verbs, the past participle is created by adding “en” or “ed” to the end of the verb. The ending for irregular verbs differs depending on the verb’s past participle form. When using passive tense verbs, the object of the verb is what is receiving the action of the verb. The subject of the verb is not always present in the sentence, and when it is included, it generally appears later in the sentence.

💎Simple present passive tense

Simple present tense signifies a current action that is habitual, a generalization or something that is a timeless fact. To create the passive form in this tense, “am,” “is” or “are” is used in conjunction with the past participle form of the verb.

Example 1: The students are taught by finding solutions to real-world problems.

Example 2: She is beaten by the runner from the school’s biggest rival.

Example 3: All citizens are considered equal under the U.S. Constitution.

💎Present perfect passive tense

Present perfect tense shows an action that takes place in the past but is relevant to the present or flows into the present. To create the passive form in this tense, “has been” or “have been” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 4: The dancers have been notified regarding their acceptance into the program.

💎Present progressive passive tense

The present progressive tense shows an action that is temporary or an ongoing activity. The passive form of this verb tense is created by using “am being,” “is being” or “are being” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 5: The purses are being manufactured overseas.

💎Simple past passive tense

The simple past tense shows a general or habitual action that occurred in the past, sometimes at a specific time. The passive form of this verb tense is created by using “was” or “were” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 6: The students were reprimanded by the principal for their actions.

💎Past perfect passive tense

The past perfect tense signifies an action that happened prior to a certain time or prior to a separate action in the past. The passive form of this tense is created by using “had been” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 7: The students had been excited about the meeting since the idea formed for it.

💎Past progressive passive tense

The past progressive tense signifies an action that is ongoing in the past or one that continues through a certain time in the past. The passive form of this tense is created by using “was being” or “were being” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 8: The teachers were being excluded from the student meeting.

💎Simple future passive tense

The simple future tense notates an action that is expected to take place at some point in the future. One way the passive form of this tense is created is by using “will be” followed by the past participle form of the verb. Another way the passive form of this tense is created is by using “am going to be,” “is going to be” or “are going to be” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 9: Sarah’s grades will be posted at the end of the semester.

Example 10: Sarah’s grades are going to be posted at the end of the semester.

💎Future perfect passive tense

The future perfect tense notates an action that is completed in the future prior to another future action or period in time. The passive form of the tense is created by using “will have been” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 11: The economy will have been improved by more careful lending practices.

💎Future progressive passive tense

The future progressive tense identifies an action that is going to occur in the future with an emphasis on an action that is continuing. It forms an awkward construction that is rarely used, but it if formed by using “will be being” in front of the past participle of the verb.

Example 12: Your laundry will be being washed when you go home over spring break.
👑Examples of Active and Passive Voice👑

Active voice describes a sentence where the subject performs the action stated by the verb.  In passive voice sentences, the subject is acted upon by the verb. Check out the examples below. Need more explanation? Check out the YourDictionary Active vs. Passive Voice infographic for an easy-to-understand visual explanation.

Sentences in Active and Passive Voice

Here are examples of sentences written in both the active voice and the passive voice, with the active voice sentence appearing first:

Harry ate six shrimp at dinner. (active)
At dinner, six shrimp were eaten by Harry. (passive)

Beautiful giraffes roam the savannah. (active)
The savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes. (passive)

Sue changed the flat tire. (active)
The flat tire was changed by Sue. (passive)

We are going to watch a movie tonight. (active)
A movie is going to be watched by us tonight. (passive)

I ran the obstacle course in record time. (active)
The obstacle course was run by me in record time. (passive)

The crew paved the entire stretch of highway. (active)
The entire stretch of highway was paved by the crew. (passive)

Mom read the novel in one day. (active)
The novel was read by Mom in one day. (passive)

The critic wrote a scathing review. (active)
A scathing review was written by the critic. (passive)

I will clean the house every Saturday. (active)
The house will be cleaned by me every Saturday. (passive)

The staff is required to watch a safety video every year. (active)
A safety video will be watched by the staff every year. (passive)

She faxed her application for a new job. (active)
The application for a new job was faxed by her. (passive)

Tom painted the entire house. (active)
The entire house was painted by Tom. (passive)

The teacher always answers the students’ questions. (active)
The students’ questions are always answered by the teacher. (passive)

The choir really enjoys that piece. (active)
That piece is really enjoyed by the choir. (passive)

Who taught you to ski? (active)
By whom were you taught to ski? (passive)

The forest fire destroyed the whole suburb. (active)
The whole suburb was destroyed by the forest fire. (passive)

The two kings are signing the treaty. (active)
The treaty is being signed by the two kings. (passive)

The cleaning crew vacuums and dusts the office every night. (active)
Every night the office is vacuumed and dusted by the cleaning crew. (passive)

Larry generously donated money to the homeless shelter. (active)
Money was generously donated to the homeless shelter by Larry. (passive)

No one responded to my sales ad. (active)
My sales ad was not responded to by anyone. (passive)

The wedding planner is making all the reservations. (active)
All the reservations will be made by the wedding planner. (passive)

Susan will bake two dozen cupcakes for the bake sale. (active)
For the bake sale, two dozen cookies will be baked by Susan. (passive)

The science class viewed the comet. (active)
The comet was viewed by the science class. (passive)

Who ate the last cookie? (active)
The last cookie was eaten by whom? (passive)

Alex posted the video on Facebook. (active)
The video was posted on Facebook by Alex. (passive)

The director will give you instructions. (active)
Instructions will be given to you by the director. (passive)

Thousands of tourists view the Grand Canyon every year. (active)
The Grand Canyon is viewed by thousands of tourists every year. (passive)

The homeowners remodeled the house to help it sell. (active)
The house was remodeled by the homeowners to help it sell. (passive)

The team will celebrate their victory tomorrow. (active)
The victory will be celebrated by the team tomorrow. (passive)

The saltwater eventually corroded the metal beams. (active)
The metal beams were eventually corroded by the saltwater. (passive)

The kangaroo carried her baby in her pouch. (active)
The baby was carried by the kangaroo in her pouch. (passive)

Some people raise sugar cane in Hawaii. (active)
Sugar cane is raised by some people in Hawaii. (passive)

These sentences illustrate how different the same sentence can sound when written in active or passive voice. Generally, it's better to write in the active voice. It's clearer and more direct. Passive voice sentences tend to be more wordy and vague but can still be useful in some situations, such as formal or scientific writing. 

American Idioms

☘Wow! English ☘Most common American idioms

〽 *She is a peach.*
▪️She's sweet and helpful. 

〽 *He's full of beans.*
▪️He's not telling the truth. 

〽 *It's not my cup of tea.*
▪️I don't care for that. 

〽 *He's full of baloney.*
▪️He doesn't know what he's talking about. 

〽 *It's just sour grapes.*
▪️They have resentment. 

〽 *That's corny.*
▪️It's sentimental, old, and not funny anymore. 

〽 *I'm in a pickle.*
▪️I'm in a dilemma. 

〽 *He brings home the bacon.*
▪️ *He brings home the family money.* 

〽 *She's in a stew.*
▪️She's upset. 

〽 *He's the top banana.*
▪️He's the headman. 

〽 *He's the salt of the earth.*
▪️He's a very good person. 

〽 *She's worth her salt.*
▪️She's a valuable employee. 

〽 *They're two peas in a pod.*
▪️If you see one you see the other. 

〽 *I'm nuts about you.*
▪️I'm in love with you. 

〽 *It's a piece of cake.*
▪️It's quite simple. 

〽 *You can't have your cake and eat it too.*
▪️You can't use it and save it. 

〽 *He's a real ham.*
▪️He's just an actor (a bad actor.) 

〽 *It's a hard nut to crack.*
▪️It's a difficult problem to solve. 

〽 *He's a bad egg.*
▪️He cannot be trusted. 

〽 *We need to break the ice.*
▪️Everyone's a little tense - lets be friendly. 

〽 *We'll get a baker's dozen.*
▪️We'll get 13 items (one extra.) 

〽 *He's got a finger in every pie.*
▪️He has many deals going.

〽 *You'll have to take potluck.*
▪️Be happy with what we have on hand.

Idioms and a glimpse of their history

A SHOT OF WHISKEY
In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, so did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink. This became known as a "shot" of whiskey.

THE WHOLE NINE YARDS
American fighter planes in WW2 had machine guns that were fed by a belt of cartridges. The average plane held belts that were 27 feet (9 yards) long. If the pilot used up all his ammo he was said to have given it the whole nine yards.

PASSING THE BUCK / THE BUCK STOPS HERE
Most men in the early west carried a jack knife made by the Buck knife company. When playing poker it as common to place one of these Buck knives in front of the dealer so that everyone knew who he was. When it was time for a new dealer the deck of cards and the knife were given to the new dealer. If this person didn't want to deal he would "pass the buck" to the next player. If that player accepted then "the buck stopped there".

COBWEB
The Old English word for "spider" was "cob".

BARGE IN
Heavy freight was moved along the Mississippi in large barges pushed by steamboats. These were hard to control and would sometimes swing into piers or other boats. People would say they "barged in".

HOGWASH
Steamboats carried both people and animals. Since pigs smelled so bad they would be washed before being put on board. The mud and other filth that was washed off was considered useless "hog wash".

CURFEW
The word "curfew" comes from the French phrase "couvre-feu", which means "cover the fire". It was used to describe the time of blowing out all lamps and candles. It was later adopted into Middle English as "curfeu", which later became the modern "curfew".
In the early American colonies homes had no real fireplaces so a fire was built in the center of the room. In order to make sure a fire did not get out of control during the night it was required that, by an agreed upon time, all fires would be covered with a clay pot called-a "curfew".

SLEEP TIGHT
Early beds were made with a wooden frame. Ropes were tied across the frame in a criss-cross pattern. A straw mattress was then put on top of the ropes. Over time the ropes stretched, causing the bed to sag. The owner would then tighten the ropes to get a better night's sleep.