Mastering English Grammar: Passive Voice, Conditionals & Vocabulary
The Passive Voice (Be + Past Participle + by)
A book is read by Mary. A book was read by Mary. A book has been read by Mary. A book is being read by Mary. A book had been read by Mary. A book will be read by Mary. A book may/might/could/should/would be read by Mary. A book is going to be read by Mary. A book will have been read by Mary.
Two Objects
Jon will buy him a book.
Direct Object (DO)
A book will be bought by Jon.
Indirect Object (IO)
He will be bought a book by Jon.
We have sent you a credit card.
Direct Object (DO)
A credit card has been sent to you.
Indirect Object (IO)
You have been sent a credit card.
Impersonal/Infinitive
Teachers think students don’t work enough.
Impersonal
It’s thought that students don’t work enough.
Infinitive
Students are thought not to work enough.
Causative
I have/get my hair cut (past participle). I had/got my hair cut. I’m having/getting my hair cut. I will have/get my hair cut. I should have/get my hair cut. I had had/got my hair cut.
Conditionals
Conditional 0
If + Present Simple / Present Simple (very probable)
Conditional 1
If + Present Simple / Will (not) + Verb infinitive (medium probability)
Conditional 2
If + Past Simple / Would + infinitive (possible)
Conditional 3
If + Past Perfect / Would + have + past participle (impossible)
Wish / If Only
1) Wishing for something possible
I wish/If only I could come (past simple)
2) Wishing for something impossible (past)
I wish I had passed / If only you had come (had + past participle)
3) A complaint with a future idea
I wish you would stop talking (would)
Mixed Conditionals
1) Something in the past that could have changed the future
If I had passed, I could go there.
2) Example
If I didn’t like pizza, I wouldn’t have gone to the pizzeria.
Vocabulary
- Browse / Navegar
- Try out
- Charity shop
- Sweatshop
- Second-hand
- Bargains
- Brands
- Influencers
- Purchases
- Rip off (estafar)
- Exchange
- Refund
- Don’t judge a book by its cover
- The tip of the iceberg
- Keep an eye out
- Don’t give these offers the time of day (no fiarse)
- In safe hands
- A rule of thumb (por norma general)
- Biodegradable
- Break down (descomponerse)
- Carbon footprint
- Clean-up
- Compost
- Contaminate
- Mindful
- Dump (arrojar)
- Disposed of (deshecho)
- Incinerate
- Landfill sites (vertederos)
- Packaging (embalaje)
- Recycling
- Reuse
- Sustainable
- Toxic
- Zero-waste (0 residuos)
- Environment
- Overwhelming (agobiante)
- Misleading (engañosa)
- Have all make up (ser amañado)
- Fall for a scam (caer en una estafa)
More Vocabulary
- Employment (empleo)
- Minority group
- Segregation
- Racial discrimination
- Authorities
- Citizens (ciudadanos)
- Healthcare system
- Mental health issues
- Neighborhood
- Animal rights
- Wealth (riqueza)
- Child poverty
- Welfare state (estado de bienestar)
- Run away (huir)
- Set off (partir)
- Set up (montar)
- Calm down
- Deal with
- Came across (cruzar)
- Bring back
- Stick together
- Entertainment
- Appearance
- Survival
- Supervision
- Maturity
- Fairness
- Bravery
- Friendship
- Commune
- Community
Writing Tips
Dear Ms/Mr… (reason for writing) I am writing to complain about… I wish to express my dissatisfaction with… (explain in detail what happened). On 12th of Nov. Apparently… (request solutions). I would be grateful if you could… Otherwise, I would be obliged to take legal action. I trust/very much hope you will…
Yours faithfully (if you don’t know them). Yours sincerely (if you know them). Nonetheless (sin embargo). Whilst (mientras).