Auxiliary, finite and non-finite verb.

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi,
-She was killed.
-He has been sent.
-It is very bad.
From the above, was, has, is are auxiliary verbs but to me they could be called finite verbs, am I right?
Besides help me to adentify the finite verbs and the non-finite in this verb chain:
-It must have been closed.

Please give the ‘active voice’ of the following:
-It is done.

What is difference between this pair:
-We are taught English.
-We are being taught English.

Thanks.

2

It depends on the sense in which “It is done” is meant. “People do it” is one possibility. “We have finished it” is another.

The latter has a more vivid sense of activity in progress.

3

Thanks Dozy!

-We’re taught English.< Is this a PRESENT PASSIVE? And therefore ‘pasive voice?’
Is the following its ‘active voice’?:
-They teach us English.

-We’re being taught English. Is this also a PRESENT PASSIVE?

Please help.

4

Hi,

  • We’re taught English. (=passive voice.)
  • They teach us English. (=active voice. You could also say: ‘Ms. Carpenter teaches us English’.)
  • We’re being taught English. (= passive voice, ‘we’re’ is the contraction of ‘We are’.)

Bye
:slight_smile:

5

Hi, thanks for your kind help.

  • We’re taught English.
  • We’re being taught English.

Can I say the above pair are PRESENT PASSIVE?

Another question.

  • We’re taught English.
  • We’re BEING taught English.
    I am suprised to learn that despite the present of BEING in the second sentence still makes it a PASSIVE VOICE as the first sentence.
    Then please construct for me the ACTIVE VOICE of the second sentence.

Thanks.

6

They are teaching us English.

7

They are teaching us English.

8

Now I have seen it!
Here goes my understanding:

1.We’re taught English.(passive)
2.They teach us English. (active of #1)

  1. We’re being taught English.(passive)
  2. They are teaching us English. (active of #3)

I am my correct?

ÃŽs #1 called PRESENT PASSIVE?
AND
#2 is also called PRESENT CONTINIOUS PASSIVE?

  1. English is taught to us.

What tense name is given to #5.

9

Yes.

Yes, assuming you meant #3 and not #2. Spelling: “continuous”. The term “progessive” is also used.

This is also present passive, but this time the passive form of “They teach English to us”.

10

Thanks Dozy.

One more question left.

  1. Moses is driving us. (Present progressive, therefore active).

  2. We are being driven by Moses. (Present progressive but passive).

Hence my question. Why is that #1 is an ONGOING action, that has its other verson to be #2 and both referring to the same action.
Why #2 seem to be a completed action and NOT ongoing action?
While, #1 is an ONGOING or a PROGRESSIVE ACTION but not a completed action, but both point to same action.

Why this discripancies.

11

Both refer to ongoing action.

12

Thanks Dozy.

Okay, I have learned that!

No doupt evermore.

13

Thanks Dozy.

Okay, I have learned that!

No doubt evermore.

14

But as well, Alan said, PAST PARTICIPLES, indicate completion of actîon so I see that DRIVEN suggest a completion.

What do you say to that?

15

The use of “past” participles in such passive constructions is an exception to the usual rule that they indicate completed action.