Lesson 8: Reporting with Passive Verbs, Linking Verbs, and Tag Questions
This lesson will teach you how to report information using passive structures, linking verbs, and advanced tag questions.
About this lesson
In this lesson, you will deepen your understanding of the passive voice, with a focus on reporting statements in a more formal and objective way. You will explore the use of linking verbs such as 'seem' and 'appear' to express assumptions and impressions. You will also master tag questions and their variations to confirm information or seek agreement in conversation.
40 minutes
What you'll learn
- Report events and statements using a variety of passive structures.
- Understand and use linking verbs such as 'seem' and 'appear' to express opinions and impressions.
- Correctly form tag questions across different tenses and modal verbs.
- Recognise and apply 'same way tags' to express strong agreement or surprise.
- Communicate more effectively and with greater nuance across a range of contexts.
Lesson vocabulary
- It is said that... It is said that honesty is the best policy.
- He is believed to be... He is believed to be the richest man in the city.
- She appears to have... She appears to have a good grasp of the subject.
- It would seem that... It would seem that our efforts were in vain.
- be thought to be The ancient artifact is thought to be over 2000 years old.
- be known to have He is known to have a temper.
- be rumored to be The celebrity couple is rumored to be getting married soon.
- be understood to be The agreement is understood to be legally binding.
- seemingly The seemingly simple task turned out to be very complex.
- evidently Evidently, they missed the bus.
- apparently Apparently, it's going to rain tomorrow.
- presumably Presumably, the meeting will start on time.
- isn't it? It's a beautiful day, isn't it?
- doesn't he? He likes coffee, doesn't he?
- do you? You don't like spinach, do you?
- 'I love chocolate.' 'So do I.'
- 'I don't like crowded places.' 'Neither do I.'
- (did) he did He said he would help, and he did do it.