Learn and Practice the Impersonal Passive | Advanced Grammar
Summary
TLDRJennifer from 'English with Jennifer' explores the concept of 'doppelgänger' and its usage in English. She explains the passive voice and impersonal passive constructions, demonstrating how they can be used to report information without attributing it to a specific source. Jennifer provides examples and exercises to help viewers understand and use these grammatical structures effectively, emphasizing their commonality in written English, academic talks, and news reports.
Takeaways
- 😀 A 'doppelgänger' is a term used to describe someone who looks very similar to another person.
- 📚 The video explains the use of the passive voice in English, particularly the impersonal passive.
- 🗣️ The impersonal passive voice is used to report information without emphasizing the source, making statements seem more objective.
- 👥 The structure of the impersonal passive often involves 'it' as the subject, followed by a passive reporting verb and a that-clause.
- 🔍 Examples of impersonal passive include phrases like 'It is said that...', 'It is believed that...', and 'It has been argued that...'.
- 📝 The impersonal passive is common in academic talks, news reports, and documentaries, providing a neutral way to present information.
- 🌐 YouGlish.com is mentioned as a resource to find examples of the impersonal passive used in different contexts.
- 📊 The video provides quizzes to practice forming the impersonal passive, enhancing understanding through active learning.
- 🌐 The impersonal passive can also be formed using a subject, reporting verb, and infinitive, as shown in the example 'Venice is often said to be the most beautiful of all.'
- 📚 The video concludes with a reminder of the importance of grammar as the foundation of language and encourages continued learning.
Q & A
What is a doppelgänger?
-A doppelgänger is someone who looks a lot like another person, essentially their double.
How does Jennifer describe the similarities between her and Winona Ryder?
-Jennifer mentions having dark hair, dark eyes, and being about the same age as Winona Ryder as the similarities.
What is the passive voice, and how does it differ from the active voice?
-The passive voice shifts the focus from the doer to the receiver of the action, using a form of 'be' plus the past participle. It contrasts with the active voice, which emphasizes the doer of the action.
Can you provide an example of the passive voice from the script?
-An example from the script is 'I've been told that I look like Winona Ryder.' Here, the focus is on Jennifer receiving the comments rather than who gave them.
What is the impersonal passive, and how is it used?
-The impersonal passive is a form of the passive voice where the subject is 'it' and is used to report information without connecting the speaker to the source or claim. It can be used to maintain neutrality or when the source is unknown or uncertain.
How does the impersonal passive serve in academic and formal contexts?
-The impersonal passive is often used in academic talks, news reports, and documentaries to report information objectively without attributing it to a specific source.
What are some examples of impersonal passive structures mentioned in the script?
-Examples include 'It's been said that Jennifer looks like Winona Ryder,' 'It's believed that doppelgängers are spirits,' and 'It's often said that there's no use in worrying about the future.'
How can you form the impersonal passive using an infinitive?
-The impersonal passive using an infinitive is formed with a subject, a reporting verb, and an infinitive verb. For example, 'Turmeric is considered to be helpful for digestion.'
What is the difference between 'It is said that' and 'It is believed that' in the context of the impersonal passive?
-Both 'It is said that' and 'It is believed that' are forms of the impersonal passive, but 'It is said that' is used when reporting a claim or statement, while 'It is believed that' is used when reporting a belief or opinion.
How can the impersonal passive be used to report without 100% conviction?
-The impersonal passive can be used to report information when there is a lack of evidence or certainty, allowing the speaker to present the information without fully endorsing it.
What is the significance of grammar in language learning according to the script?
-Grammar is said to be the foundation of language, and the script emphasizes the importance of mastering it for effective language learning.
Outlines
😀 Understanding the Impersonal Passive
Jennifer introduces the concept of a 'doppelgänger' and uses her resemblance to Winona Ryder as an example to explain the passive voice in English. She contrasts the active voice with the passive, highlighting how the latter shifts focus from the doer to the receiver of the action. Jennifer further explains the impersonal passive voice, which allows speakers to report information without attributing it to a specific source, thus maintaining neutrality. She provides examples from everyday conversation and academic contexts, and suggests using YouGlish.com to hear the impersonal passive in use. The paragraph concludes with a quiz for viewers to practice forming the impersonal passive.
📚 Exploring the Impersonal Passive with Infinitives
Jennifer continues the discussion on the impersonal passive by introducing a variation that uses an infinitive phrase instead of a that-clause. She provides examples to illustrate this structure and challenges viewers to identify it in a short text about the beauty of Venice. The video then presents a quiz for viewers to practice forming the impersonal passive with infinitives. Jennifer also touches on the pronunciation of 'turmeric' and briefly mentions historical beliefs and events, such as milk injections and the Phoenix Lights, to demonstrate the use of infinitives in perfect and progressive forms. The paragraph ends with a motivational note, encouraging viewers to master English grammar and engage with Jennifer's channel for further learning opportunities.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡doppelgänger
💡passive voice
💡impersonal passive
💡clause
💡reporting verbs
💡infinitive
💡perfect and progressive forms
💡objectivity
💡academic language
💡grammatical structure
Highlights
Definition of 'doppelgänger': someone who looks a lot like you or another person.
Jennifer's resemblance to Winona Ryder discussed as an example of a doppelgänger.
Explanation of the passive voice using 'have been told' to shift focus from the doer to the receiver.
Use of 'It's been said that' as an impersonal passive structure to report without attributing a source.
The impersonal passive allows for neutral reporting and can be used to keep a distance from the belief.
Impersonal passive is more common in written English and academic contexts.
YouGlish.com recommended for hearing examples of the impersonal passive in different contexts.
The impersonal passive can be used when the source is unknown or when there's a lack of evidence.
Examples of impersonal passive with different reporting verbs like 'said', 'believed', 'argued'.
Variation of the impersonal passive using infinitives instead of 'that' clauses.
Quiz for forming the impersonal passive with infinitives.
Pronunciation variations for the word 'turmeric' discussed.
Bonus challenge to identify full infinitive phrases in complex sentences.
Infinites have perfect and progressive forms, which are reviewed in the lesson.
Encouragement to master English grammar as it is the foundation of language.
Invitation to like, share, and support the channel for more educational content.
Transcripts
Hi everyone. I'm Jennifer from English with Jennifer. Do you know what a doppelgänger
is? Some words are fun to learn and use and this is one of them. I taught the meaning of
doppelgänger in another video on foreign words used in English. A doppelgänger is
your double. It's someone who looks a lot like you or a lot like another person. Some viewers
have told me I look a lot like Winona Ryder. I don't exactly think I'm her doppelgänger,
but I guess there are some similarities. You know, dark hair, dark eyes, about the same age. Another
way to state that idea is like this: I've been told that I look like Winona Ryder. What changed?
I went from active to passive. The passive uses a form of BE + the past participle. Have been told.
The focus isn't on who told me but on the fact that I received these comments. The passive is
a way to shift the focus from the doer to the receiver of the action. But now consider this
variation: It's been said that Jennifer looks like Winona Ryder. This is also passive, and again,
it's not important who said this, but there's a change. Here the subject is "it." The structure is
IT + a passive reporting verb like "be said" and then a that -clause. A clause has a subject and
a verb. It's been said that Jennifer looks like Winona Ryder. This sentence sounds objective. Some
call this the impersonal passive. Whoever says this or writes this is being neutral. Think how
this passive structure can serve you when you don't want to connect yourself to the source.
It's believed that doppelgängers are spirits, like ghosts. I'm not saying I believe this.
I'm just reporting what some people believe. The impersonal passive is a way to keep my distance
and separate myself from those who hold that belief. In everyday conversation, you might say,
"Some people think that.. Some people say that..." The impersonal passive is similar in meaning but
different in form. It is thought that... It is said that... Since this structure is passive,
it's probably more typical of written English, but you'll hear plenty of examples in academic talks,
news reports, and maybe in some documentaries. You can go to YouGlish.com and do a search,
and you'll hear examples of the impersonal passive used in different contexts.
The impersonal passive lets us report information without including ourselves
in the group that made that claim. Or we can report the information without naming
the source because we aren't sure. Also, we may lack evidence, so we can't report the idea with
100% conviction. We don't have proof. Consider these examples. Note the different reporting
verbs. It's often said that there's no use in worrying about the future. It's believed that
opening an umbrella indoors is bad luck. It's been argued that Japan has the healthiest diet.
Note we can use other verb tenses and verb forms. We don't have to stick to the simple
present. At one point in history, it was thought that the Sun revolved around the
Earth. It's been estimated that the Titanic might be completely gone by 2030. One day,
it might be said that YouTube was the greatest teaching tool of our time.
Time for a quiz. Form the impersonal passive.
One.
It's said that vinegar and baking soda can remove any stain.
Two.
It's been suggested that taking a cold shower for 1 to 3 minutes has health benefits.
Three.
At one point, it was commonly believed that the world was
flat.
Now let me read a short text. Can you spot a new form of the impersonal passive? There are many
beautiful cities around the world including Kyoto, Prague, and Sydney. But Venice is often said to be
the most beautiful of all. Do you see it? Venice is often said... Said to be what? Our subject is
Venice. Then the reporting verb is followed by an infinitive, not a that-clause. This is
also a form of the impersonal passive. I'm not agreeing with the claim. Maybe personally I feel
that Kyoto is more beautiful, but I'm objectively stating the belief. I'm reporting it. It's time for
another quiz. Form the impersonal passive. Use subject + reporting verb + infinitive.
One.
Turmeric is considered to be helpful for digestion and other bodily functions. A little note on
pronunciation. I've heard different pronunciations of this spice: "too me rik"..."ter me rik."
Two.
Briefly in the 1800s, there were milk injections! Milk was thought to be a substitute for blood.
Three.
The Phoenix Lights in 1997 were believed to be extraterrestrial
aircraft.
How did you do? Here's a bonus challenge. Read these next examples. Identify the full infinitive
phrase. Ready? The legend has been told a thousand times, and the jewel is said to have been lost
forever in the sea. The art thieves are believed to be looking for buyers on the black market.
What do these examples tell us? They remind us that infinitives have perfect and progressive
forms. See my full lesson on infinitives to review the different forms and uses.
Little by little, lesson by lesson, you can master English grammar. After all,
grammar is said to be the foundation of language, so build it well. That's all
for now. Please like and share the video if you found the lesson useful. And please
join as a member to support my channel and study beyond my videos. As always,
thanks for watching and happy studies! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, X,
and Patreon. And don't forget to subscribe here on YouTube. Turn on those notifications.
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