Hey there! I’ve noticed throughout our lessons that more practice related to word formation is needed. Here I´m leaving you all the possible choices regarding this topic. Wish you good luck, and for queries, see you in class!
Have + object + past participle (have something done)
We usually use ‘have something done’ when we are talking about paying someone to do something for us. It’s often used for services. The form is ‘subject + have + object + past participle’.
We can also use ‘subject + get + object + past participle’. This has the same meaning as ‘have’, but is less formal.
Have someone do something (have + person + infinitive)
We can also use the construction ‘subject + have + person + infinitive’. This has a very similar meaning to ‘have something done’, which we’ve already talked about, but this time we say who did the thing – we talk about the person who we asked to do the thing for us.
Get someone to do something (get + person + to + infinitive)
Finally, we can also use the construction ‘get + someone + to + infinitive’. Again, this means that you cause the other person to do the action, maybe by paying them to do it, or by asking them to do it, or by persuading them to do it.
Sometimes, this construction has the feeling that we needed to convince someone to do something, while the other constructions on this page are neutral.
Practice:
An active sentence like I drank two cups of coffee has the subject first (the person or thing that does the verb), followed by the verb, and finally the object (the person or thing that the action happens to).
So, in this example, the subject is ‘I’, the verb is ‘drank’ and the object is ‘two cups of coffee’.
But, we don’t always need to make sentences this way. We might want to put the object first, or perhaps we don’t want to say who did something. This can happen for lots of reasons (see the explanation further down the page). In this case, we can use a passive, which puts the object first:
We make the passive by putting the verb ‘to be’ into whatever tense we need and then adding the past participle. For regular verbs, we make the past participle by adding ‘ed’ to the infinitive. So play becomes played. Click here to learn about irregular verbs.
| Tense | Active | Passive |
| present simple | I make a cake. | A cake is made (by me). |
| present continuous | I am making a cake. | A cake is being made (by me). |
| past simple | I made a cake. | A cake was made (by me). |
| past continuous | I was making a cake. | A cake was being made(by me). |
| present perfect | I have made a cake. | A cake has been made (by me). |
| pres. perf. continuous | I have been making a cake. | A cake has been being made (by me). |
| past perfect | I had made a cake. | A cake had been made(by me). |
| future simple | I will make a cake. | A cake will be made (by me). |
| future perfect | I will have madea cake. | A cake will have been made (by me). |
Exercises here:
Exercise 1: present simple passive
Exercise 2: past simpel passive
Exercise 3: present perfect passive
Exercise 4: Future simple passive
The Part 1 question will be an essay on a given topic. A set of notes on the topic will be provided, and will include three bullet points. Candidates will be asked to select two of the bullet points and to base their essay on those two points. They should not attempt to discuss more than two of the points, as this will lead to the essay being less developed than required. Candidates will also be asked to explain which of the two points is more important in a given respect, and to give reasons for their opinion.
Candidates will be given three short opinions related to the bullet points. They may, if they wish, use these to help develop their essay, but they should do so in their own words, as far as possible.
AN ESSAY is usually written for an academic tutor and may be a follow-up to an activity, such as attending a panel discussion or watching a documentary. It should be well organised, with an introduction, clear development, and an appropriate conclusion. The main purpose of an essay in the Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) Writing paper is to underline relevant salient issues on a topic, and to support an argument with subsidiary points and reasons.
TASK
Your class has attended a panel discussion on what methods governments should use to discourage the use of private cars in the centre of the city. You have made the notes below.
Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method you think is more important for governments to consider, giving reasons to support your opinion.
You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.
Too much traffic is a major headache for everyone in the city due to the noise, pollution and, of course, terrible delays during the rush hour. How can the government reduce traffic and dissuade people from driving their cars into the centre every day? In this essay, I will discuss two possible approaches to this pressing yet complex issue.
The first option to consider is an education campaign which could comprise of visual and radio advertising, presentations to businesses and special designated days such as ‘Wall to Work day’. Compared to the high cost of significantly upgrading our public transport system, advertising is relatively low-cost and straightforward to implement. On the other hand, it is difficult to gauge the effectiveness of such campaign in advance because it relies on individuals changing their ingrained habits.
A second alternative would be to levy a tax on parking in the city. This could be applied both to businesses and directly to consumers. While it is true that this would have immediate gains in revenue and change behaviour, taxes are unpopular and could also place unfair pressure on small businesses and individuals who do not have other transport options for work.
In my view, a multi-faceted education campaign would be the most effective starting point. In the future, a tax could be a possible option but it would be tolerated better once citizens are educated about the benefits of fewer cars and a more pedestrianised centre.
[+/- 240 words]
TASK
Your class has attended a panel discussion on the action governments can take to promote health and fitness among young people. You have made the notes below.
Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the actions in your notes. You should explain which action you think is more important, giving reasons to support your opinion.
You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed during the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible.
Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.
We often hear about the many benefits of health and fitness. However, less often do we hear concrete suggestions for how to improve participation rates, particularly among young people. In this essay I will discuss two possible actions that governments could focus on in order to promote health and fitness to youth today.
The first possible action is to improve physical education teaching in schools. Local students have at times complained that the curriculum is rigid and emphasises repetitive activities instead of team sports and enjoyment. Better role models and more adventurous options could lead to improved attitude and participation. Naturally, employing specialist sports teachers would incur considerable cost.
A second option would be to attempt to change the overly competitive attitudes that seem ingrained in many of the sports competitions for youngsters. When adults such as parents and teachers focus on winning above having a good time, it puts undue pressure on the participants. They may feel a sense of failure if they lose and also be less inclined to try a new sport.
To sum up, either approach would be a step in the right direction. In my view, it would be wise to prioritise dealing with reducing competitiveness first because I believe it would help young people feel better about the sports they already do. They could then, in turn, influence their friends to join in.
[+/- 220 words]
TASK
Your class has attended a lecture on the action governments can take to make sure cultural heritage is preserved for future generations. You have made the notes below.
Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the priorities in your notes. You should explain which priority you think is more important, giving reasons to support your opinion.
You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible.
Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.
Cultural heritage is an invaluable asset for all generations to enjoy. It is about knowing where we have come from and having pride in the place we live. In this essay I will discuss two priorities for the government’s support of the cultural heritage in our community.
The first idea is to increase funding to museums. People say that museums are the heart of cultural heritage preservation. Not only do they display objects, they also teach and provide information about them. Increased funding could attract better care of objects, more specialised staff and more fun displays, in turn attracting more people to visit and learn. On the other hand, I would argue that it’s unreasonable to expect governments to give more money to museums when they have got more important things to spend people’s taxes on.
The second idea is to protect old buildings. It has become clear in recent years that governments can no longer afford to provide generous grants to help people maintain their historically significant houses. I am sure there are many voluntary organisations which would be prepared to work on conservation projects. Nevertheless, the government could provide protection to ensure that old buildings are not demolished or transformed out of character.
In my view, the most pressing priority is to provide protective legislation for old homes and buildings. I’m not alone in my concern about the loss of historical features which take such pride of place in and give character to our communities.
[+/- 240 words]
TASK
Your class has been involved in a discussion on whether a dress code should be introduced at the college where you are studying. You have made the notes below.
Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the advantages in your notes. You should explain which of the advantages you think would be most important for the college to consider in deciding whether to introduce a dress code, giving reasons to support your opinion.
You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed during the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible.
Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.
Introducing a dress code
We often hear that it is important for young people to be able to express themselves by what they wear. At our college, our lack of clothing guidelines has led some students to dress in a way that compromises both safety and our reputation in the community. Items of concern include ripped clothing, hoods that obscure the face, offensive T-shirts and very high platform heels. In this essay, I will discuss two advantages of introducing a dress code at our college.
The image that we present to the community is important for a number of reasons, but primarily because overly casual dress makes it more difficult to place students in homestays and on work experience. Recently, this problem seems to have escalated as we have received some phone complaints about students’ scruffy appearance. Additionally, it has come to my attention that a few students have worn T-shirts with slogans that could be considered xenophobic. It seems obvious that implementing a dress code will improve the college’s image.
With regard to health and safety, three students have fallen down the stairs during the last month. One of them, who had been wearing a pair of stiletto heels at the time, unfortunately broke her leg. I have grave concerns that without a dress code outlining suitable footwear choices, further accidents may be inevitable.
In my view, keeping people safe at our school is our responsibility. Consequently, this is the most pressing reason why it is time to introduce a dress code, even if it is initially unpopular with the student body.
[+/- 255 words]
TASK
You have attended a Science Club lecture on how schools could encourage young people to train for careers in science. You have made the notes below.
Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method you think is more important for governments to consider, giving reasons to support your opinion.
You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed during the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible.
Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.
Ways to encourage young people to train for careers in science
Nowadays we frequently hear about the lack of students pursuing scientific careers. How can we demostrate to the younger generation that science is a rewarding and satisfying field? In this essay I will discuss two methods that schools could employ to help persuade teenagers to consider further study in this area.
One possible approach would be to ensure that career advisors are on board by providing them with materials, training and even incentives for promoting science. While this would be fairly easy to implement superficially, a lot of information dates extremely quickly. In addition, generally speaking, career advisors have little background themselves in physics, chemistry and biology and therefore may not be able to drum up genuine enthusiasm.
A second tactic that schools might take would be to invite scientists to come to their school to talk about their work. What migh prove difficult would be to secure the scientists themselves, as they are often extremely busy. It would also be crucial to enlist experts able to relate to adolescents or they might actually have an adverse effect.
Overall, I would say that the most effective measure would be to have guest speakers. Hearing an exciting story from the field is much more likely to influence career choice than some second-hand advice.
[+/- 215 words]
– See more at: http://www.rubenvalero.com/english/content/cae-essay#sthash.Al1gPOU7.dpuf
Discuss
Look at the presentation. Follow the instructions and talk about some of the photos
Write
The language used here for comparing and contrasting / speculating is also useful for writing discussion / argument essays. Plan:
Which pairs or groups of photos in the presentation could be used to demonstrate ideas for argument writing topics about education, technology, food, family, work, leisure, health, advertising etc?
Common verbs followed by the gerund:
enjoy………………….. I enjoyed living in France.
fancy………………….. I fancy seeing a film tonight.
discuss………………. We discussed going on holiday together.
dislike………………… I dislike waiting for buses.
finish…………………. We’ve finished preparing for the meeting.
mind………………….. I don’t mind coming early.
suggest…………….. He suggested staying at the Grand Hotel.
recommend………. They recommended meeting earlier.
keep………………….. He kept working, although he felt ill.
avoid………………….. She avoided talking to her boss.
miss ……………………She misses living near the beach.
appreciate………….. I appreciated her helping me.
delay…………………. He delayed doing his taxes.
postpone…………… He postponed returning to Paris.
practise…………….. She practised singing the song.
consider……………. She considered moving to New York.
can’t stand………… He can’t stand her smoking in the office.
can’t help………….. He can’t help talking so loudly.
risk…………………… .He risked being caught.
admit………………… He admitted cheating on the test.
deny…………………. He denied committing the crime.
mention…………….. He mentioned going to that college.
imagine…………….. He imagines working there one day.
tolerate……………… I tolerated her talking.
understand………… I understand his quitting.
involve………………. The job involves travelling to Japan once a month.
complete…………… He completed renovating the house.
report………………… He reported her stealing the money.
anticipate…………… I anticipated arriving late.
recall………………….. Tom recalled using his credit card at the store.
Common verbs followed by to + infinitive:
agree …………..She agreed to give a presentation at the meeting
ask*…………….. I asked to leave early / I asked him to leave early
decide…………. We decided to go out for dinner
help*…………….. He helped to clean the kitchen / he helped his flatmate to clean
the kitchen
plan……………… She plans to buy a new flat next year
hope…………… .I hope to pass the exam
learn…………… .They are learning to sing
want*…………… .I want to come to the party / I want him to come to the party
would like*…….. I would like to see her tonight / I would like you to see her
tonight
promise……….. We promised not to be late
can afford…….. We can’t afford to go on holiday.
manage……….. He managed to open the door without the key.
prepare* ……….They prepared to take the test /the teachers prepared the students
to take the test.
demand……….. He demanded to speak to Mr. Harris.
choose………… .I chose to help.
offer…………….. Frank offered to drive us to the supermarket.
wait……………… .She waited to buy a movie ticket.
would hate*…… I’d hate to be late / I’d hate you to be late.
would love*…… I’d love to come / I’d love him to come.
seem……………. Nancy seemed to be disappointed.
expect*………… They expect to arrive early / they expect Julie to arrive early
intend…………… We intend to visit you next spring.
pretend………… The child pretended to be a monster.
refuse………….. The guard refused to let them enter the building.
tend……………… He tends to be a little shy.
would prefer*… I’d prefer to do it / I’d prefer him to do it.
deserve……….. He deserves to go to jail.
appear…………. His health appeared to be better.
arrange………… Naomi arranged to stay with her cousin in Miami.
claim…………….. She claimed to be a princess.
*We can use an object before the infinitive with these verbs.
(Note that ‘help’ can also be followed by the infinitive without ‘to’ with no difference
in meaning: ‘I helped to carry it’ = ‘I helped carry it’.)
Gerunds and infinitives
It can be a little difficult to know when to use gerunds and infinitives.
We use ‘to’ + infinitive:
We use the bare infinitive (the infinitive without ‘to’):
Click for exercises on PDF here
2) Speak
Look at the list of verbs in the presentation and make sentences using a gerund or an infinitive after each verb.
Example – I can’t stand driving in the city.
3)Write some sentences using the verbs above which are true for you.
Example – I detest eating prunes.
I’m just a poor EFL teacher. I can’t afford to buy new shoes.
4)Practise
Here are 5 songs with gerunds and infinitives in the titles.
How many do you know? Can you think of any more songs with a gerund or an infinitive in the title?
I promise to try
I can´t stand losing you
Imagine (having no possessions…)
I want to break free
My online place to keep on learning
My online place to keep on learning
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