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Questions and Answers
Match the following sentences with their voice in the present continuous tense: 'The tournament is being played by millions worldwide.'
Active voice = Millions worldwide are playing the tournament. Passive voice = Biology is being studied by me.
Match the following sentences with their voice in the present continuous tense: 'I am studying biology right now.'
Active voice = We are currently building our new app. Passive voice = Biology is being studied by me.
Match the following sentences with their voice in the past continuous tense: 'Yesterday, I was learning programming every morning.'
Active voice = Programming was learned by me yesterday. Passive voice = Regularly, workouts were being done last week.
Match the following sentences with their voice in the past continuous tense: 'Last week, she was working out regularly.'
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Match the following sentences with their corresponding voice and tense:
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Match the following descriptions with the correct voice usage:
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Match the following statements with their effect on writing skills:
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Study Notes
Voice in Continuous Tenses
As we navigate through time's flow with verbs like run, eat, and paint, understanding how voice interacts within continuous tenses can illuminate their nuances. In this exploration, let's focus on the passive and active voices of both present and past continuous tenses.
Present Continuous (Progressive)
In its most basic form, the present continuous tense describes actions happening now. There are two main ways it can convey voice—active and passive.
Active: The tournament is being played by millions worldwide. (Example using third person singular) I am studying biology right now. (Example using first person singular) We are currently building our new app. (Example using first person plural)
Passive: Millions worldwide are playing the tournament. Biology is being studied by me. Our new app is being built.
Note that the auxiliary verb 'to be + -ing' forms the base of the progressive tense regardless of whether it's in its active or passive construction.
Past Continuous
Similar to the present continuous tense, there exist corresponding constructions in the past continuous tense which convey active and passive voice.
Active: Yesterday, I was learning programming every morning. Last week, she was working out regularly. Four years ago, they were developing cutting edge technology.
Passive: Programming was learned by me yesterday. Regularly, workouts were being done last week. Cutting edge technology was developed four years ago.
Just like the present continuous tense, the past continuous relies on the auxiliary verb 'was + -ing', where infinitive 'to be' appears in its past simple tense form to signify ongoing action in the past.
By analyzing these examples, you may notice some patterns between voice usage in continuous tenses and other types of sentences. For instance, passive voice tends to emphasize the process rather than the doer (agent), while active voice highlights the actor performing the task. However, don't forget that each sentence context and writer preference can steer voice choices.
Understanding the intricacies of voice in continuous tenses will help improve your writing skills, enabling you to communicate more effectively across various situations such as technical reports, academic essays, and professional correspondence.
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Description
Explore the active and passive voices within present continuous and past continuous tenses with examples and explanations. Enhance your understanding of how voice affects the nuances of actions happening in the present and past.
