GRAMMAR PROJECT 3 - designing a variety of materials that focus Research Paper

GRAMMAR PROJECT 3 - designing a variety of materials that focus learners' attention on and practice a specific grammar point. (p - Research Paper Example In this case, the patient is described as item or person that is subjected to action. This differs from the active voice where the subject is presented to bear the role of the agent. The utilization of passive and active voices is aimed at creating flexibility in the construction of sentences (Azar 2005, p 34). The utilization of passive voice creates an allowance for speakers to organize discourse stretches through placement of the figures, instead of agents, in the position of the subjects. Passive voice is also utilized to deliberately avoid specification of the action or the agent. Clearly, passive voice occupies a pivotal position in grammar. This material is set to guide and focus the learners’ attention towards mastering passive voice. Proposed Learning context This material is suitable for learners in the ages between 15 and 16. It is most appropriate for learners in the intermediate stages, where learners have mastered basic vocabulary and can construct simple sentenc es effectively. For these learners, learning English grammar will involve constructing sentences from active to passive voice. Prerequisite The only prerequisite skill that students should possess is to know the verb, object, subject structure entailed in a simple sentence. Areas of Focus There are various aspects that are central to processes of understanding passive voice, as a grammar point and which learners will need to know. The aspects of particular interest include definition of passive voice, the basic structure of passive voice sentences and the context of application of passive voice. Thus, this material acknowledges that grammar, fluency/meaning and pragmatics/context are crucial and would be given uttermost consideration. CHAPTER 2: LEARNING PASSIVE VOICE Understanding passive voice In these sessions, learners are supposed to understand the meaning of passive voice. At the end of the session, learners should be in the position to distinguish between passive and active v oice through basic definition. Underlying vocabularies, such as passivization, would be introduced. Passivization is the process of converting an active sentence into a passive one. There are other pivotal elements that need to be covered under the definition of passive voice and this include the basic structure of passive voice sentences and the context of application of passive voice. Common problems in Learning Passive It is imperative to single out common challenges encountered in the learning passive voice so that learners can note and overcome. Students will have problems in the use of passive form in production practical. There are three dimension of passive voice learning challenges; form (grammar), meaning (fluency), use (pragmatics/ context). In particular, one of the main challenges that should be singled out is the use of form, considering that formation of passive voice sentences is mechanical. There is always the difference in focusing between passive and active voices , but the meaning often remains the same. Another problem that should be single out is that students might be inclined to placing the subjects of the passive sentences following the participle as they have been conditioned to considering objects to come after the verb. Learners may also have a hard task in to distinguish passive voice from present perfect active. Learners may alternate /d/ for /t/ in certain participle finishing with verbs