English Grammar | how to use passive verbs Many people have been died because of this disease. [incorrect] Many people have died because of this disease. [correct] This data took from 1982 and 1992. [incorrect] This data was taken from 1982 and 1992. [correct] With active verbs we usually use the following order: subject + verb + object . We use the passive when we want to put the object of the verb first: object + verb . Compare: The teacher told the students to close their books. = active (subject + verb + object) The students were told to close their books. = passive (object + verb) We use the passive: • when we want to make the object the focus of the sentence: The books were sold for a small profit at the school. (the focus is on the books, not the person selling them) Note that the verb (were) agrees with the object (the books). • when the context tells us who carried out the action: A law was introduced to help protect people in this situation. (we k

English Grammar - Prepositions of time and place I will start my course on June .[incorrect] I will start my course in June . [correct] I am going in London next year. [incorrect] I am going to London next year. [correct] We use in with a year , month or part of the day , but on with a day or date : I came to Australia in 1988 . His birthday is in August . We'll have the meeting in the afternoon. We arrived on Thursday 1st October . Christmas Day is on December 25 . (= date) We use at with a time and with the weekend and night : Lets meet at the weekend . Are you free on Sunday at 8:00 ? I usually study late at night . We use for to talk about a length of time: I have lived in Australia for 18 years . The meeting lasted for 3 hours - it was too long. We use in with cities , countries and places to say where something is or happened: I met my husband in London . My best friend lives in Switzerland . We were in the park when the fire started. W

My brother is good at sport but he is very bad at English. (correct) My brother is good in sport but he is very bad in English. (incorrect) The percentage in women attending university is increasing. (incorrect) The percentage of women attending university is increasing. (correct) Some adjectives are always followed by a specific preposition. At . We say you are bad at , good at or surprised at something: I was surprised at the number of people who came. About and with . We say you are angry about or pleased about something but angry with or pleased with a person: I am pleased about your new job. I was really angry with John. After disappointed we use about or with ; after worried we only use about : She was pretty disappointed with / about her exam results. I am worried about John. They are worried about the test. Some nouns are always followed by a specific preposition. In . We say decrease in, drop in , fall in , increase in , rise in : The