Writing Assignment: Paragraph with Passive Sentences

Compose one paragraph of 150-175 words using different action verbs in any time frame. Use both active and passive voice verbs. Type a suitable title in the Subject Line of your message; capitalize the content words (N, V, Adj, Adv).

Language elements
: Refer to the verb forms in Applied English Grammar Chapter 11 Passive Sentences and vocabulary from the Academic Word List. Use different verbs. Use at least one of each sentence type, in any order: simple, compound, and complex. The complex (or compound-complex) sentences should include an adverbial clause, a relative clause and a noun clause.

The iPod

By Marsha Chan

iPod is a brand of portable media players that were designed and marketed by Apple. Six generations of iPods have been created to date. A 1.8˛ hard drive is used for storage in each device. The First Generation iPod, which was built with a mechanical scroll wheel and a 5GB hard drive capable of storing 1,000 songs encoded using MP3, was priced at US$399 when it was launched in October 2001. I use mine to broadcast audio files in my beginning ESL class. The iPod Nano, a related device, was introduced in September 2005 for US$249. At Mission College, a raffle for an iPod Nano was held to entice faculty to attend AngelLearning training, and I was a lucky winner. Much smaller than the first iPod, the Nano is a convenient skiing and hiking companion. In September 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the Sixth Generation iPod Classic and announced that iPods were renamed iPod Classics. The iPhone and iPod Touch, which were unveiled in January and September 2007 respectively, continue to captivate Apple fans.

Vocabulary Analysis

Vocabulary Profile http://www.lextutor.ca/vp/eng
Words recategorized by user as 1k items (proper nouns etc): iPod, iPods (total 8 tokens)

K1 Words (1-1000): 70.86%
K2 Words (1001-2000): 5.71%
AWL Words (academic): 7.43%
Off-List Words: 16.00%
Words in text (tokens): 175

ipod is a brand of portable media players that were designed and marketed by apple six generations of ipods have been created to date a number number hard drive is used for storage in each device the first generation ipod which was built with a mechanical scroll wheel and a numbergb hard drive capable of storing number number songs encoded using mpnumber was priced at us$number when it was launched in october number i use mine to broadcast audio files in my beginning esl class the ipod nano a related device was introduced in september number for us$number at mission college a raffle for an ipod nano was held to entice faculty to attend angellearning training and i was a lucky winner much smaller than the first ipod the nano is a convenient skiing and hiking companion in september number steve jobs introduced the sixth generation ipod classic and announced that ipods were renamed ipod classics the iphone and ipod touch which were unveiled in january and september number respectively continue to captivate apple fans

Sentence Structure Analysis

Verbs are underlined.
Passive verbs are highlighted in yellow.
[Dependent clauses] are bracketed.
Sentence type, dependent clause structure, verb voice and tense, and other notes are shown in green.

  1. iPod is a brand of portable media players [that were designed and marketed by Apple].
    Complex sentence with a [restrictive relative adjective clause] using two passive verbs in simple past
  2. Six generations of iPods have been created to date.
    Simple sentence using a passive verb in present perfect
  3. A 1.8˛ hard drive is used for storage in each device.
    Simple sentence using a passive verb in simple present
  4. The First Generation iPod, [which was built with a mechanical scroll wheel and a 5GB hard drive capable of storing 1,000 songs encoded using MP3], was priced at US$399 [when it was launched in October 2001].
    Complex sentence with a [nonrestrictive relative adjective clause] using a passive verb in simple past and an [adverbial clause of time] using a passive verb in simple past. Note the reduced adjective phrase encoded using MP3, reduced from the adjective clause [which are encoded using MP3].
  5. I use mine to broadcast audio files in my beginning ESL class.
    Simple sentence using an active verb in simple present
  6. The iPod Nano, a related device, was introduced in September 2005 for US$249.
    Simple sentence using a passive verb in simple past. Note the reduced adjective phrase a related device, reduced from the adjective clause [which is a related device].
  7. At Mission College a raffle for an iPod Nano was held to entice faculty to attend AngelLearning training, and I was a lucky winner.
    Compound sentence using a passive verb in simple past in the first clause and an active verb in simple past in the second clause
  8. Much smaller than the first iPod, the Nano is a convenient skiing and hiking companion.
    Simple sentence using an active verb in simple present. Note the reduced adjective phrase Much smaller than the first iPod, reduced from the adjective clause The Nano, [which is much smaller than the first iPod], Š
  9. In September 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the Sixth Generation iPod Classic and announced [that iPods were renamed iPod Classics].
    Complex sentence with a [noun clause as a direct object] using a passive verb in simple past
  10. The iPhone and iPod Touch, [which were unveiled in January and September 2007 respectively], continue to captivate Apple fans.
    Complex sentence with a [nonrestrictive relative adjective clause] using an active verb in simple present

References

Apple
Wikipedia

ESL 970G Advanced Grammar Review and Editing – course description
Marsha J. Chanšs web page
Mission College Distance Learning
Go to class at Mission College AngelLearning