Expressing Decisions, Intentions and Plans

The most common and everyday expressions in our daily interactions are decisions, plans, and intentions. Ofter we learners get confused as to what are grammatically correct structures to express ourselves and not get embarrassed amidst standard English speakers and score the best in our Academic and standardized tests like IELTS/TOEFL/PTE tests. 

Expressing decisions in the affirmative involves the following expressions:

1. I think I'll + bare infinitive (v1) + object => I think I'll buy a new car.

2. Maybe I'll + bare infinitive (v1) + object => Maybe I'll buy a new car.

3. Perhaps I'll + bare infinitive (v1) + object => Perhaps I'll buy a new car.

Expressing decisions in the negative involves the following expressions:

1. I don't think I'll + bare infinitive (v1) + object => I don't think I'll buy a new car.

2. Maybe I won't + bare infinitive (v1) + object => Maybe I won't buy a new car.

3. Perhaps I won't+ bare infinitive (v1) + object => Perhaps I won't buy a new car.

Similarly, when we express our intentions and plans, we use the following expressions and structures. These expressions are usually practised in the affirmative and are less likely to be used in the negative.

Expressing intentions and plans in the affirmative involves the following expressions and structures:

1. I'm intending + to-infinitive (to+v1) + object => I 'm intending to buy a new car.

2. I'm planning + to-infinitive (to+v1) + object => I'm planning to buy a new car.

3. I'm thinking of + gerund (v4) + object => I'm thinking of buying a new car.

4. I'm going + to-infinitive + object => I'm going to buy a new car.

Expressing intentions and plans in the negative involves the following expressions and structures:

1. I'm intending + not+ to-infinitive (to+v1) + object => I 'm intending not to buy a new car.

2. I'm planning + not + to-infinitive (to+v1) + object => I'm planning not to buy a new car.

3. I'm not thinking of + gerund (v4) + object => I'm not thinking of buying a new car.

4. I'm not going + to-infinitive + object => I'm not going to buy a new car.

Care must be taken while expressing plans and intentions in the negative using verbs like intend and plan, as in 1 and 2 above.

Now test your understanding by completing this 50-50 quiz.

The End

Grammar Practice Materials

Keep practicing these materials until the next task arrives at your desk.

Grammar Revision

Grammar Revision For Secondary /Intermediate level Students 

1. Rewrite the following sentences using the best option. [10]            

a)       Who is known as………………. Shakespeare of Nepal? (a/an/the)

b)       Desert plants are adapted to cope……………extreme heat. (out with/up with/at with)

c)        You had him do it, .………………..? (hadn't you, didn't you, won't you)

d)       He as well as his friends …………. killed in the accident. (is/ was /were)

e)       He laid down his life for the cause of freedom. The interrogative form of this statement is: “…………his life for the cause of freedom?” (Did he lie/ Did he lay/ Had he laid)

f)         There is a lot of noise in this class. The negative form of this statement is: “………………….. .” (There is no noise in this class/ There isn’t much noise in this class/ There is some noise in this class)

g)       You must come and see us when you…………in London again. (are/ will be/ have been)

h)       She said, “I haven’t stolen her books.” The indirect speech is: ……………. (She denied stealing her books/She denied to steal her books/She denied having stolen her books.)

i)         Who has shouted at her? Alternatively, “ …………?” (By whom has she been shouted at/ By whom was she shouted at? / Who is she being shouted at by?)

j)         ……………being overweight, he can run fast (However/ Despite of/ In spite of)

k)       Had I had enough time, I…………………. my parents (will call on/would call on/ would have called on)

l)         The news had me ………… for a while. (to worry/ worried/ worry) 

                  

2.  Reproduce the following sentences as indicated in brackets.  [6]

a.             He is hardly interested in learning new things, ................? (Add the suitable tag)

b.            He is hardly interested in learning new things, ................? (Add the suitable tag) He hung a coat on the wall. (Into negative)

c.             She shot an arrow. (Into interrogative)

d.            Renuka…………………. (cut) her finger. It’s still bleeding. (Put the verb in the bracket in the correct tense)

e.             He said to me, “Where did you go yesterday?” (Into indirect speech)

f.              They built a new bridge in the village. (Into passive voice)

3.  Rewrite the following text selecting the appropriate options from the brackets. [10]

There was once________ (a/an/the) old farmer. He_______ (has/have/had) three sons. They were lazy. They didn't work in the field. He feared that his son________ (will suffer/would suffer/suffer) much after his death________ (because/so/however), he thought of a plan to make his sons work in the field. One day he called his sons and told them that the treasures________ (buried/were buried/has been buried) somewhere in the field. He told his son's, ''If you of the field, you________ (will get/would get/ would have get) them. ''They were tempted to the treasures and they began to dig the field, but could not find the treasures anywhere. ________ (at/on/to) the same time they sowed seeds in the field. There was fine crop. The sons ________ (became\become\becomes) rich. The old father made his son________ (to work\ work\worked) hard, ________ (did he\didn't he\was he)? 

4.  Rewrite the following text selecting the appropriate options from the brackets. [10]

Everybody............. (want/ wants/ wanted) to be successful in life, ............. (do they/ don't he/ don't they)? (Although/ However/So) ……………., a few people do. Can you give me............. (an/ the/ some) advice as to how ............. successful? (one can/ become/ can one become/ one could become) Each of us ............. (have/ had/ has) latent potential which ............. (have to be/ has to be/ has to) explored for its manifestation. If you cultivate a habit of pursuing your hobby, it ............ (will help/ would help/ would have helped) you a lot. Moreover, having an aim in life makes one............. (to stick/ stick/ stuck) to one's work. So you should always avail yourself............. (off/ of/ for) your own potential to get success in life.

5.  Choose the correct answers and complete the following passage. [10]

 In the valley of Titwal lived a small family of four earning ……………… (a, an, the) living by sweating hard…………… (at, in, on) their farm. One day as Sunny was tilling his land in the scorching sun, he grew thirsty and asked his wife to bring a glass of water. ……………. . (Although, Despite, However) she heard her husband’s voice, she couldn’t understand what he was saying. So she came out of the kitchen and asked him ……………… her to do (what he had asked, what did he ask, what was he asking). Many a person ………….. (have, had, has) to work hard in order to meet their both ends meet. What…………. (has done, has been done, is done) to uplift the standard of the poor so far? No one can give a satisfactory answer ,……………..? (can they, can’t they, could they). The crooked politicians………….. (are cheating, are being cheated, have been cheating) them for ages. If the politicians had really worked for the country, we …………………………. (will not have to see, would not have to see, would not have had to see) this state of our country.  Let’s ponder how we can have the politicians…………. (keep, to keep, kept) their promise.

6. Rewrite the given story choosing the best alternative given in the brackets. (12)

Yesterday Sita and Ram both sat………(at/on/for) the SLC Preparation Examination. Some questions were very tough. “Aye Sita,….……… (does/do/did) you know………… (a/the/an) answer to question number 8?” Ram asked.

……. (After/Before/Later) Sita answered the teacher said, “Don’t talk or whisper in the examination hall, the others……(works/are working/have worked). You have to keep quiet,………?(haven’t you/don’t you/haven’t you) ”After a while, Ram reiterated, “Sita, question number 8…?”

“I wish I ……… (know/knew/would know) the answer”, Sita reiterated, “If I had known the answer, I would have told you”. “I will never pass ……….. (however/so much/nevertheless) hard I try”, thought Ram. He wasn’t able to answer even a single question since he had arrived.

Two hours passed. “Those …….. (that/whom/who) have finished can submit their copies and wait silently till the final bell but those who are trying to copy or cheat from others, their papers shall be canceled!”. Ram heard the English teacher shout. He was very sad because he couldn’t answer the questions. None of the questions from No: 8……….(is/are/was) answered by Ram. Please don’t be a student like Ram.

7.  Reproduce the following as indicated in brackets.        [12]

a.       Nobody has arrived yet, …………………….? (Add a suitable tag)

b.      He lay in his bed (Into interrogative).

c.       He has his sweater sewn (Into negative).

d.      You must see me when you……………in London. (Use the appropriate form of the verb ‘be’)

e.       She asked me whether I had had my lunch on time the previous day. (Into direct speech)

f.        There is no time to waste. (Into passive voice)

8. Choose the correct answers and complete the following passage. (5)

Once there was a hunter…………….(who, whom, which) lived in a village. He had a dog. It was very faithful. One day the hunter with his wife………..(was, were, are) going to the city leaving their baby son at home. A wolf came there, entered the house, and attacked the baby. The dog fought……….(of, with, by) the wolf bravely and killed it.

In the evening the hunter and his wife returned from the city. The dog was waiting outside for its master to say, “…………….(It has saved, It had saved, I have saved) the baby. “When it saw its master, it…………(was licking, licked, has licked) the master’s feet. The hunter saw the stains of blood on the dog’s mouth. It made him……………(suspect, suspected, to suspect) that the dog……………….(kills, has killed, had killed) his son. He became very angry and instantly killed the dog shooting it with his gun,…………….(didn’t he, didn’t it, don’t he)? Later, when he found his son sleeping safe and sound inside the house and…………..(a, an, the) wolf lying dead near the baby, he regretted his thoughtless cruel action upon his faithful dog and wept bitterly. If he had been a little patient and thoughtful, he……………….( would not have to, would not have had to repent, will not have to repent) on his action.

 The End

Super 6 Reasons to Use the Passive Voice

Oftentimes, we find the non-native English teachers trying to ask learners to change sentences into the passive so indiscriminately that the sentences are structurally/ syntactically correct but semantically very clumsy to use in real-life communications. 

For example:

• The police arrested the thief and took him for trial. 
• Honey is tasted sweet.
• You would like to be invited to the party.
• The grass is eaten by the cows.
• The parliament was dissolved by the President.
• Apple is liked by me. etcetera.

Remember, these sentences are already perfect in their active voice and forcefully changing them into the passive is like painting a red rose green.

There are basically 6 reasons (as far as I have noticed) why we use the passive voice in the English Language.

Let's see them here with an example each.

Reason# 1. When the subject is unknown.

Example: Some valuables were stolen from his house. (You don't know who did it)

Reason# 2. When the actor/subject is obvious. 

Example: The patient was treated well in time. ( You know who treats patients--obviously a doctor)

Reason# 3. When the subject/actor is unimportant and the action is more important.

Example:  The house was built in 1924. (Your concern is the age of the house, not the builder)

Reason# 4.  When you want to highlight the action/event and not the actor.

Example:  When I arrived home, everything was set well; the kitchen table, the candlelight, the drink on the table, and all that was expected for a birthday party.

Reason# 5. When you want to give readers/listeners a change in your communication style or bring a variety to it.

Example: My father came to find that the dinner was all set and only his arrival was eagerly awaited for the party to begin.

Reason# 6. When you intentionally want to hide the subject for security, controversy, or other issues, as a reporter,

Example: It is said that the election was withheld only for a minor reason. What do you have to say about this? (A reporter is taking an interview with the election commissioner.)

Warning: Do not try to change everything into the passive voice as it deforms the sentence and misinforms the readers/listeners.

https://englishforallcommunicationconcern.blogspot.com/

Note these indications well before you read the table below. 

V1=bare Infinitive; V2=Past Simple; V3=Past Participle; V4=Present Participle; V5=Present singular

Voice Transformation Table

SN	TENSE	ACTIVE	PASSIVE
1	Present Simple	He eats apples.	Apples are eaten by him.
2		We read books.	Books are read by us.
3		She plays cricket.	Cricket is played by her.
	Structure	Subject + V1/V5 + Object	Object + is/am/are +V3 + by + Agent
4	Present Progressive	They are reading stories.	Stories are being read by them.
5		She is telling jokes.	Jokes are being told by her.
6		I am cooking pasta.	Pasta is being cooked (by me).
	Structure	Subject + is/am/are + V4 + Object.	Object + is/am/are + being + V3+ by + Agent.
7	Present Perfect	He has told the truth.	The truth has been told by him.
8		We have solved the problems.	The problems have been solved (by us).
9		I have learnt the lesson.	The lesson has been learnt (by me).
	Structure	Subject + has/have +V3 + Object.	Object + has/have+ been + V3 + by + Agent.
10	Past Simple	He stole the secret.	The secret was stolen by him.
11		The police arrested the crook.	The crook was arrested (by the police).
12		Manul knew the answer.	The answer was known to Manul.
	Structure	Subject + V2+Object.	Object + was/were + V3 + by + Agent.
13	Past Progressive	The cat was chasing a mouse.	A mouse was being chased by the cat.
14		We were writing poems.	Poems were being written by us.
15		Kate was cleaning the room.	The room was being cleaned by Kate.
	Structure	Subject + was/were + V4 + Object.	Object + was/were + being +  V3 + by + Agent.
16	Past Perfect	He had confessed the secret.	The secret had been confessed by him.
17		We had heard the noise.	The noise had been heard by us.
18		The king had accepted his fault.	His fault had been accepted by the king.
	Structure	Subject + had + V3 + Object.	Object + had + been +  V3 + by + Agent.
19	Future Simple	I will confirm the time.	The time will be confirmed by me.
He		We shall overcome the problem.	The problem will be overcome by us.
21		He will have to answer us.	We will have to be answered by him.
	Structure	Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object.	Object + will + be +  V3 + by + Agent.
22	Future Perfect	He will have finished his test by 5:00 pm.	His test will have been finished by 5:00 pm.
23		We shall have cleaned the house in 30 minutes.	The house will have been cleaned in 30 minutes.
24		You will have married by 30.	You will have been married by 30.
	Structure	Subject + will/shall have + V3 + Object by time adverbial.	Object + will + have + been +  V3 + ( by + Agent ) + by + time adverbial.
25	Be going to..Future	He is going to tell the truth. I am going to cook fish today.	The truth is going to be told (by him.) Fish is going to be cooked today by me.
	Structure	S + is/am/are + going to +V1 + O	O + is/am/are + going to + be +V3  + by Agent

Now try to transform the voice in these sentences.

1. He hates being shouted at.
2. Raju is writing a letter.
3. I heard her sing a beautiful song.
4. Don't make a noise.
5. Where did you buy this book?
6. How are you going to solve the problem?
7. Can you swim across the river?
8. I saw him go out.
9. He never tells lies.
10. Do you know the secret?
11. They are felling trees to build a new airport.
12. We know Shakespeare.
13. He married a woman with three kids.
14. They built the house before the town was established.
15. Nobody informed me that the house was burning in flames.

The End