Daily English Phrases
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Entries in passive (17)

Saturday
Mar172012

“To put this piece in historical context, it was created during the period when Europeans were just beginning to explore the New World.”

To put this piece in historical context, it was created during the period when Europeans were just beginning to explore the New World.

You're a tour guide at an art museum. You're telling the story of an artist who lived a long time ago. You want to explain when this person lived. You say:

To put this piece in historical context, it was created during the period when Europeans were just beginning to explore the New World.

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Monday
Mar052012

“It looks like I'm being deployed in a couple of weeks.”

It looks like I

You're in the army. You've been told that you have to leave the country to do a mission. You call your boyfriend to tell him.

It looks like I'm being deployed in a couple of weeks.

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Monday
Feb272012

“Don't you hate how those cords always get tangled up?”

Don

You see someone in the elevator who's trying to untie the wires of his headphones. You think it's funny because you do that a lot too. You say:

Don't you hate how those cords always get tangled up?

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Saturday
Oct012011

“Watch out! Your fingers are going to get caught in the door.”

English Lesson: Your fingers are going to get caught in the door.

Your young child is playing with the door, opening and closing it. You’re worried that his fingers are going to get squeezed and hurt. You tell him:

Watch out! Your fingers are going to get caught in the door.

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Sunday
May152011

“So were you transferred here, or did you move voluntarily?”

So were you transferred here, or did you move voluntarily?

A new person just started working at your office. You've heard that she came there from another branch of the same company on the other side of the country. You've introduced yourself, and now you want to know if she chose to move to your branch or was told to come there. You ask:

So were you transferred here, or did you move voluntarily?

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Tuesday
Apr262011

“He claims to have been abducted by aliens.”

He claims to have been abducted by aliens.

You're chatting with a coworker about your uncle, who's a pretty strange guy. He's told you that aliens from outer space kidnapped him. You tell your coworker:

He claims to have been abducted by aliens.

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Friday
Mar182011

“As you're all aware, we've been forced to make significant cutbacks.”

Make significant cutbacks

Your company recently laid off 15% of the employees. You're running a meeting with your staff to talk about how to deal with the layoffs. After starting the meeting, you begin by saying:

As you're all aware, we've been forced to make significant cutbacks.

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Friday
Nov192010

“The guy in the apartment right below me seems to be having some construction done.”

Your apartment is noisy because people are hammering, cutting things, and yelling in the apartment that's under yours. You're explaining the problem to a friend of yours:

The guy in the apartment right below me seems to be having some construction done.

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Monday
Sep132010

“Have these been run?”

You open the dishwasher and you can't tell if the dishes are clean or dirty. You ask your husband:

Have these been run?

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Saturday
Sep042010

“It's been downgraded to a tropical storm.”

You're talking to your mother about a hurricane that is headed toward you. You heard on the news that the strength of the hurricane has dropped, so it's not 

It's been downgraded to a tropical storm.

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