Reporting Procedures and Services with Passives and Patterns.

In this lesson you learn to sound more formal and objective when describing procedures, services and rules. You read a short service description and a methods section from a simple report, noticing how passive voice moves attention from the doer to the action or result. You also meet common verb patterns such as advise someone to, allow users to and recommend doing, and see how they appear in real texts. Guided exercises help you transform active sentences into natural passives and correct typical mistakes with verb + ing or to + infinitive. You then write a short explanation of a procedure from your work or study, and record a mini spoken description as if for a training video. By the end, you can choose between active and passive structures, and use common verb patterns confidently when giving instructions, describing services or writing more formal documents.

1. Reading a booking service description with passives.

Let us begin by stepping into a realistic situation. Imagine you have just joined an online education company called BrightLearn. Your manager wants you to help update the website, and she sends you a short description of the company’s lesson booking service. It is written in a fairly formal style, and, as you will hear and see, it uses a lot of passive structures to sound objective and professional. In this first stage, your job is simply to understand what the service does and start noticing how the passive voice works inside a real text. You do not need to remember every rule yet. Instead, focus on questions like: Who is doing the action? What is being done? And which part is more important here, the person or the action or result? After you read the description on the screen, you will answer a few short questions about it and copy one sentence that uses the passive. Take your time, read it twice if you need to, and really look at the verbs. You will see phrases such as “The data are stored securely” and “Access is granted only when payment has been received”. These are excellent models for your own writing later.

The BrightLearn online booking service.

Read this short service description from the BrightLearn website. It explains the lesson booking service to potential students.

> BrightLearn Lesson Booking

> This service is provided by BrightLearn, an independent online language school. It is designed for adults who want flexible one‑to‑one English lessons with professional teachers. Lessons are delivered online using secure video tools, and appointments are arranged directly between students and tutors.

>

> When a new student registers, an online form is completed and basic information is collected. The data are stored securely on our servers in the UK. Access is granted only when payment has been received and verified. Students are allowed to reschedule lessons up to 24 hours before the start time. The information is updated every 24 hours so that schedules remain accurate.

In this text, the writer is not very interested in who does each action. Instead, the focus is on the service and on what is done. That is why the passive voice is used so often. Look at these examples from the description:

• This service is provided by BrightLearn.
• Lessons are delivered online.
• An online form is completed.
• The data are stored securely.
• Access is granted only when payment has been received.
• The information is updated every 24 hours.

In the passive, we usually have:

> be + past participle

> is provided, are delivered, is completed, are stored, is granted, is updated

The passive is very common in formal descriptions of services, processes and rules. It helps the writer sound more objective and emphasise actions and results, not people. You will use this style later when you describe your own procedure.

Read the description again carefully. Pay special attention to the passive verbs in bold. Then move to the activity below.

Practice & Feedback

Read the BrightLearn Lesson Booking description again in the resource box below. Then answer these questions in complete sentences:

1. In your own words, what does this service allow customers to do?
2. Copy one full sentence from the text that uses the passive voice.
3. In your opinion, what is one advantage of this booking service for students?

Try to write 3–5 sentences in total. Use clear, grammatical sentences. If you are not sure about vocabulary, you can reuse phrases from the description, such as This service is provided by…, Lessons are delivered… or The data are stored securely.

Do not worry about being perfect. Focus on being clear and on showing that you understand the main idea and at least one passive sentence.

2. Transforming active sentences into passives.

You have now seen the passive inside a real service description. Let us move one step closer and look at the machinery inside the sentence. In many of the BrightLearn examples, we could also write the same idea using an active structure. The meaning is very similar, but the focus changes. For example, instead of saying, “The data are stored securely”, we could say, “We store the data securely”. In the active sentence, the subject is very clear: **we**. In the passive sentence, the subject is the thing that receives the action: **the data**. This is exactly what we want in a formal description of a procedure or system. In this block, you will practise changing active sentences about the booking service into passives. This will help you control the form: **be + past participle**, and keep the tense the same. Remember to think about the tense first. Is it present simple, past simple or future? Then choose the correct form of **be**, move the object to the beginning, and keep the past participle the same. Listen to the explanations on the screen, study the examples carefully, and then try the short transformation task at the bottom. You do not always need to add “by BrightLearn” or “by the system” at the end, especially when it is obvious who does the action.

Active vs passive in the booking process.

Look at these pairs of sentences about the BrightLearn booking system.

In the active, the subject does the action: we, customers, the system, our team.

In the passive, the subject receives the action: the data, the online form, payments, the timetable. The focus is now on the thing, not the person.

The basic form of the passive is:

> subject + be (in the correct tense) + past participle

For example:

• Present simple: Access is granted only when payment has been received.
• Past simple: Last year, several security settings were changed.
• Future: From next month, all passwords will be reset automatically.

We often leave out the person or thing that does the action if it is general or obvious:

• ✔ The system is checked regularly. (We do NOT need to say by our IT team.)
• ✔ First, the form needs to be completed. (It is obvious that the customer completes it.)

Now you will practise changing short active sentences about the BrightLearn service into passives. This is excellent preparation for writing your own formal procedure later.

Practice & Feedback

Below you will see several active sentences about the BrightLearn booking system. Your task is to rewrite at least four of them in a clear passive form.

Follow these steps:

1. Look at each active sentence and identify the object (the thing that receives the action).
2. Make that object the new subject.
3. Keep the same tense, but change the verb into be + past participle.
4. Decide if you want to include the doer with by … or if it is better to leave it out.

Write your answers as a numbered list. For example:

1. The data are stored securely.
2. …

You do not need to transform every sentence, but try to do at least four so you get good practice.

3. Choosing active or passive for different audiences.

You now know how to build passive sentences and how they relate to active ones. The next question is not only **can** you use the passive, but **should** you use it in a particular context. Good writers choose between active and passive depending on the audience, the purpose and the tone they want. Imagine your manager, Sarah, talking to you about the BrightLearn booking service. She needs three different texts. One is for the **website home page**, which should sound friendly and direct. Another is for an **internal security policy**, which must sound formal and precise. The third is for a **staff training guide**, which should be clear and professional. For customers on the website, Sarah often prefers active sentences: “We store your data securely” or “You get access as soon as we receive your payment”. These sound friendly and build trust. For the security policy, she prefers the passive: “The data are stored securely” or “Access is granted only when payment has been received”. This sounds more official and objective. In this block, you will listen to Sarah’s short explanation, then you will write a couple of sentences for two different audiences: one more active and friendly, one more passive and formal. This will help you control tone, not just grammar.

Active or passive: matching tone to situation.

We will compare three typical situations for the same booking service.

Website home page (customer-facing, friendly)

The aim is to sound welcoming, clear and trustworthy.

• Active example: We store your data securely.
• Active example: You get access as soon as we receive your payment.

These sentences use we and you. They feel more personal and direct.

Internal security policy (formal document)

The aim is to sound objective and precise.

• Passive example: The data are stored securely on UK servers.
• Passive example: Access is granted only when payment has been received.

Here, the focus is on the data and on access, not on people.

Staff training guide (clear procedure)

The aim is to show steps in a neutral, professional way.

• Passive example: First, the form needs to be completed.
• Passive example: The system is checked regularly.
• Mixed style: This procedure helps us to identify any booking errors quickly.

In practice, you can move between active and passive depending on what you want to emphasise:

• Use active if you want to sound friendly, show responsibility or motivate:

We recommend checking your timetable every morning.

• Use passive if you want to sound neutral, focus on rules or describe a system:

The timetable is updated every morning.

In the listening activity, Sarah will describe two situations and give you examples. Then you will write one active, friendly sentence for the website and one passive, formal sentence for the security policy, using her ideas.

Practice & Feedback

Listen carefully to Sarah’s short message in the audio resource. She will:

• remind you of the website home page audience (friendly, customer‑facing), and
• remind you of the internal security policy audience (formal, internal).

After listening, write two sentences:

1. One active, friendly sentence suitable for the website. Use we or you, and talk about data, access or lessons. For example: We store your data securely.
2. One passive, formal sentence suitable for the security policy. Focus on actions and results, for example: Access is granted only when payment has been received.

Try not to copy exactly from the audio. Use the ideas, but build your own versions. Make sure both sentences are grammatically correct and match the tone of each audience.

Write both sentences together in one message. You can label them Website: and Policy: if that helps.

4. Noticing verb patterns in a simple methods section.

So far, our focus has been on choosing between active and passive. However, formal descriptions of services and procedures also use a lot of **verb patterns** such as *allow users to*, *advise customers to* and *recommend checking*. These patterns are extremely common in methods sections, instructions and service descriptions. Imagine that BrightLearn recently tested a new version of the booking system. Your colleague wrote a short methods section for a report, explaining how feedback was collected from students. In this text, you will see several useful verb patterns in context. As you listen to me and read the paragraph on the screen, do not worry about every detail of the report. Instead, pay attention to the highlighted verb patterns: what comes after the verb? Is it **verb + object + to + infinitive**, or is it **verb + -ing**? For example, we often say, “We advise students to check their timetable daily” and “We recommend doing a short test booking first”. After the explanation, you will do a short writing task where you create your own sentences about the BrightLearn procedure, using these patterns. This will make your language richer and more natural when you describe services, not just a series of plain passives.

A simple methods section with verb patterns.

Read this short Methods paragraph from a BrightLearn internal report about testing the booking system.

> Methods

> To evaluate the new booking process, we asked 50 regular students to complete an online survey. The survey was designed to measure how easy the system was to use. We advised students to check their timetable before answering, so they could give accurate information. The system allows users to change or cancel lessons online, so we also included questions about this feature. Finally, we recommended doing a short test booking before the full launch, in order to identify any technical problems.

Let us notice the verb patterns in bold:

• ask + someone + to + infinitive

We asked 50 regular students to complete an online survey.

• advise + someone + to + infinitive

We advised students to check their timetable.

• allow + someone + to + infinitive

The system allows users to change or cancel lessons online.

• recommend + -ing

We recommended doing a short test booking first.

These patterns are very common when we describe procedures, services and recommendations. Here are a few more useful ones for this topic:

• You are advised to check your timetable daily.
• This procedure helps us to identify errors quickly.
• This allows customers to manage their lessons without calling support.

Notice that some verbs are usually followed by to + infinitive (ask someone to, advise someone to, allow someone to, help someone to, need to), while others are often followed by -ing (recommend doing, avoid doing).

You will now write your own sentences about the BrightLearn service using these patterns.

Practice & Feedback

Use the methods paragraph and the examples above to help you. Your task is to write four new sentences about the BrightLearn booking procedure or service, using at least three different verb patterns.

Please include:

• One sentence with ask + someone + to + infinitive, e.g. We ask new students to…
• One sentence with advise + someone + to + infinitive or **You are advised to…*
• One sentence with allow + someone + to + infinitive or **This allows customers to…*
• One sentence with recommend + -ing or another verb + -ing pattern.

Write in a neutral, professional tone, as if this text will appear in a short internal report or training guide. You can reuse ideas from earlier, such as checking timetables, storing data securely or doing a test booking.

Write all four sentences together in one answer. Number them 1–4 to make it easy to read.

5. Writing a clear procedure with passives and patterns.

You now have the main tools you need: you can form passive sentences, you can choose between active and passive for different audiences, and you can use common verb patterns such as *advise students to…* and *allow users to…*. It is time to bring everything together in a more complete piece of writing. In this stage, imagine that your manager has asked you to prepare a short procedure for the BrightLearn **staff training guide**. The procedure explains what happens when a new student creates an account and books their first lesson. New staff will read this text when they join the company, so it should be clear, objective and easy to follow. A formal but friendly tone is best. On the screen, you will see some simple notes about the steps in the process. Your job is to turn those notes into a short paragraph of **6–8 sentences**. You should: - use the **passive** to describe the steps of the procedure, and - add **2–3 sentences with verb patterns**, for example, *You are advised to check…* or *This allows customers to…*. After you write your paragraph, you will receive feedback on your grammar, especially your use of passives and verb patterns, and also on clarity and organisation. This text will also help you in the final block, where you will create a short spoken-style script.

From notes to a full procedure.

Below are some basic notes about the BrightLearn process for a new student. Imagine these were written quickly during a meeting. Your task is to turn them into a clear, connected paragraph for a staff training guide.

> Notes: New student account and first booking

> - customer opens website and clicks "Register"

> - system shows registration form

> - student enters personal details and level

> - system stores data on secure servers

> - confirmation email sent to student

> - student chooses time for first lesson

> - payment is checked by finance team

> - access to lesson platform given after payment

> - we tell students: check timetable before first lesson

> - booking system allows students to change lesson time

Now look at some useful language you can use:

• This service is provided by BrightLearn.
• First, the form needs to be completed.
• The data are stored securely on our UK servers.
• Access is granted only when payment has been received.
• You are advised to check your timetable before your first lesson.
• This allows customers to manage their lessons without calling support.

Mini checklist for your paragraph.

Try to:

• begin with one general sentence explaining what the procedure describes;
• use sequencing words such as First, Then, After that, Finally;
• use the passive for key steps in the process;
• include 2–3 verb patterns (for example, You are advised to…, The system allows students to…);
• keep the tone neutral and professional.

Aim for 6–8 sentences in one paragraph.

Practice & Feedback

Using the notes and example phrases above, write a 6–8 sentence paragraph describing the procedure “New student account and first booking” for the BrightLearn staff training guide.

Imagine that your readers are new employees. They do not need marketing language. They want to understand clearly what happens and in what order.

Please:

• start with a general sentence, e.g. This procedure explains how a new student account is created and how the first lesson is booked.
• use sequencing words like First, Then, After that, Finally.
• use several passive sentences, such as The data are stored securely or Access is granted only when….
• include at least two sentences with verb patterns, e.g. You are advised to check…, The system allows students to….

Write everything as one paragraph, not as a list. Focus on clear, accurate grammar, but do not worry if it is not perfect. This is your chance to put passives and verb patterns together in a realistic text.

6. Creating a training video script in chat style.

You are almost at the end of this lesson, and it is time to use your new grammar in a slightly different format. Until now, you have worked with written descriptions and formal paragraphs. In many real jobs, however, you also need to speak about procedures, for example in a short training video or live demonstration. Imagine that your manager at BrightLearn wants to record a quick training video for new staff. She sends you a voice message asking for a simple script that she can read. She wants the script to be clear and quite formal, but not too heavy. It should still sound natural when spoken. A spoken script often uses the same grammar as a written procedure, but the style is a little more direct. We might use *you* a bit more, and some sentences may be shorter. However, the **passive voice** is still very useful to describe what happens in the system, and **verb patterns** still appear in advice, for example, *You are advised to check your timetable before your first lesson*. In this final task, you will imagine that you are replying to your manager in a chat message. You will send her one message containing a short script of around 6–8 sentences, describing the new student account and first booking process as if you are speaking in a training video. Try to reuse the best sentences from your paragraph, but adjust them so they sound natural when spoken aloud.

From written procedure to spoken script.

When you turn a written procedure into a spoken script for a training video, the content stays almost the same, but the style changes slightly.

Compare these two versions of the same idea.

Written procedure (training guide):

> First, the registration form is completed online and the data are stored securely on our servers. Access is granted only when payment has been received and verified.

Spoken script (for a short video):

> First, the registration form is completed online and your details are stored securely on our servers. Then access to the platform is granted once your payment has been received and verified.

Both versions:

• use the passive (is completed, are stored, is granted);
• describe the same steps in the process;
• are formal and clear.

The spoken version, however, uses your details and adds a linking word then to sound more natural in speech.

Here is another example of advice.

• Written: Students are advised to check their timetable before the first lesson.
• Spoken: You are advised to check your timetable before your first lesson.

For your script, you can:

• keep key passive sentences like The data are stored securely;
• use verb patterns such as You are advised to… and This allows customers to…;
• add a friendly opening and closing, e.g. In this short video, I will explain… and Thank you for watching.

In the activity, you will listen to your manager’s voice message and then write your script as one chat-style message.

Practice & Feedback

Listen to your manager’s short voice message in the audio resource. She will:

• remind you that the video is for new staff,
• ask you to describe the new student account and first booking procedure, and
• mention that she wants clear passives and a couple of advice sentences.

After listening, imagine you are replying to her in a chat message. In one message, write a short script of about 6–8 sentences that she can read for a 30–40 second training video.

Try to:

• open with a short introduction, e.g. In this short video, I will explain how a new student account is created and how the first lesson is booked.
• describe the main steps in order, using the passive where appropriate.
• include at least two verb patterns, e.g. You are advised to check…, This allows customers to….
• end with a simple closing sentence.

Write it as if you are speaking directly in the video. Do not worry about video instructions like “show slide”; just focus on the words your manager will say.