3 Dimensions in English

3 DIMENSIONS IN ENGLISH

A flat red 2D square beside a 3D square with shaded sides

Our world is full of shapes. Some shapes lie only on flat surfaces. We see others everywhere. All these shapes are classified as either 2D or 3D.

2D means ‘Two Dimensional’. 2D shapes have only length and breadth. They lie on flat surfaces. They are called plane figures or plane shapes.  They have areas but no volume.

Flat 2D shapes: circle, triangle, square, rectangle, pentagon, hexagon

3D means ‘ 3-dimensional ’. 3D shapes have length, breadth, and depth. They have volume, too.

3D solid shapes: cylinder, pyramid, cube, prism

What is 3D in language?

Study the following illustration and see the difference between the pictures. Use any language you know and try to read these pictures. If you are successful, you know your language perfectly well."3D in Language": three views of a mechanic repairing a red car for a woman, linked by arrows

Mechanic repairing the front of a red car while a woman waits

The mechanic   – the car   – the owner

Woman waiting while a mechanic works on her red car

The car – the mechanic – the owner

Woman standing behind a red car as a mechanic repairs it

The owner – the car – the mechanic

Follow these lessons and master your Advanced English Grammar.

 

Mechanic and woman with a red car: "He is repairing the car for her."

Mechanic and woman with a red car: "The car is being repaired by him for her."

Woman and mechanic with a red car: "She is getting the car repaired by him."

"3D in language" chart linking active voice, causative and passive voice sentences about a car

We have three sentence patterns in English to read these three pictures.

Active Voice: When we use active voice, we focus our attention on the doer of the action.

e.g.    The mechanic is repairing the car.

Passive voice:  When we use passive voice, our attention is focused on the object.

e.g.    The car is being repaired by the mechanic.

Causative: When we employ somebody to do some work for us, our attention is focused on the person who is getting the thing done.

e.g.    The owner is getting the car repaired.

N.B. When you use the causative sentence pattern, you must take special care in separating the parts of the sentence so as not to confuse the listener. Look at the two pictures given below to understand this better. 

Man and mechanic: "I am getting my car repaired" with right and wrong ways to split the sentence

Man driving from a garage: "I am getting my car from the garage" with right and wrong splits

I am getting            my car repaired.  I am getting my car        from the garage.

The three sentence patterns are given below.

Active Voice:  S + is/am/are V4 + O.

Passive voice:  O + is/am/are + being + V3 + by +Agent.

Causative:  S + is/am/are + getting + O + V3 + by +Agent.

   Woman pouring water over a boy sitting in a basin Woman bathing a boy in a basin, pouring water over his head Woman in an armchair watching a servant bathe a boy in a basin

She is bathing the baby. The baby is being bathed.          The mother is getting the baby bathed.

Look at the three pictures given above and read them, using the sentences given and learn how to use Active Voice, Passive Voice, and Causative.

  Carpenter sawing wood beside a chair: "I am making a chair." Carpenter sawing wood beside a chair: "A chair is being made (by me)." Woman watching a carpenter: "I am getting a chair made."

He is making a chair.                  A chair is being made.                She is getting a chair made.

  Woman posing for an artist: "The artist is drawing my portrait." Woman posing for an artist: "My portrait is being drawn by the artist." Woman posing for an artist: "I am getting my portrait drawn."

He is drawing my portrait.                       My portrait is being drawn.                 I am getting my portrait drawn.

 Woman typing at a laptop: "I am typing the letter." Woman typing at a laptop: "The letter is being typed." Manager on the phone near his secretary: "I am getting the letter typed by my secretary."

I am typing the letter.          The letter is being typed.        I am getting the letter typed by my secretary.

  Woman loading a washing machine: "I am washing clothes." Woman beside a running washing machine: "The clothes are being washed." Man watching a woman at a washing machine: "I am getting my clothes washed."

I am washing the clothes.                 The clothes are being washed.           I am getting my clothes washed.

    Boy on a stool fixing a light: "I am fixing the bulb." Boy on a stool fixing a light: "The bulb is being fixed." Woman and old man watching a boy on a stool: "I am getting the bulb fixed."

I am fixing the bulb.                        The bulb is being fixed.                  I am getting the bulb fixed.

Woman with a watering can: "I am watering the flowerbeds." Woman watering vegetables: "The vegetable beds are being watered" Two women seated as a boy waters plants: "I am getting the flower beds watered by my son."

I am watering the flowerbeds. The vegetable beds are being watered.   I am getting the flowerbeds watered by my son.

       Woman writing at a desk lamp: "I am doing my homework." Woman writing at a desk lamp: "My homework is being done." Woman standing by a girl doing homework: "I am getting her homework done."

I am doing my homework.                    My homework is being done.     I am getting her homework done.

  Man pointing out a framed painting of a family to a girl Man showing a girl a framed painting of a family by mountains Woman watching a man show a girl a painting: "I am getting my picture shown."

I am showing the picture to her.        The picture is being shown to her.    I am getting my picture shown to her.

Mechanic under a red car on a lift: "He is servicing my car."

Red car on a lift: "My car is being serviced by him." "Her car is being serviced by him."

Woman by her red car on a lift: "I am getting my car serviced by him."

Two men washing a red car: "They are washing my car."

Two men washing a red car: "My car is being washed by them."

Woman watching two men wash her red car: "I am getting my car washed by them."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amarasiri Ganewatta

Amarasiri Ganewatta

Director, English Language Laboratory

Amarasiri Ganewatta is the director of the English Language Laboratory. He is a retired English teacher and a language translator living in California, USA.

Email: ganewatta@gmail.com

Books by the Author

Understanding Advanced English Grammar 1 in 3D by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

‘UNDERSTANDING ADVANCED ENGLISH GRAMMAR’ is the first book of a series of three books. This book begins with the introduction of the three dimensions of the English language. It is an innovative method of teaching Active Voice, Passive Voice and Causative uses looking at an action in three different angles.

Available at Amazon
English Interrogatives by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

ENGLISH INTERROGATIVES

Interrogative words may be used in direct questions as well as in indirect questions. They are also used as Relative Adverbs and Relative Pronouns. Therefore, we must have a clear understanding of how to use these very important ‘Wh’ words in English. This book covers all the important usages of interrogatives for the benefit of all users.

English Through Pictures by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

It is clearly shown how the verbs ‘Be’, ‘Have’ and ‘Auxiliary Verbs’ control the flow of time in the English language. All these subtle things can never be grasped by a simple explanation with words. Therefore, the ‘ENGLISH through PICTURES’ book has so many illustrations drawn to give the finer points that all users of English should know.

Exploring Grammar World 1 by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

EXPLORING GRAMMAR WORLD 1      The verb illustrated in the book as a family of five (father, mother and three little children) is one creative idea which will help to solve the grammar problems about the behaviour of the verb.

‘EXPLORING GRAMMAR WORLD 1’is the first book of a series of books. The author of this book has been teaching languages for nearly five decades to learners of all ages, from primary and secondary to higher education and even to elderly people. The experience gathered in teaching helps the author in developing a new method of teaching language.
          Grammar is like the skeleton of the human body. If there is any deformation in any part of the skeleton, the others will immediately notice it. In the same manner, if ever you make any grammatical mistakes, your audience will notice it. That is why learning grammar is highly important as a language skill.
   

Exploring Grammar World 2 by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

 ‘EXPLORING GRAMMAR WORLD 2’teaches you how to ask and answer all types of questions.
A successful life flourishes on the never-ending drive to understand the ‘Why’ and ‘How’. This urge leads to continuous learning and reshapes how we live, work, learn and engage in day-to-day affairs. This book ‘EXPLORING GRAMMAR WORLD 2’ will fulfil your desire.

Exploring Grammar World 3 by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

‘EXPLORING GRAMMAR WORLD 3’ brings you the most important English sentence patterns. In the first chapter of the book, two Idiomatic expressions, ‘There is/ are, and It is/was/ had been/ will be’ are given with many examples.  Chapter two in the book opens a new door to the conditional world. Conditional Clauses (If clauses) can be put into four categories as 1. Possible Conditions, 2. Probable Conditions, 3. Impossible Conditions, and 4. Zero Condition. There are other conditional sentence patterns too, for expressing Imaginary and Unreal situations. All these Conditional Sentence Patterns are given with examples and illustrations which will help you to remember them easily. For your guidance, relevant exercises are also included. You will find the Answer key at the end of the book.

Five Funniest Stories by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

The stories in this book are full of funny imaginary dialogues, helping the readers to improve their ability to use fun in their day-to-day conversation and are beneficial for developing language skills. Another benefit is that they help readers understand the importance of basic moral values such as politeness, kindness, generosity, and sympathy.

Great Grammar Guide by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

This book contains all the grammar rules, usages, sentence patterns of active voice, passive voice, and causative, English sound system, numbers and counting, nouns, gerunds, prepositions, adjectives, reported speech, word order in sentences, accepted phrases, homophones, phrasal verbs, essay writing, punctuation, English for day-to-day activities, language exercises and an answer key to the exercises.

Know-How English Grammar by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

All the grammar rules are filters used before our eyes and ears for purifying the language we hear and see. The more filters you have, the better knowledge and ability you have to see and read the world as it is. This book provides you with the finest filters you wish to have, giving you the best grammar knowledge.

Revolutionize Learning Grammar by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

‘REVOLUTIONIZE LEARNING GRAMMAR’ is a book which shows how all the Active Voice, Passive Voice and Causative tenses are used in English. We acquire the ability in our childhood to use language to communicate through a set of sounds, gestures, or written words and learn to convey messages, ideas, feelings, and emotions to people who use the same language. If you know the basic grammar rules of your first language, it is quite easy to learn English grammar by using this book because it is the only grammar book which shows the three dimensions of language, helping you to read the world as you see. This book will definitely revolutionise your learning English.

Time and Tenses: The Fourth Dimension by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

There are 44 sentence patterns in English to show the flow of time in the three dimensions: Active Voice, Passive Voice, and Causative. The relevant sentence patterns are given with many examples and illustrations so that anyone who uses this book will be able to convey all subtle feelings and desires using English without any confusion. This book has been written after many years of observation, analysis, and research using several methods and hundreds of illustrations to present how time and tense work in the English language.

44 English Phonics by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

This book provides help for beginners to improve their standard pronunciation greatly because it gives all the sounds of vowels and consonants with examples and relevant illustrations.

Perfect English Grammar in 3D by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

The practice lessons given in this book with illustrations will help to solve all the grammar problems of the students who are learning English as a second language. This book provides you the knowledge necessary to master the three dimensions of English grammar.

English Grammar Through Pictures by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

If you know the basic grammar rules of your first language, it is quite easy to learn English grammar by using this book because it is the only grammar book which shows the three dimensions of language with hundreds of lively illustrations helping you to read the world as you see. This book will definitely revolutionise your learning English.

Understanding Advanced English Grammar 1 in 3D Through Pictures by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

Once you follow the lessons in this book, you will find that English grammar is easier than any other grammar.

Understanding Advanced English Grammar 2 in 3D Through Pictures by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

There are sixteen active voice tense patterns in the English language, and all these patterns are given with examples and illustrations in this book. They will help solve all the grammar problems pertaining to the usage of English tenses.

Understanding Advanced English Grammar 3 in 3D Through Pictures by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

   All the relevant sentence patterns with illustrations are given in this book so that readers can use English without any grammar difficulties. Appropriate exercises and Answer Keys will help you to test your grammar knowledge in the fields of Adverbs, Conditional Clauses, and Reported Speech.

Lazy Jack by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

LAZY JACK is a book full of colourful illustrations and interesting dialogues suitable for young children to motivate novel visions about life. The original story LAZY JACK was written by James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps (1820 – 1889), who was a great literary figure and contributed much to English literature. By collecting traditional stories and nursery rhymes, he did a great service to the children of the world.

English Phrasal Verbs Through Pictures by Amarasiri Ganewatta, book cover

ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS THROUGH PICTURES is a book with a new vision. Phrasal verbs are very useful for expressing one’s feelings with emotions.  The English language is rich with many phrasal verbs that are constantly used in everyday communication. The learners will be able to keep all the phrasal verbs in mind as visuals and forget about the words and sentences; just try to remember the illustrations given. Close your eyes, and the words and sentences will appear in no time. Emotions cannot be seen but felt.  ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS THROUGH PICTURES will help you to express your emotions colourfully.