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These advanced grammar structures are essential for formal writing and reporting information. Passive voice emphasizes the action rather than who performed it, while reported speech conveys what someone said without direct quotation.
Table of Contents
1. Passive Voice: Structure and Usage
The passive voice is formed with be + past participle and is used when the focus is on the action rather than who performed it.
Formation Rules
Present Simple: am/is/are + past participle
"The report is written daily."
Past Simple: was/were + past participle
"The book was published in 2020."
Future Simple: will be + past participle
"The results will be announced tomorrow."
When to Use Passive Voice
- When the actor is unknown or unimportant
"The bank was robbed yesterday." - In formal/scientific writing
"The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions." - To emphasize the action/receiver
"The Mona Lisa was painted by da Vinci."
2. Reported Speech: Rules and Examples
Reported speech conveys what someone said without using their exact words, often requiring tense changes and pronoun adjustments.
Tense Changes
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|
| "I work here" | He said he worked there |
| "I am working" | She said she was working |
| "I have finished" | They said they had finished |
Other Transformations
- Pronouns: "I" โ he/she, "we" โ they
- Time expressions: today โ that day, tomorrow โ the next day
- Place references: here โ there, this โ that
Example:
Direct: "I'll meet you here tomorrow"
Reported: She said she would meet me there the next day
3. Structure Comparison
Active vs Passive Voice
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| The chef prepares the meal | The meal is prepared by the chef |
| They built this house | This house was built by them |
Direct vs Reported Speech
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|
| "I love this song" | She said she loved that song |
| "We're leaving now" | They said they were leaving then |
4. Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Convert to Passive
- Someone cleans the office every night
The office is cleaned every night - They will deliver the package tomorrow
The package will be delivered tomorrow
Exercise 2: Convert to Reported Speech
- "I can't attend the meeting" (he said)
He said he couldn't attend the meeting - "We haven't finished the project" (they said)
They said they hadn't finished the project
5. Grammar FAQ
- Q: When should I avoid passive voice?
A: Avoid passive when you need to emphasize who performed the action or in most casual conversations. - Q: Do we always change tenses in reported speech?
A: Not when reporting general truths or things that are still true ("The Earth is round" โ He said the Earth is round). - Q: Can we omit 'that' in reported speech?
A: Yes, in informal contexts ("She said (that) she was tired"). - Q: How do we report questions?
A: Use the word order of statements ("Are you ready?" โ She asked if I was ready).