Mastering English Passive Voice and Reported Speech: Essential Grammar Rules

Passive Voice: Tenses and Structures

The passive voice is used when the focus is on the action rather than the person performing it.

• Present Simple: The film is directed by John Smith.
• Present Continuous: The film is being directed by John Smith.
• Past Simple: The film was directed by John Smith.
• Past Continuous: The film was being directed by John Smith.
• Present Perfect: The film has been directed by John Smith.
• Past Perfect: The film had been directed by John Smith.
• Future (will): The film will be directed by John Smith.
• Future (be going to): The film is going to be directed by John Smith.
• Modal Verbs: The film should / might / must be directed by John Smith.
• Have to: The patient has to be examined by the doctor.
• Be Going To: The patient is going to be examined by the doctor.

Passive Voice Sentence Construction

• Affirmative: Subject + verb to be + past participle. (e.g., The appointment was cancelled by the doctor.)
• Negative: Subject + verb to be + not (or n’t) + past participle. (e.g., The appointment wasn’t cancelled by the patient.)
• Interrogative: Verb to be + subject + past participle. (e.g., Was the appointment cancelled by the doctor?)

Examples of Interrogative Passive

• Why has a new health club been opened?
• Who was invited to the party?

Vocabulary List

• Brand new: Nuevo/a
• Courage: Valor
• Discovery: Descubrimiento
• Expect: Esperar
• Figure out: Darse cuenta / Resolver
• Fur: Pelo / Pelaje
• Lecture: Conferencia / Clase
• Let off the hook: Dejar en paz / Perdonar
• Make up: Inventar
• No trace of: Ni rastro de
• Record: Anotar
• Ridiculous: Ridículo
• Speak up: Dar la opinión
• Stand up for: Defender
• Trick: Engañar
• Wipe out: Exterminar

Reported Speech

Reported speech is used to convey what someone else said.

Tense Changes

• Present Simple: She said that he took extra maths lessons.
• Present Continuous: She said that he was taking extra maths lessons.
• Past Simple: She said that he had taken extra maths lessons.
• Past Continuous: She said that he had been taking extra maths lessons.
• Present Perfect Simple: She said that he had taken extra maths lessons.
• Present Perfect Continuous: She said that he had been taking extra maths lessons.
• Past Perfect Simple: She said that he had taken extra maths lessons.
• Past Perfect Continuous: She said that he had been taking extra maths lessons.
• Future Simple: She said that he would take extra maths lessons.

Modal Verb Changes

• Can: Could
• May: Might
• Must / Have to: Must / Had to

Time and Place Expressions

• Now: Then
• Today: That day
• Tonight: That night
• Yesterday: The previous day
• Last week: The previous week
• A month ago: The previous month
• Tomorrow: The following day
• Next week: The following week
• Here: There
• This: That
• These: Those