In English, sometimes the focus is on the action itself, not on who performs it. That’s where the passive voice becomes useful. Similarly, when we want to share what someone else said, we use reported speech. This unit brings together these two key structures, both of which are common in academic, professional, and formal communication.
You’ll learn how to transform active sentences into passive ones across different tenses, how to report statements, questions, and commands accurately, and how to deal with tense shifts, time expressions, and reporting verbs like say, tell, ask, and suggest. These structures allow you to sound more formal, objective, and precise in your speaking and writing.

17.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE PASSIVE VOICE
Objective:
To understand what the passive voice is, how it is formed, and when to use it—especially when the focus is on the action or result, rather than who performs the action.

WHAT IS THE PASSIVE VOICE?
In a passive sentence, the object of an active sentence becomes the subject.
Active (focus on the doer)    Passive (focus on the action)
The chef cooked the meal.    The meal was cooked (by the chef).
Use the passive voice when the agent is unknown, obvious, or not important.

STRUCTURE OF PASSIVE VOICE
Tense    Structure    Example
Present Simple    am/is/are + past participle    The emails are sent every day.
Past Simple    was/were + past participle    The car was repaired yesterday.
Future Simple    will be + past participle    The report will be published soon.
Present Perfect    have/has been + past participle    The documents have been signed.
Modal verbs    modal + be + past participle    The work must be finished today.

WHEN TO USE THE PASSIVE VOICE
Use Case    Example
Agent is unknown    The window was broken.
Agent is obvious or irrelevant    He was arrested (by the police).
Focus is on the result    The contract has been signed.
Scientific/technical writing    The samples were tested at 5°C.
Formal or objective tone    Your request will be processed shortly.
You can include the agent with “by”, but often it’s omitted.

PASSIVE VS. ACTIVE: SUBJECT FOCUS
Focus    Sentence
Active (subject = doer)    A designer created the logo.
Passive (subject = result)    The logo was created (by a designer).

HOW TO CHANGE ACTIVE TO PASSIVE
Identify the object in the active sentence
Move the object to the subject position
Use the correct form of “be” for the tense
Add the past participle of the main verb
(Optional) Add “by + agent”
They deliver the packages every morning.
→ The packages are delivered every morning (by them).

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistake    Correction    Why?
The cake is make by my mother.    The cake is made by my mother.    Use past participle “made”
The letter wrote yesterday.    The letter was written yesterday.    Missing auxiliary “was”
Is repaired the car.    The car is repaired.    Wrong word order
The homework has finish.    The homework has been finished.    Use “been” in perfect passive

EXAMPLE DIALOG
Noah: Where’s the report?
Mia: It was emailed to you this morning.
Noah: Really? I didn’t see it.
Mia: Maybe it was sent to the wrong address.
Noah: I hope not. It needs to be submitted today.

17.2 PASSIVE VOICE IN PRESENT AND PAST
Objective:
To use the passive voice correctly in both present and past simple tenses to describe actions where the focus is on the object or result, not the subject.

PRESENT SIMPLE PASSIVE
Structure    Example
am / is / are + past participle    The house is cleaned every day.
    Emails are sent before 5 p.m.
Used for routines, facts, and general truths.

PAST SIMPLE PASSIVE
Structure    Example
was / were + past participle    The documents were signed yesterday.
    The package was delivered this morning.
Used for completed actions in the past where the doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious.

COMPARING ACTIVE AND PASSIVE
Active    Passive
She writes the reports.    The reports are written by her.
They repaired the car.    The car was repaired (by them).
In passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive.

WHEN TO USE EACH
Tense    Use Case    Example
Present Simple    routines, general facts, instructions    English is spoken in many countries.
Past Simple    past events, descriptions of actions completed    The bridge was built in 1936.

SENTENCE PATTERNS
Present: [object] + is/are + past participle
→ This room is used for meetings.
Past: [object] + was/were + past participle
→ The lights were turned off.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistake    Correction    Why?
The work is finish.    The work is finished.    Use past participle
They was invited.    They were invited.    Subject-verb agreement
Is make in Italy.    It is made in Italy.    Missing subject
The movie was produce in Spain.    The movie was produced in Spain.    Use correct verb form

EXAMPLE DIALOG
Lara: Where’s your phone?
Max: It was stolen last night.
Lara: Oh no! Was it taken from the café?
Max: No, it was probably taken on the train.
Lara: I hope it’s found soon.
Max: Me too. A report is being filed.

17.3 PASSIVE WITH MODAL VERBS
Objective:
To form the passive voice with modal verbs (can, could, should, must, may, might, will, would), especially to express possibility, necessity, or advice in a more formal or objective way.

STRUCTURE: MODAL + BE + PAST PARTICIPLE
Modal Verb    Passive Structure    Example
can    can be + past participle    This form can be completed online.
must    must be + past participle    The documents must be signed today.
should    should be + past participle    The instructions should be followed carefully.
may / might    may/might be + past participle    The package might be delivered tomorrow.
could    could be + past participle    This rule could be misunderstood.
will / would    will/would be + past participle    You will be informed soon. / It would be appreciated.
Use the base form of the modal + be + past participle.
The subject receives the action, as in all passive forms.

COMPARING ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE WITH MODALS
Active    Passive
They must clean the house.    The house must be cleaned.
You can send the letter tomorrow.    The letter can be sent tomorrow.
We should follow the rules.    The rules should be followed.
Passive voice makes statements sound more impersonal, formal, or neutral.

COMMON USES IN REAL LIFE
Situation    Example Passive Sentence
Instructions    All entries must be submitted by 5 p.m.
Rules and policies    Smoking should not be allowed inside.
Possibilities    The decision might be delayed.
Official statements    The winner will be announced tomorrow.
Requests or formal tone    Your feedback would be appreciated.

SENTENCE PATTERNS
Modal + be + past participle
→ These reports must be reviewed.
Modal + not + be + past participle
→ This action should not be repeated.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistake    Correction    Why?
The email must to be sent.    The email must be sent.    No “to” after modal
It can be send tomorrow.    It can be sent tomorrow.    Use past participle “sent”
The car should repaired today.    The car should be repaired today.    Missing “be”
They might be go.    They might go. / They might be gone.    Confused structure

EXAMPLE DIALOG
Elena: Can this form be submitted online?
Luis: Yes, it can be completed and uploaded directly.
Elena: When will I be notified about the result?
Luis: You should be contacted by the end of the week.
Elena: Great. I heard the documents must be translated too.
Luis: That’s correct. All papers must be certified and submitted in English.

17.4 TRANSFORMING ACTIVE TO PASSIVE SENTENCES
Objective:
To learn how to transform active sentences into passive voice correctly, preserving the tense, meaning, and clarity, while shifting focus from the subject (doer) to the object (receiver).

BASIC TRANSFORMATION STEPS
Identify the object of the active sentence
Move that object to the subject position
Use the correct form of the verb “to be” based on the tense
Add the past participle of the main verb
(Optional) Add “by + agent” if needed

TRANSFORMATION EXAMPLES BY TENSE
Tense    Active    Passive
Present Simple    She writes emails.    Emails are written (by her).
Past Simple    They closed the shop.    The shop was closed (by them).
Future Simple    He will send the report.    The report will be sent (by him).
Present Perfect    We have completed the task.    The task has been completed (by us).
Modal Verb    They must fix the issue.    The issue must be fixed (by them).

QUESTIONS: ACTIVE → PASSIVE
Active Question    Passive Question
Did she sign the document?    Was the document signed (by her)?
Has he delivered the packages?    Have the packages been delivered (by him)?
Can they solve the problem?    Can the problem be solved (by them)?
The auxiliary verb (did, has, can) changes position and form, but tense remains the same.

NEGATIVES: ACTIVE → PASSIVE
Active    Passive
They didn’t invite us.    We weren’t invited (by them).
She hasn’t called me yet.    I haven’t been called yet (by her).
He won’t repair the car.    The car won’t be repaired (by him).

WHEN TO INCLUDE “BY + AGENT”
Include “by…” when:    Omit when:
The agent is important    The agent is obvious or unknown
You want to emphasize who did the action    You want to focus on the action or result
The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
The documents were printed (by someone). → Agent not important

SENTENCE PATTERN SUMMARY
Active    Passive
Subject + verb + object    Object + be + past participle (+ by + subject)

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistake    Correction    Why?
Was built the house in 1990.    The house was built in 1990.    Wrong word order
Is cleaned the room every day.    The room is cleaned every day.    Subject should come first
The report has written.    The report has been written.    Missing “been” in perfect passive
The email sent yesterday.    The email was sent yesterday.    Missing auxiliary “was”

EXAMPLE DIALOG
Paula: Did you send the invitations?
Alex: Yes, they were sent this morning.
Paula: Who printed them?
Alex: They were printed by the marketing team.
Paula: Good. The final list should be updated by Friday.
Alex: No problem. It will be handled by the assistant.

17.5 INTRODUCTION TO REPORTED SPEECH
Objective:
To understand what reported speech is, how to report what someone said, and how to apply the correct tense changes when reporting statements, especially in the past.

WHAT IS REPORTED SPEECH?
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is when you tell someone what another person said, without quoting their exact words.
Direct Speech    Reported Speech
She said, “I’m tired.”    She said (that) she was tired.
Use that optionally to introduce the reported clause.
Tenses usually shift one step back in time (backshifting).

COMMON VERBS FOR REPORTING
Verb    Example
say    He said (that) he was tired.
tell + person    She told me (that) she would call later.
explain    He explained that the exam was difficult.
add / reply    She added that she was ready.
report    They reported that the roads were closed.
Use “say” without an object, but “tell” with a person:
→ He said he was late. / He told me he was late.

TENSE CHANGES IN REPORTED SPEECH
Direct Speech    Reported Speech
Present simple → past simple    “I live in Paris.” → She said she lived in Paris.
Present continuous → past continuous    “I’m studying.” → He said he was studying.
Present perfect → past perfect    “I’ve finished.” → She said she had finished.
Past simple → past perfect    “I saw it.” → He said he had seen it.
Future (will) → would    “I’ll help you.” → He said he would help.
No change is needed if the reporting verb is in the present tense.

NO CHANGE NEEDED (SOMETIMES)
You don’t have to change the tense:
If the information is still true
If the reporting verb is in the present or future
In universal truths
“Water boils at 100°C.” → She said water boils at 100°C.

WORD ORDER AND PATTERNS
Subject + said (that) + subject + verb
→ She said that she was tired.
Subject + told + object + (that) + clause
→ He told me that he liked the movie.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistake    Correction    Why?
She said me she was tired.    She told me she was tired.    Use “told” with an object
He said that he is busy.    He said that he was busy.    Backshift required
They told that they would come.    They told us that they would come.    “Tell” needs an object
I said her I liked it.    I told her I liked it.    Use “told” + person

EXAMPLE DIALOG
Eva: Did you talk to Julia?
Leo: Yes. She said she was feeling better.
Eva: That’s good. Did she say anything about the meeting?
Leo: She told me she wouldn’t be able to join today.

17.6 REPORTING STATEMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND COMMANDS
Objective:
To correctly report different types of sentences in English, including statements, yes/no questions, wh- questions, and commands/requests, using proper structure and tense changes.

1. REPORTING STATEMENTS
Direct Speech    Reported Speech
“I need help,” she said.    She said (that) she needed help.
“We are tired,” they said.    They said (that) they were tired.
Tense shift applies: present → past, past → past perfect, etc.

2. REPORTING YES/NO QUESTIONS
Structure    Example
asked + if / whether + clause    “Do you like it?” → He asked if I liked it.
    “Have you seen the film?” → She asked whether I had seen the film.
Use if or whether; change pronouns and tense; no question word order

3. REPORTING WH- QUESTIONS
Structure    Example
asked + question word + clause    “Where do you live?” → He asked where I lived.
    “Why did she leave?” → I asked why she had left.
Keep the question word, change the word order to statement form, and shift tense.

4. REPORTING COMMANDS AND REQUESTS
Direct Speech    Reported Speech
“Sit down,” the teacher said.    The teacher told us to sit down.
“Please be quiet,” she said.    She asked us to be quiet.
“Don’t touch that,” he said.    He told me not to touch that.
Use told or asked + object + to + base verb
For negative commands, use not to + verb

REPORTING VERBS YOU CAN USE
Function    Verbs
Statements    said, told, explained, mentioned
Yes/No Questions    asked, wondered
Wh- Questions    asked, wanted to know
Commands/Requests    told, ordered, warned, asked, invited, advised

SUMMARY TABLE
Type    Structure
Statement    He said (that) he was tired.
Yes/No Question    She asked if he had arrived.
Wh- Question    He asked why I was late.
Command    They told us to wait.
Negative Command    He warned me not to touch it.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistake    Correction    Why?
He asked me where did I go.    He asked me where I went.    Word order = statement form
She told to go home.    She told me to go home.    “Tell” requires an object
He said me to sit.    He told me to sit.    “Say” is not used for commands
She asked me that I come.    She asked me to come.    Use “to + verb” for requests

EXAMPLE DIALOG
Nina: What did the manager say?
Luis: She said we need to improve response times.
Nina: Did she ask why it’s taking so long?
Luis: No, but she asked if we had updated the system.
Nina: And the report?
Luis: She told me to finish it before Friday.

17.7 TIME AND PLACE SHIFTS IN REPORTED SPEECH
Objective:
To understand how time and place expressions change in reported speech, especially when the reporting verb is in the past tense.

WHY TIME AND PLACE SHIFT
When reporting what someone said in the past, we often need to adjust time and place references to reflect the new context (i.e., the moment of speaking is no longer “now”).

COMMON TIME EXPRESSION SHIFTS
Direct Speech    Reported Speech
today    that day
tomorrow    the next day / the following day
yesterday    the day before / the previous day
now    then
this week    that week
last week    the week before
next week    the following week
ago    before
tonight    that night

COMMON PLACE EXPRESSION SHIFTS
Direct Speech    Reported Speech
here    there
this (object)    that
these    those

EXAMPLE SENTENCES
Direct Speech    Reported Speech
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”    He said he would call me the next day.
“We met here last week.”    She said they had met there the week before.
“I’m leaving now.”    He said he was leaving then.
“This report is due today.”    They said that report was due that day.
Apply time/place shifts only if the reporting verb is in the past.

WHEN NO SHIFT IS NEEDED
When the reporting verb is in the present:
→ He says, “I’ll call you tomorrow.” → He says he will call me tomorrow.
When the time/place reference is still true or relevant:
→ “I’m going to the dentist tomorrow.” (and you report it the same day)

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistake    Correction    Why?
He said he would come tomorrow.    He said he would come the next day.    Time reference must change
She said she was here.    She said she was there.    Use “there” when reporting
They told me they called today.    They told me they had called that day.    “Today” becomes “that day”

EXAMPLE DIALOG
Sara: What did he say about the meeting?
Leo: He said the meeting was scheduled for the next day.
Sara: Did he mention where?
Leo: Yeah, he said it would be held there—in the main office.
Sara: OK. I’ll write that down.

17.8 REPORTING VERBS: SAY, TELL, ASK, SUGGEST, ETC.
Objective:
To learn how to use a variety of reporting verbs correctly in reported speech, each with their specific structures and functions, including statements, questions, requests, and suggestions.

BASIC REPORTING VERBS
Verb    Structure    Example
say    say + (that) + clause    She said (that) she was tired.
tell    tell + person + (that) + clause    He told me (that) he had a meeting.
ask    ask + (person) + if/wh-question    She asked if I was coming. / He asked where I lived.
Use “say” without a person, “tell” with a person, and “ask” for questions.

REPORTING REQUESTS AND ORDERS
Verb    Structure    Example
ask    ask + person + to + base verb    He asked me to help him.
tell    tell + person + to + base verb    She told us to be quiet.
order / instruct    + person + to + verb    They ordered the team to evacuate.
warn    warn + (person) + not to + verb    She warned me not to touch it.

REPORTING SUGGESTIONS AND ADVICE
Verb    Structure    Example
suggest    suggest + verb-ing / that + clause    He suggested going early. / She suggested that we wait.
recommend    recommend + verb-ing / that + clause    I recommend trying the fish.
advise    advise + person + to + verb    The doctor advised me to rest.
“Suggest” and “recommend” are often followed by verb-ing or that + subject + verb.
“Advise” is followed by to + verb and usually includes a person.

REPORTING AGREEMENTS, OFFERS, AND PROMISES
Verb    Structure    Example
agree    agree + to + verb    She agreed to help us.
offer    offer + to + verb    He offered to drive me home.
promise    promise + to + verb    They promised to finish on time.
refuse    refuse + to + verb    I refused to answer the question.

QUICK REFERENCE BY FUNCTION
Function    Verbs
Statements    say, tell, explain, report, claim
Questions    ask, wonder, inquire
Orders    tell, order, command, warn
Requests    ask, beg, urge
Suggestions    suggest, recommend, propose
Advice    advise, encourage
Offers    offer, promise, agree, refuse

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistake    Correction    Why?
He said me to come.    He told me to come.    “Say” doesn’t take a person + infinitive
She suggested me to study.    She suggested that I study. / suggested studying    “Suggest” isn’t followed by person + to
They asked to open the door.    They asked me to open the door.    “Ask” needs a person before “to”
He recommended me to go.    He recommended that I go. / recommended going    Use “that clause” or gerund

EXAMPLE DIALOG
Eva: Did Carlos tell you what happened?
Tom: Yes. He said that the meeting was canceled.
Eva: Really? I thought he suggested rescheduling it.
Tom: He did. He also promised to send us a new calendar invite.
Eva: Good. I hope he remembers to include everyone this time.

17.9 UNIT 17 REVIEW
Objective:
To review all key concepts related to the passive voice and reported speech, focusing on their structures, use cases, transformations, and real-world application.

WHAT YOU LEARNED IN THIS UNIT
PASSIVE VOICE: FORM AND USAGE
Structure: be + past participle
Used to focus on the action or result, not the doer
Tenses:
→ The book is read (present simple)
→ The book was read (past simple)
→ The book will be read (future simple)
→ The book has been read (present perfect)
→ The book must be read (modal passive)

TRANSFORMING ACTIVE TO PASSIVE
They built the bridge. → The bridge was built (by them).
Apply correct tense, subject-object inversion, and optional agent (“by…”)

REPORTING SPEECH: STATEMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND COMMANDS
Tense shifts:
“I am tired.” → He said he was tired.
Yes/No questions: “Do you like it?” → She asked if I liked it.
Wh- questions: “Where do you live?” → He asked where I lived.
Commands: “Finish it.” → She told me to finish it.
Negative commands: “Don’t touch that.” → He told me not to touch that.

TIME AND PLACE CHANGES
today → that day, now → then, here → there, etc.

REPORTING VERBS
say, tell, ask, suggest, advise, offer, promise, warn
Different structures:
→ He told me to wait.
→ She suggested going earlier.
→ They asked if I was ready.

LISTENING & SPEAKING PRACTICE
Used in real-life:
→ Meetings, interviews, news, classroom updates
Understanding contextual cues, tone, and grammatical accuracy in reporting information

EXAMPLE DIALOG
Emma: Did the manager give you instructions?
Tom: Yes. She said the report had to be sent by Friday.
Emma: Did she explain why?
Tom: She told me the board meeting was moved forward.
Emma: Got it. And has the client been informed?
Tom: Yes, the email was sent yesterday.