Chapter 5: Voice, Reported Speech, Question Tags, Wh-Questions and Transformation

What to remember

• Voice shows whether the subject does the action (active) or receives it (passive). The passive uses "be + past participle (V3)".
• Reported speech changes the speaker's exact words into the reporter's words. Pronouns, tenses and time/place words shift, and the form of the reporting verb depends on the type of sentence.
• A question tag is the opposite of its statement (positive statement, negative tag; negative statement, positive tag). Wh-questions need the right question word and auxiliary order. Transformation changes the form of a sentence without changing its meaning.

1. Active and Passive Voice

In the active voice the doer comes first: "The teacher praised the boy." In the passive the receiver of the action comes first: "The boy was praised by the teacher."

Steps

• 1. Find the subject, verb and object.
• 2. Move the object to the subject position.
• 3. Put the correct form of "be" in the tense of the active verb.
• 4. Use the past participle (V3) of the main verb.
• 5. Add "by + doer" only if it is needed.

• The perfect continuous tenses and the future continuous are rarely changed into the passive.
• Only verbs with an object (transitive verbs) can be changed into the passive. "He sleeps" has no passive.
• Pronoun forms change: I - me, we - us, he - him, she - her, they - them. "He saw me" becomes "I was seen by him."
• Imperative sentences: "Open the door" becomes "Let the door be opened" or "You are requested to open the door."
• Questions: "Who wrote this poem?" becomes "By whom was this poem written?" "Did she cook the food?" becomes "Was the food cooked by her?"
• Two objects: "She gave me a book" becomes "I was given a book by her" or "A book was given to me by her."
• Agent is omitted when it is unknown, unimportant or obvious: "The thief was arrested."
• Some passive sentences use a preposition other than "by": "The hall was filled with people." "I am interested in music." "The road is known for its trees."
• Passive in the classroom: the passive is used in instructions and notices: "Books should be kept in the bag."

2. Reported Speech (Direct and Indirect)

Direct speech gives the exact words in quotation marks. Indirect speech reports them without quotation marks.

Rule 1: Reporting verb in present or future tense. The tense of the spoken words does not change. "He says, 'I am happy.'" becomes "He says that he is happy."

Rule 2: Reporting verb in past tense. The tense shifts one step back.

• No change is made when the spoken words state a universal truth or a habit: "The teacher said, 'The earth moves round the sun.'" becomes "The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun."
• Words of time and place change:

• Pronouns change according to the speaker and listener: first person follows the subject of the reporting verb; second person follows its object; third person does not change.

By sentence type

• In indirect questions the word order is that of a statement (no auxiliary before the subject): "He asked where I lived" and not "where did I live".
• The reporting verb "say" is used with "that"; "tell" is used with an object ("told me"). "Say to" becomes "tell"/"ask"/"order" according to the meaning.
• Negative commands: "Do not run" becomes "He told me not to run."

3. Question Tags

A question tag is a short question added to the end of a statement to check or confirm.

Rules

• A positive statement takes a negative tag: "She is a teacher, isn't she?"
• A negative statement takes a positive tag: "She isn't a teacher, is she?"
• The tag uses the same auxiliary as the statement. If there is none, use do/does/did: "You like tea, don't you?"
• The tag is made with a pronoun, not a noun: "Rama is tall, isn't he?"
• The tag after "I am" is "aren't I?": "I am late, aren't I?"
• The tag after "Let us" is "shall we?": "Let us go, shall we?"
• The tag after an imperative is "will you?" (also "won't you?" for a polite invitation): "Open the door, will you?"
• "Nothing, nobody, no one, never, hardly, seldom, rarely, scarcely" make the statement negative, so the tag is positive: "Nobody came, did they?"
• "Everyone, everybody, someone, anybody, nobody" take the pronoun "they" in the tag.
• "Nothing", "everything", "something" take "it".
• "There is" takes "there" in the tag: "There is a book, isn't there?"

4. Wh-Questions

Wh-words ask for information. A wh-question normally has the order wh-word + auxiliary + subject + main verb.

• When "who" or "what" is the subject, there is no extra auxiliary: "Who called you?" and not "Who did call you?"
• "Which" is used for a limited choice; "what" is used for an open choice.
• "Whom" is formal and is used as the object, often after a preposition: "To whom did you write?"
• To frame a question for an underlined part, replace that part with the wh-word and keep the rest in question order.

5. Transformation of Sentences

Transformation changes the form of a sentence and keeps its meaning.

• "Too ... to" has a negative sense; "very" is not used instead of "too".
• After "no sooner", the verb is in the past perfect with inversion, and "than" follows.
• "Hardly ... when" and "scarcely ... when" also take the past perfect: "Hardly had he come when it rained."

Classroom angle. Learners understand voice and speech changes best through simple chart work and role-play of a real conversation turned into a report.

Exam traps

• 1. "He told that" is wrong; use "said that" or "told me that".
• 2. In indirect questions, "He asked where did I live" is wrong; use "where I lived".
• 3. "Let us go, will we?" is wrong; the tag is "shall we?".
• 4. "I am late, amn't I?" is wrong; the tag is "aren't I?" (formal: "am I not?").
• 5. "Nobody came, didn't they?" is wrong; the tag is positive.
• 6. Passive of an intransitive verb ("was slept") is not possible.
• 7. "Very weak to walk" is wrong; use "too weak to walk".
• 8. "No sooner did he come than" is wrong; use "no sooner had he come than".

One-liners

• 1. The passive is formed with "be + V3".
• 2. "Is being + V3" is the passive of the present continuous.
• 3. "Has/have been + V3" is the passive of the present perfect.
• 4. Tense shifts back one step when the reporting verb is past.
• 5. "Now" becomes "then" in reported speech.
• 6. A yes/no question is reported with "if" or "whether".
• 7. A command is reported with "to + V1".
• 8. A positive statement takes a negative tag.
• 9. The tag for "Let us" is "shall we?".
• 10. "Who" asks about the subject and "whom" about the object.
• 11. "Which" asks for a choice from a known set.
• 12. "Too ... to" can be changed to "so ... that ... cannot".

Practice questions

1. Choose the passive form of 'She writes a letter.'

   1. A letter is being written by her.
   2. A letter was written by her.
   3. A letter has been written by her.
   4. A letter is written by her.
   Answer

   D. A letter is written by her.

   Simple present active becomes is/am/are + V3.

2. Choose the passive form of 'She is writing a letter.'

   1. A letter has been written by her.
   2. A letter is being written by her.
   3. A letter was being written by her.
   4. A letter is written by her.
   Answer

   B. A letter is being written by her.

   Present continuous passive is is/am/are + being + V3.

3. Change into indirect speech: He said, "I am happy."

   1. He said that I was happy.
   2. He said that he was happy.
   3. He said that he had been happy.
   4. He said that he is happy.
   Answer

   B. He said that he was happy.

   The past reporting verb shifts the present to the past; 'I' becomes 'he'.

4. She is a teacher, ___?

   1. is she
   2. wasn't she
   3. doesn't she
   4. isn't she
   Answer

   D. isn't she

   A positive statement takes a negative tag with the same auxiliary.

5. Let us go, ___?

   1. won't we
   2. do we
   3. will we
   4. shall we
   Answer

   D. shall we

   The tag for 'Let us' is 'shall we?'.

6. I am late, ___?

   1. am I
   2. aren't I
   3. amn't I
   4. don't I
   Answer

   B. aren't I

   'Aren't I' is the standard tag after 'I am'.

7. Nobody came, ___?

   1. didn't he
   2. did they
   3. did he
   4. didn't they
   Answer

   B. did they

   'Nobody' makes the statement negative, so the tag is positive and uses 'they'.

8. Which wh-word is used for the object form of a person?

   1. Who
   2. Which
   3. Whose
   4. Whom
   Answer

   D. Whom

   'Whom' is the object form of 'who'.

9. ___ wrote this poem?

   1. Whose
   2. Whom
   3. Who
   4. Which
   Answer

   C. Who

   A question about the subject of the verb uses 'who'.

10. Change to 'so ... that': 'He is too weak to walk.'

    1. He is very weak that he cannot walk.
    2. He is so weak that he can walk.
    3. He is too weak that he cannot walk.
    4. He is so weak that he cannot walk.
    Answer

    D. He is so weak that he cannot walk.

    'Too ... to' has a negative sense, so 'so ... that ... cannot' is used.

11. No sooner ___ he come than she left.

    1. has
    2. had
    3. did
    4. was
    Answer

    B. had

    'No sooner' takes the past perfect with inversion, followed by 'than'.

12. Choose the correct indirect speech: He said to me, "Close the door."

    1. He told me to close the door.
    2. He said me to close the door.
    3. He told me that close the door.
    4. He asked me if I closed the door.
    Answer

    A. He told me to close the door.

    A command is reported with 'told + object + to + V1'.

13. She asked, "Where do you live?" Choose the indirect speech.

    1. She asked where I lived.
    2. She asked where did I live.
    3. She asked that where I lived.
    4. She asked where do you live.
    Answer

    A. She asked where I lived.

    A wh-question keeps the wh-word and takes statement word order.

14. In reported speech after a past reporting verb, 'now' becomes:

    1. before
    2. that day
    3. then
    4. there
    Answer

    C. then

    'Now' is changed to 'then'.

15. Choose the passive of 'Who wrote this poem?'

    1. Whom was this poem written by?
    2. By whom was this poem written?
    3. By whom this poem was written?
    4. Who was this poem written?
    Answer

    B. By whom was this poem written?

    The wh-question passive begins 'By whom' with the auxiliary before the subject.

16. Choose the passive of 'Did she cook the food?'

    1. Is the food cooked by her?
    2. Did the food cooked by her?
    3. Was the food cook by her?
    4. Was the food cooked by her?
    Answer

    D. Was the food cooked by her?

    The simple past question takes 'was/were + subject + V3'.

17. You like tea, ___?

    1. don't you
    2. do you
    3. aren't you
    4. won't you
    Answer

    A. don't you

    With no auxiliary in the statement, 'do' is used, and the tag is negative.

18. Nothing happened, ___?

    1. didn't it
    2. didn't they
    3. did it
    4. did they
    Answer

    C. did it

    'Nothing' takes 'it'; the statement is negative so the tag is positive.

19. 'The hall was filled ___ people.' Choose the correct preposition.

    1. by
    2. with
    3. from
    4. of
    Answer

    B. with

    'Filled with' is the fixed pattern in the passive.

20. Change to indirect speech: He asked, "Do you like tea?"

    1. He asked me that I liked tea.
    2. He asked me if did I like tea.
    3. He asked me do I like tea.
    4. He asked me if I liked tea.
    Answer

    D. He asked me if I liked tea.

    A yes/no question is reported with 'if' or 'whether' and statement word order.

21. The teacher said, "The earth moves round the sun." Choose the correct indirect speech.

    1. The teacher said that the earth moved round the sun.
    2. The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.
    3. The teacher said that the earth had moved round the sun.
    4. The teacher said that the earth would move round the sun.
    Answer

    B. The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.

    A universal truth does not change its tense.

22. Choose the passive of 'She has written a letter.'

    1. A letter is written by her.
    2. A letter was being written by her.
    3. A letter has been written by her.
    4. A letter had been written by her.
    Answer

    C. A letter has been written by her.

    Present perfect passive is has/have been + V3.

23. Change to an exclamatory sentence: 'It is a very beautiful flower.'

    1. What beautiful it is flower!
    2. How a beautiful flower it is!
    3. How beautiful a flower is!
    4. What a beautiful flower it is!
    Answer

    D. What a beautiful flower it is!

    An exclamatory sentence uses 'What a + adjective + noun + subject + verb'.

24. Which sentence cannot be changed into the passive voice?

    1. He sleeps early.
    2. He will buy a pen.
    3. They are playing cricket.
    4. She wrote a letter.
    Answer

    A. He sleeps early.

    'Sleep' is intransitive; only sentences with an object can be made passive.

25. '___ book do you want, the red or the blue?' Choose the correct word.

    1. Which
    2. Whom
    3. Whose
    4. What
    Answer

    A. Which

    'Which' is used for a choice from a known set.

26. Change to a complex sentence: 'On reaching home, he slept.'

    1. Reaching home, he slept.
    2. He reached home and slept.
    3. When he reached home, he slept.
    4. He slept and reached home.
    Answer

    C. When he reached home, he slept.

    A phrase is changed into a subordinate clause beginning with 'when'.

27. She said to him, "Please help me." Choose the indirect speech.

    1. She said him to help me.
    2. She asked that he helped me.
    3. She ordered him to help me.
    4. She requested him to help her.
    Answer

    D. She requested him to help her.

    A request is reported with 'requested + to'.

28. He said, "Do not run." Choose the indirect speech.

    1. He told me that not to run.
    2. He told me not to run.
    3. He told me do not run.
    4. He said me not to run.
    Answer

    B. He told me not to run.

    A negative command is reported with 'not to + V1'.

29. She said, "I will come tomorrow." Choose the indirect speech.

    1. She said that she would come the next day.
    2. She said that I would come the next day.
    3. She said that she will come tomorrow.
    4. She said that she would come tomorrow.
    Answer

    A. She said that she would come the next day.

    'Will' becomes 'would' and 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day'.

30. Choose the indirect speech: He said, "I have finished my work."

    1. He said that he has finished his work.
    2. He said that he would finish his work.
    3. He said that he finished my work.
    4. He said that he had finished his work.
    Answer

    D. He said that he had finished his work.

    Present perfect becomes past perfect after a past reporting verb.

31. Choose the passive of 'She gave me a book.'

    1. A book gave me by her.
    2. I am given a book by her.
    3. I was given a book by her.
    4. I was gave a book by her.
    Answer

    C. I was given a book by her.

    The indirect object can become the subject; the verb is 'was given'.

32. Consider the statements. 1. A positive statement takes a negative tag. 2. The tag for 'Let us' is 'will we?'.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    The tag for 'Let us' is 'shall we?'; only statement 1 is correct.

33. Consider the statements. 1. A sentence with 'sleeps' can be changed into the passive voice. 2. Only transitive verbs can be changed into the passive voice.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Intransitive verbs have no object, so they have no passive; only statement 2 is correct.

34. Consider the statements. 1. In indirect questions the word order is that of a statement. 2. A yes/no question is reported with 'if' or 'whether'.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both rules are correct.

35. Consider the statements. 1. 'Tomorrow' becomes 'the next day' after a past reporting verb. 2. 'Here' becomes 'there' after a past reporting verb.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both changes are standard.

36. Consider the statements. 1. 'By + doer' must always be used in the passive. 2. The agent can be left out when it is unknown or unimportant.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    The agent is optional; only statement 2 is correct.

37. Consider the statements. 1. 'Who' asks about the subject. 2. 'Whom' asks about the object.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both statements are correct.

38. Consider the statements. 1. Universal truths do not change in reported speech. 2. The tense of spoken words shifts back when the reporting verb is in the present tense.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    A present reporting verb does not cause a tense shift; only statement 1 is correct.

39. Consider the statements. 1. 'What' is used only for persons. 2. 'Which' is used for a choice from a limited set.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    'What' is used for things and actions, so only statement 2 is correct.

40. Consider the statements. 1. 'Too ... to' has a positive sense. 2. 'Very' can replace 'too' in 'too weak to walk'.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    D. Neither 1 nor 2

    'Too ... to' is negative in sense and 'very' cannot replace it; both are wrong.

41. Consider the statements. 1. 'Hardly ... when' is followed by the simple past throughout. 2. 'No sooner ... than' is followed by the present tense.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    D. Neither 1 nor 2

    Both patterns take the past perfect after 'hardly' and 'no sooner'.

42. Consider the statements. 1. 'Say' is used with 'that'. 2. 'Tell' is used with an object.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both statements are correct.

43. Match the passive forms. 1. Present continuous - a. is/am/are being + V3 2. Past perfect - b. had been + V3

    1. 1-b, 2-b
    2. 1-a, 2-b
    3. 1-b, 2-a
    4. 1-a, 2-a
    Answer

    B. 1-a, 2-b

    Present continuous passive is 'is being + V3' and past perfect passive is 'had been + V3'.

44. Open the door, ___?

    1. shall we
    2. did you
    3. don't you
    4. will you
    Answer

    D. will you

    The tag after an imperative is 'will you?'.

45. Choose the passive of 'She will write a letter.'

    1. A letter will be written by her.
    2. A letter is going written by her.
    3. A letter will write by her.
    4. A letter would been written by her.
    Answer

    A. A letter will be written by her.

    Simple future passive is will be + V3.