Turning an active sentence into the passive and back, and direct speech into reported speech and back. In the passive, the object moves to the front and the verb becomes a form of "be" with the past participle, keeping its tense. In reported speech, the pronouns, the tense and the time words all move one step. This lesson gives both sets of changes as tables, with the traps the options are built on.
Both halves of this chapter ask you to rewrite a sentence without changing what it says:
Neither is on NTA's list of item types. They are here because the papers since 2022 have asked them. The options usually differ in one small change, so the method is to know the changes and check each option against them.
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| writes | is written |
| is writing | is being written |
| has written | has been written |
| wrote | was written |
| was writing | was being written |
| had written | had been written |
| will write | will be written |
| will have written | will have been written |
| can, must, should write | can, must, should be written |
The helping verb agrees with the new subject: "The storm was damaging the houses" becomes "The houses were being damaged".
Example 1 · Keeping the tense
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
The children are singing a song.
Options: A song is sung by the children; A song was being sung by the children; A song is being sung by the children; A song has been sung by the children.
"Are singing" is the present continuous. Its passive keeps both the present and the "-ing": "is being sung".
"Is sung" loses the continuous, "was being sung" moves into the past, and "has been sung" changes to the present perfect.
"A song is being sung by the children."
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| Close the door. | Let the door be closed. |
| Please switch off the lights. | You are requested to switch off the lights. |
| Do not tease the animals. | Let the animals not be teased. |
| Did the boy break the window? | Was the window broken by the boy? |
| Who wrote this poem? | By whom was this poem written? |
| They say that he is honest. | It is said that he is honest. |
When the reporting verb is in the past ("said", "asked"), three things move:
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| am, is / are | was / were |
| do, does | did |
| did, have done | had done |
| was doing | had been doing |
| had done | had done (no change) |
| will, shall | would |
| can | could |
| may | might |
| must | had to |
The tense does not change when the reporting verb is in the present ("he says") or when the words are a universal truth ("the teacher said that the sun rises in the east").
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today, tonight | that day, that night |
| yesterday | the day before, the previous day |
| tomorrow | the next day, the following day |
| next week | the following week |
| ago | before |
Example 2 · Three changes at once
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
Last Monday, the boy said, "I will come tomorrow."
Options: … said that he will come tomorrow; … said that he would come the next day; … said that he would come tomorrow; … said that I would come the next day.
Pronoun: the boy said "I", so the report says "he". That strikes "I would come".
Tense: "will" moves back to "would". That strikes "he will come".
Time word: a week later, "tomorrow" is no longer tomorrow, so it becomes "the next day". That strikes "would come tomorrow".
"Last Monday, the boy said that he would come the next day."
| Kind | Reporting verb | Joined by | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statement | said, told (a person) | that | He told me that he was tired. |
| Yes-or-no question | asked | if, whether | He asked me whether I was ready. |
| Wh- question | asked | the wh- word | She asked him where he lived. |
| Order, advice, request | told, ordered, advised, requested | to + verb | Mother told me to go to bed. |
| Negative order | told, advised | not to + verb | The doctor advised me not to eat fried food. |
| Suggestion with "let us" | suggested | that ... should | He suggested that they should go for a walk. |
| Exclamation | exclaimed with joy, with sorrow | that | She exclaimed that the garden was very beautiful. |
| Greeting, wish | wished, prayed | (none), that ... might | He wished her good morning. |
A reported question takes the order of a statement, with no question mark and no "do" or "did": "where he lived", never "where did he live".
Exam shortcut
"Said" takes "to" before a person; "told" takes the person directly. "He said to me" becomes "he told me", never "he said me" or "he told to me". "Told" always needs a person after it: "he told that" is wrong.
Passive
Reported speech
Joining words
The tense forms these changes move between are in tenses and agreement.
70 questions, grouped by type, easy to hard. Pick an answer and check it. The worked solution opens when you ask for it.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
The cat chased the mouse.
AnswerC · The mouse was chased by the cat.
The object, "the mouse", becomes the subject. The simple past "chased" becomes "was chased": "The mouse was chased by the cat."
Worth noting
"Is chased" moves the sentence into the present. The passive keeps the tense of the active.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Ravi writes a letter.
AnswerA · A letter is written by Ravi.
The simple present "writes" becomes "is written": "A letter is written by Ravi."
Worth noting
"Is wrote" uses the simple past form. The passive always takes the past participle, "written".
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
The children are singing a song.
AnswerB · A song is being sung by the children.
The present continuous "are singing" becomes "is being sung". The "being" keeps the action going on now.
Worth noting
"Is sung" loses the continuous: it describes a habit, not something happening now.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
My mother has cooked the dinner.
AnswerD · The dinner has been cooked by my mother.
The present perfect "has cooked" becomes "has been cooked".
Worth noting
"Has cooked by my mother" leaves out "been", so it still says the dinner did the cooking.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
The police will arrest the thief.
AnswerD · The thief will be arrested by the police.
"Will" + a verb becomes "will be" + the past participle: "The thief will be arrested by the police."
Worth noting
"Will arrested" leaves out "be", which every passive needs.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
The teacher praised Meena.
AnswerA · Meena was praised by the teacher.
"Praised" is simple past, so the passive is "was praised": "Meena was praised by the teacher."
Worth noting
"Meena praised by the teacher" has no helping verb, so it is not a full sentence.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Someone has stolen my bicycle.
AnswerB · My bicycle has been stolen.
The present perfect "has stolen" becomes "has been stolen". When the doer is unknown, "by someone" is left out.
Worth noting
"Was stolen" changes the tense, and "has stolen" says the bicycle stole something.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
They grow rice in Punjab.
AnswerC · Rice is grown in Punjab.
"Grow" in the simple present becomes "is grown". "They" means people in general, so "by them" is left out.
Worth noting
"Is grew" uses the simple past form, but the passive takes the past participle, "grown".
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Did the boy break the window?
AnswerB · Was the window broken by the boy?
A "did" question in the past becomes "was" + the subject + the past participle: "Was the window broken by the boy?"
Worth noting
"Was the window broke" uses the simple past form, and "has been broken" changes the tense.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Rohan was painting the gate.
AnswerD · The gate was being painted by Rohan.
The past continuous "was painting" becomes "was being painted".
Worth noting
"Was painted" loses the continuous: it says the painting was finished, not that it was going on.
Choose the active form of this sentence.
The song was sung by Lata.
AnswerA · Lata sang the song.
"Was sung" is the simple past passive, so the active is simple past too: "Lata sang the song."
Worth noting
"Sings" moves the sentence into the present.
Choose the active form of this sentence.
The letters are delivered by the postman.
AnswerC · The postman delivers the letters.
"Are delivered" is the simple present passive, so the active is "delivers": "The postman delivers the letters."
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
The workers had finished the bridge before the rains.
AnswerD · The bridge had been finished by the workers before the rains.
The past perfect "had finished" becomes "had been finished".
Worth noting
"Had finished by the workers" leaves out "been", so it says the bridge did the finishing.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
You must obey the rules.
AnswerB · The rules must be obeyed by you.
A modal + a verb becomes the modal + "be" + the past participle: "must be obeyed".
Worth noting
"Must been" uses the wrong form of "be". After a modal, it is always the plain "be".
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Close the door.
AnswerC · Let the door be closed.
An order becomes passive with "let": "Let the door be closed."
Worth noting
"The door is closed" describes how the door is. It no longer gives an order.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Who wrote this poem?
AnswerA · By whom was this poem written?
"Who" becomes "by whom" at the start, and the question keeps its order: "By whom was this poem written?"
Worth noting
"By whom this poem was written" has the order of a statement, not a question.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
She gave me a book.
AnswerA · I was given a book by her.
A verb with two objects can put either one first. With "me" as the subject, it is "I was given a book by her."
Worth noting
"I was gave" uses the simple past form. The passive takes the past participle, "given".
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
People speak English all over the world.
AnswerC · English is spoken all over the world.
"Speak" in the simple present becomes "is spoken". "People" means everyone, so "by people" is left out.
Worth noting
"Is speaking" is active: it would mean English itself was talking.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
They are building a new hospital in our town.
AnswerB · A new hospital is being built in our town.
The present continuous "are building" becomes "is being built". "They" is a general doer, so "by them" is left out.
Worth noting
"Has being built" mixes the perfect "has" with the continuous "being". Each needs its own form.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
The manager will have signed the letters by noon.
AnswerD · The letters will have been signed by the manager by noon.
The future perfect "will have signed" becomes "will have been signed".
Worth noting
"Will be signed" loses the perfect, which says the signing will be finished before noon.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Do not tease the animals.
AnswerC · Let the animals not be teased.
A negative order becomes "let" + the object + "not be" + the past participle: "Let the animals not be teased." ("Let not the animals be teased" is also correct.)
Worth noting
"Let the animals are not teased" uses "are", but after "let" the verb is always the plain "be".
Choose the active form of this sentence.
The thief was caught by the villagers.
AnswerA · The villagers caught the thief.
The doer, "the villagers", becomes the subject, and the simple past passive becomes simple past: "The villagers caught the thief."
Worth noting
"The thief caught the villagers" swaps the doer and the receiver, which reverses the meaning.
Choose the active form of this sentence.
The room is being cleaned by the students.
AnswerB · The students are cleaning the room.
"Is being cleaned" is the present continuous passive, so the active is "are cleaning".
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Has anyone seen my keys?
AnswerD · Have my keys been seen by anyone?
"Has seen" becomes "have been seen", with "have" because "my keys" is plural. The question keeps its order.
Worth noting
"Were my keys seen" changes the tense from the present perfect to the simple past.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
They say that he is very honest.
AnswerC · It is said that he is very honest.
"They say that ..." becomes "It is said that ...", and the rest stays as it was. ("He is said to be very honest" is also correct.)
Worth noting
"It was said" changes the tense of "say", and "he was very honest" changes what is said.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
We should help the poor.
AnswerA · The poor should be helped by us.
"Should" + a verb becomes "should be" + the past participle: "The poor should be helped by us."
Worth noting
"Should have been helped" is about the past: it says the help was not given.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
The villagers elected Suresh sarpanch.
AnswerB · Suresh was elected sarpanch by the villagers.
"Suresh" is the object and becomes the subject. "Sarpanch" says what he was elected, and stays after the verb.
Worth noting
"Sarpanch was elected Suresh" makes the post the subject, which reverses what the sentence says.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Please switch off the lights.
AnswerD · You are requested to switch off the lights.
A polite request with "please" becomes passive with "you are requested to": "You are requested to switch off the lights."
Worth noting
"Let the lights switch off" leaves out "be", so the lights would do the switching.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Who is making this noise?
AnswerA · By whom is this noise being made?
"Who" becomes "by whom", "is making" becomes "is being made", and the question keeps its order: "By whom is this noise being made?"
Worth noting
"By whom is this noise made" loses "being", so it no longer says the noise is being made right now.
Choose the active form of this sentence.
By whom was the Taj Mahal built?
AnswerD · Who built the Taj Mahal?
"By whom" becomes "who", the subject, and the simple past passive becomes simple past: "Who built the Taj Mahal?"
Worth noting
"Whom" is for an object. As the subject of "built", it must be "who".
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
I cannot solve this sum.
AnswerC · This sum cannot be solved by me.
"Cannot" + a verb becomes "cannot be" + the past participle: "This sum cannot be solved by me."
Worth noting
"Could not" changes the present "cannot" into the past.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
The storm was damaging the houses.
AnswerB · The houses were being damaged by the storm.
The past continuous "was damaging" becomes "were being damaged", with "were" because "the houses" is plural.
Worth noting
"Was being damaged" keeps "was" from the active, but the new subject, "the houses", is plural.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Let him do the work.
AnswerB · Let the work be done by him.
"Let" + a person + a verb becomes "let" + the object + "be" + the past participle: "Let the work be done by him."
Worth noting
"Let the work to be done" adds a "to" that "let" never takes.
Choose the passive form of this sentence.
Everyone knows her.
AnswerC · She is known to everyone.
"Know" in the passive usually takes "to", not "by": "She is known to everyone."
Worth noting
"Was known" changes the present "knows" into the past.
Choose the active form of this sentence.
The exam will have been cancelled by the board.
AnswerD · The board will have cancelled the exam.
"Will have been cancelled" is the future perfect passive, so the active is "will have cancelled".
Worth noting
"Will cancel" is the simple future. It loses the "have", which says the cancelling will be finished.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said, "I am tired."
AnswerA · He said that he was tired.
"I" becomes "he", and the past reporting verb moves "am" back to "was": "He said that he was tired."
Worth noting
"He told that" is wrong: "told" must be followed by a person, as in "he told me that".
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
She said to me, "I like your dress."
AnswerD · She told me that she liked my dress.
"Said to me" becomes "told me". "I" becomes "she", "your" becomes "my", and "like" moves back to "liked".
Worth noting
"She said me" is wrong: "said" needs "to" before a person, and "told" takes the person without it.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
Ravi says, "I am hungry."
AnswerC · Ravi says that he is hungry.
The reporting verb "says" is in the present, so the tense inside does not change: "Ravi says that he is hungry."
Worth noting
"He was hungry" moves the tense back, which happens only when the reporting verb is in the past.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
The teacher said, "The sun rises in the east."
AnswerB · The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
A universal truth keeps its tense in reported speech: "the sun rises in the east".
Worth noting
"Rose" follows the usual rule for a past reporting verb, but a truth that never changes stays in the present.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
Mother said to me, "Go to bed."
AnswerA · Mother told me to go to bed.
An order becomes "told" + the person + "to" + the verb: "Mother told me to go to bed."
Worth noting
"Told me that go to bed" joins an order with "that", which is only for statements.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said to me, "Are you ready?"
AnswerA · He asked me whether I was ready.
A yes-or-no question becomes "asked" + "if" or "whether", in the order of a statement: "He asked me whether I was ready."
Worth noting
"Whether was I ready" keeps the question's order. Once reported, it is not a question any more.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
She said to him, "Where do you live?"
AnswerD · She asked him where he lived.
A "where" question keeps "where", takes the order of a statement, and moves back a tense: "She asked him where he lived."
Worth noting
"Where did he live" keeps the question's "did". A reported question drops it.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
Last Monday, the boy said, "I will come tomorrow."
AnswerB · Last Monday, the boy said that he would come the next day.
"Will" moves back to "would", and "tomorrow" becomes "the next day", because the next day is no longer tomorrow when the words are reported.
Worth noting
"Would come tomorrow" changes the verb but forgets the time word.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
She said, "I have finished my work."
AnswerC · She said that she had finished her work.
The present perfect "have finished" moves back to the past perfect, "had finished", and "my" becomes "her".
Worth noting
"Has finished" keeps the tense, which does not happen after the past "said".
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said, "I was reading a novel."
AnswerA · He said that he had been reading a novel.
The past continuous "was reading" moves back to the past perfect continuous: "he had been reading".
Worth noting
"Has been reading" is present perfect, which does not fit after the past "said".
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
The doctor said to me, "Do not eat fried food."
AnswerB · The doctor advised me not to eat fried food.
A negative order or advice becomes "not to" + the verb: "The doctor advised me not to eat fried food."
Worth noting
"Told me not eat" leaves out "to", which reported orders always need.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said, "I can swim."
AnswerC · He said that he could swim.
"Can" moves back to "could" after a past reporting verb: "He said that he could swim."
Worth noting
"Could swam" moves the main verb back too. After "could", the verb stays plain.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
Priya said, "I bought this bag here."
AnswerD · Priya said that she had bought that bag there.
"Bought" moves back to "had bought", "this" becomes "that" and "here" becomes "there", because the bag and the place are no longer near the speaker.
Worth noting
"This bag there" changes one pointing word but not the other.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
The teacher said to the students, "Please be quiet."
AnswerD · The teacher requested the students to be quiet.
A polite request with "please" becomes "requested" + the person + "to": "The teacher requested the students to be quiet."
Worth noting
"Said the students to be quiet" leaves out "to" before the person. "Said" needs "said to"; "requested" takes the person directly.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said to me, "What are you doing?"
AnswerC · He asked me what I was doing.
The question keeps "what", takes the order of a statement, and "are doing" moves back to "was doing".
Worth noting
"That what I was doing" adds a "that", which is used for statements, not for questions. "What I did" loses the "-ing" of an action going on.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
Last year, Asha said, "I met him yesterday."
AnswerA · Last year, Asha said that she had met him the day before.
"Met" moves back to "had met", and "yesterday" becomes "the day before" (or "the previous day").
Worth noting
"The next day" is what "tomorrow" becomes. "Yesterday" looks back, not forward.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said, "Let us go for a walk."
AnswerB · He suggested that they should go for a walk.
A suggestion with "let us" becomes "suggested that they should ...": "He suggested that they should go for a walk."
Worth noting
"Suggested us to go" is wrong: "suggest" is not followed by a person and "to".
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
She said, "How beautiful the garden is!"
AnswerD · She exclaimed that the garden was very beautiful.
An exclamation becomes a statement with "exclaimed that", "how beautiful" becomes "very beautiful", and the tense moves back.
Worth noting
"That how beautiful" keeps the exclamation's "how" after "that". A reported exclamation becomes a plain statement.
Choose the direct speech of this sentence.
He told me that he was going to Delhi.
AnswerA · He said to me, "I am going to Delhi."
In direct speech, the speaker says "I", and the tense moves forward again: "was going" becomes "am going".
Worth noting
"He is going" keeps the reported "he". In his own words, he would say "I".
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said, "I do not know the way."
AnswerA · He said that he did not know the way.
"Do not know" moves back to "did not know", and "I" becomes "he": "He said that he did not know the way."
Worth noting
"Had not knew" puts a past form after "had", which needs the past participle. "Told that" needs a person after "told".
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said, "I may be late."
AnswerB · He said that he might be late.
"May" moves back to "might" after a past reporting verb: "He said that he might be late."
Worth noting
"Might have been late" makes it a guess about the past. He was talking about the future.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
She said to me, "Will you help me?"
AnswerC · She asked me if I would help her.
A yes-or-no question takes "if", the order of a statement, and "will" moves back to "would". "You" becomes "I" and "me" becomes "her".
Worth noting
"Would I help her" keeps the question's order, which a reported question does not. "That" is for statements, not questions.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
The old man said, "Alas! I have lost my son."
AnswerC · The old man exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost his son.
"Alas!" shows sorrow, so it becomes "exclaimed with sorrow". The tense moves back and "my" becomes "his".
Worth noting
"With joy" is for words like "hurrah". "Alas" is a cry of sorrow.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said, "I must leave now."
AnswerD · He said that he had to leave then.
"Must" for a need at that moment becomes "had to", and "now" becomes "then": "He said that he had to leave then."
Worth noting
"Had to leave now" changes the verb but forgets that "now" is no longer now when it is reported.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
The captain said to his soldiers, "Fire!"
AnswerA · The captain ordered his soldiers to fire.
A command becomes "ordered" (or "commanded") + the person + "to": "The captain ordered his soldiers to fire."
Worth noting
"Ordered to his soldiers" adds a "to" before the person. "Order" takes the person directly.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
She said, "I have been waiting here for an hour."
AnswerB · She said that she had been waiting there for an hour.
"Have been waiting" moves back to "had been waiting", and "here" becomes "there".
Worth noting
"Waiting here" changes the tense but keeps "here", which pointed to where she stood, not where the reporter stands.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said to her, "Good morning."
AnswerA · He wished her good morning.
A greeting becomes "wished": "He wished her good morning."
Worth noting
"Told her that good morning" treats a greeting as a statement, and it is not one.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
The teacher said, "Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius."
AnswerC · The teacher said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
A scientific fact keeps its present tense in reported speech: "water boils".
Worth noting
"Told that" is wrong on its own: "told" must be followed by a person.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
Last week, he said to me, "Why did you not come yesterday?"
AnswerB · Last week, he asked me why I had not come the day before.
"Did not come" moves back to "had not come", the order becomes that of a statement, and "yesterday" becomes "the day before".
Worth noting
"Why had I not come" keeps the question's order, with the verb before "I".
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
Last month, Rahul said, "I shall visit my aunt next week."
AnswerD · Last month, Rahul said that he would visit his aunt the following week.
"Shall" for the future moves back to "would", "my" becomes "his", and "next week" becomes "the following week".
Worth noting
"Should" is not the reported form of "shall" for the future; it would turn his plan into a duty.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
She said, "May you live long!"
AnswerA · She prayed that he might live long.
A wish or blessing becomes "prayed" (or "wished") that ... "might": "She prayed that he might live long."
Worth noting
"Wished that may he live long" keeps the blessing's word order. Once reported, it takes the order of a statement.
Choose the direct speech of this sentence.
She asked me if I had seen her brother.
AnswerC · She said to me, "Have you seen my brother?"
"If" shows a yes-or-no question, so the direct speech begins with the verb. "Had seen" moves forward to "have seen", "I" becomes "you" and "her" becomes "my".
Worth noting
"Her brother" keeps the reported pronoun. Speaking of her own brother, she would say "my brother".
Choose the direct speech of this sentence.
He told us not to make a noise.
AnswerD · He said to us, "Do not make a noise."
"Told us not to" is a negative order, which in direct speech begins with "Do not": "Do not make a noise."
Worth noting
"Not make a noise" leaves out "do", which a negative order needs.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
He said, "I had already eaten."
AnswerB · He said that he had already eaten.
The past perfect cannot move back any further, so "had already eaten" stays as it is.
Worth noting
"Had been already eaten" is a passive: it would mean someone had eaten him.
Choose the indirect speech of this sentence.
The guide said, "These temples were built a thousand years ago."
AnswerC · The guide said that those temples had been built a thousand years before.
"These" becomes "those", "were built" moves back to "had been built", and "ago" becomes "before".
Worth noting
"Had built" leaves out "been", so the temples would have done the building. "Were build" uses the plain verb where the passive needs "built".
NTA's English syllabus is one page. It names two skill areas: Reading Comprehension, with three kinds of passage of at most 300 words each (factual, narrative and literary), and Verbal Ability, with four item types (rearranging the parts, match the following, choosing the correct word, synonyms and antonyms). It says the questions are not limited to these, and prints no chapters and no split of the 50 questions. So the chapters here are ours. Reading is split by the kind of passage, because a poem is not read the way a report is. Verbal Ability is split into three areas of our own: Vocabulary, Sentence & paragraph order, and Grammar & usage. Where a chapter covers something past NTA's short list, it says so, and it is there because the papers since 2022 have asked it.