Complete Guide to Active/Passive Voice & Direct/Indirect Speech

Complete Guide to Voice & Narration

Active/Passive Voice • Direct/Indirect Speech • Narration Rules • Tense Charts • Updated January 2026

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Voice and Narration are two fundamental pillars of English grammar. This comprehensive guide covers Active & Passive Voice rules, Direct & Indirect Speech transformations, complete Tense Charts, and Narration Change rules with 100+ examples and Urdu explanations.

📚 What is Voice in English Grammar?

Voice refers to the form of a verb that shows whether the subject performs the action (Active) or receives the action (Passive).

Active Voice

Subject → Action → Object

➡️
Passive Voice

Object → Action → Subject

ACTIVE VOICE

Structure: Subject + Verb + Object

Focus: Who does the action

Example: The chef cooks the food.

فاعل کام کرتا ہے

PASSIVE VOICE

Structure: Object + is/am/are + V3 + by + Subject

Focus: What receives the action

Example: The food is cooked by the chef.

مفعول پر کام ہوتا ہے

✅ When to Use Passive Voice:
  1. When the doer is unknown: My car was stolen.
  2. When the doer is obvious: The thief was arrested.
  3. When focus is on the action: The building was constructed.
  4. In scientific writing: The experiment was conducted.
  5. For formal announcements: The meeting has been postponed.

🔷 Active to Passive Voice Rules

Basic Rules for Voice Transformation

  1. The object of active voice becomes the subject of passive voice.
  2. The subject of active voice becomes the object with "by" in passive voice.
  3. The main verb changes to its past participle form (V3).
  4. Add appropriate form of "be" verb (is, am, are, was, were, be, been).
  5. The tense of the sentence does not change.
  6. Modal verbs remain unchanged in passive voice.
  7. Prepositions after verbs are retained in passive voice.
  8. Intransitive verbs (without objects) cannot be made passive.
Active Voice Passive Voice Rule Applied Urdu Example
She writes a letter. A letter is written by her. Present simple: is/am/are + V3 وہ خط لکھتی ہے۔ → خط اس کے ذریعے لکھا جاتا ہے۔
He bought a car. A car was bought by him. Past simple: was/were + V3 اس نے کار خریدی۔ → کار اس کے ذریعے خریدی گئی۔
They are building a house. A house is being built by them. Present continuous: is/am/are + being + V3 وہ گھر بنا رہے ہیں۔ → گھر ان کے ذریعے بنایا جا رہا ہے۔
I have finished the work. The work has been finished by me. Present perfect: has/have + been + V3 میں نے کام ختم کر لیا ہے۔ → کام میرے ذریعے ختم کیا جا چکا ہے۔
She will help you. You will be helped by her. Modal: modal + be + V3 وہ آپ کی مدد کرے گی۔ → آپ کی مدد اس کے ذریعے کی جائے گی۔

📊 Complete Passive Voice Tense Chart

Tense Active Voice Structure Passive Voice Structure Active Example Passive Example
Present Simple S + V1(s/es) + O S + is/am/are + V3 + by + O He writes letters. Letters are written by him.
Present Continuous S + is/am/are + V-ing + O S + is/am/are + being + V3 + by + O She is cooking food. Food is being cooked by her.
Present Perfect S + has/have + V3 + O S + has/have + been + V3 + by + O I have completed the task. The task has been completed by me.
Past Simple S + V2 + O S + was/were + V3 + by + O They built this house. This house was built by them.
Past Continuous S + was/were + V-ing + O S + was/were + being + V3 + by + O He was reading a book. A book was being read by him.
Past Perfect S + had + V3 + O S + had + been + V3 + by + O She had finished her work. Her work had been finished by her.
Future Simple S + will/shall + V1 + O S + will/shall + be + V3 + by + O We will organize a party. A party will be organized by us.
Future Perfect S + will have + V3 + O S + will have + been + V3 + by + O They will have completed it. It will have been completed by them.
Modal Verbs S + modal + V1 + O S + modal + be + V3 + by + O You should respect elders. Elders should be respected by you.
⚠️ Important Voice Rules:
  • Intransitive verbs cannot be passive: ❌ He died. → (Cannot be passive)
  • Some verbs have two objects: Give, tell, show, offer, teach, promise
  • By + agent can be omitted: When agent is unknown/obvious
  • Imperative sentences: Use "Let" for passive: Open the door → Let the door be opened

🎤 What is Direct & Indirect Speech?

Direct Speech quotes the exact words spoken, while Indirect Speech reports what was said without using exact words.

DIRECT SPEECH

Definition: Exact words spoken

Quotation Marks: Yes

Example: He said, "I am tired."

Structure: Reporting verb + comma + "Exact words"

براہ راست بیان

INDIRECT SPEECH

Definition: Reported speech

Quotation Marks: No

Example: He said that he was tired.

Structure: Reporting verb + that + Reported words

بالواسطہ بیان

Element Direct Speech Indirect Speech Change Rule
Quotation Marks Used Not used Remove ""
Comma after said Used Not used Replace with "that"
Pronouns I, we, you He, she, they Change according to sense
Tenses Present forms Past forms Backshift rule
Time Words Now, today, tomorrow Then, that day, next day Change time references
Place Words Here, this, these There, that, those Change place references

🔷 Direct to Indirect Speech Rules

Step-by-Step Conversion Rules

  1. Remove quotation marks and commas.
  2. Add conjunction 'that' (optional in informal speech).
  3. Change pronouns according to the sense.
  4. Change tenses (Backshift rule).
  5. Change time and place expressions.
  6. Change reporting verb if necessary (said to → told).
  7. Change question word order to statement order.
  8. Change commands/requests to infinitive form.
  9. Change exclamations to statements.
  10. Adjust modal verbs appropriately.

Tense Change Chart (Backshift Rule)

Direct Speech Tense Indirect Speech Tense Example Rule
Present Simple Past Simple "I go" → he said he went V1 → V2
Present Continuous Past Continuous "I am going" → he said he was going is/am/are + V-ing → was/were + V-ing
Present Perfect Past Perfect "I have gone" → he said he had gone has/have + V3 → had + V3
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous "I have been going" → he said he had been going has/have been + V-ing → had been + V-ing
Past Simple Past Perfect "I went" → he said he had gone V2 → had + V3
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous "I was going" → he said he had been going was/were + V-ing → had been + V-ing
Future Simple (will) Conditional (would) "I will go" → he said he would go will → would
Future Continuous Conditional Continuous "I will be going" → he said he would be going will be → would be
Can Could "I can go" → he said he could go can → could
May Might "I may go" → he said he might go may → might
Must Must/Had to "I must go" → he said he must/had to go must → must/had to

🗣️ Reported Speech with Examples

Reporting Different Types of Sentences

Sentence Type Direct Speech Indirect Speech Rule Applied
Statement He said, "I am happy." He said that he was happy. Add 'that', change pronoun & tense
Question (Yes/No) She said, "Are you coming?" She asked if/whether I was coming. Use ask + if/whether + statement order
Question (Wh-word) He said, "Where do you live?" He asked where I lived. Keep wh-word + statement order
Command She said, "Close the door." She told me to close the door. Use tell/order + to + V1
Request He said, "Please help me." He requested me to help him. Use request/beg + to + V1
Advice She said, "You should study." She advised me to study. Use advise + to + V1
Exclamation He said, "What a beautiful sight!" He exclaimed that it was a beautiful sight. Use exclaim/cry + statement
Promise She said, "I will help you." She promised to help me. Use promise + to + V1

Time & Place Word Changes

Direct Speech Indirect Speech Type
now then Time
today that day Time
tonight that night Time
yesterday the previous day/the day before Time
tomorrow the next day/the following day Time
last week the previous week/the week before Time
next month the following month/the next month Time
here there Place
this that Demonstrative
these those Demonstrative
come go Verb
bring take Verb

🔄 Narration Change Rules (All Tenses)

Complete Narration Change Chart

Present Tenses Narration Change:

  • Present Simple: "I play cricket." → He said that he played cricket.
  • Present Continuous: "I am playing cricket." → He said that he was playing cricket.
  • Present Perfect: "I have played cricket." → He said that he had played cricket.
  • Present Perfect Continuous: "I have been playing cricket." → He said that he had been playing cricket.

Past Tenses Narration Change:

  • Past Simple: "I played cricket." → He said that he had played cricket.
  • Past Continuous: "I was playing cricket." → He said that he had been playing cricket.
  • Past Perfect: "I had played cricket." → He said that he had played cricket. (No change)
  • Past Perfect Continuous: "I had been playing cricket." → He said that he had been playing cricket. (No change)

Future Tenses Narration Change:

  • Future Simple: "I will play cricket." → He said that he would play cricket.
  • Future Continuous: "I will be playing cricket." → He said that he would be playing cricket.
  • Future Perfect: "I will have played cricket." → He said that he would have played cricket.
  • Future Perfect Continuous: "I will have been playing cricket." → He said that he would have been playing cricket.

Special Cases & Exceptions

✅ When Tense Doesn't Change (Universal Truths):
  • Direct: He said, "The sun rises in the east."
  • Indirect: He said that the sun rises in the east. (No tense change)
  • Reason: Universal/scientific facts remain in present tense
⚠️ Reporting Verb Changes:
  • Said to → told: When object is mentioned
  • Said → exclaimed: For exclamations
  • Said → asked: For questions
  • Said → ordered: For commands
  • Said → requested: For requests
  • Said → advised: For advice

Mixed Examples for Practice

Direct Speech Indirect Speech Points to Note
He said, "I have completed my homework." He said that he had completed his homework. Present perfect → Past perfect
She said, "I will be waiting for you." She said that she would be waiting for me. Future continuous → Conditional continuous
They said, "We were playing football." They said that they had been playing football. Past continuous → Past perfect continuous
Teacher said, "Don't make noise." The teacher told us not to make noise. Negative command → told + not to + V1
He said, "What a beautiful painting!" He exclaimed that it was a beautiful painting. Exclamation → exclaimed + statement
She said, "Please give me some water." She requested me to give her some water. Request → requested + to + V1

📝 Comprehensive Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Change Active to Passive Voice
  1. She teaches English.
    Answer: English is taught by her.
  2. They are building a new hospital.
    Answer: A new hospital is being built by them.
  3. He has written a novel.
    Answer: A novel has been written by him.
  4. You should respect your parents.
    Answer: Your parents should be respected by you.
  5. Someone stole my wallet.
    Answer: My wallet was stolen.
Exercise 2: Change Direct to Indirect Speech
  1. He said, "I am learning English."
    Answer: He said that he was learning English.
  2. She said, "Will you help me?"
    Answer: She asked if I would help her.
  3. They said, "We have been waiting for hours."
    Answer: They said that they had been waiting for hours.
  4. Teacher said, "Complete your homework."
    Answer: The teacher told us to complete our homework.
  5. He said, "What a terrible accident!"
    Answer: He exclaimed that it was a terrible accident.
Exercise 3: Mixed Questions (Voice & Narration)
  1. وہ کہتا ہے، "میں بیمار ہوں۔"
    Answer: He says that he is ill.
  2. استاد نے کہا، "کتاب نہ پڑھو۔"
    Answer: The teacher told us not to read the book.
  3. اس نے خط لکھا۔ (Passive)
    Answer: The letter was written by him.
  4. وہ کہتی ہے، "میں کل آؤں گی۔"
    Answer: She says that she will come tomorrow.

Quick Reference Tables

Category Key Rules Formula Example
Active → Passive Object becomes subject, add 'by', use V3 S + be + V3 + by + O He writes → It is written by him
Direct → Indirect Remove "", change tense, pronouns, time words He said that + changed sentence "I go" → He said he went
Tense Backshift Present → Past, Past → Past perfect V1 → V2, V2 → had + V3 go → went, went → had gone
Questions Use ask + if/wh-word + statement order Asked + if/wh-word + S + V "Are you?" → He asked if I was
Commands Use tell/order + to + V1 Told + to + V1 "Go!" → He told me to go

آواز اور بیان کی تبدیلی انگریزی گرامر کے اہم حصے ہیں۔ ان قوانین کو سمجھ کر آپ درست جملے بنا سکتے ہیں اور امتحانات میں بہترین کارکردگی دکھا سکتے ہیں۔

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