Active-Passive Voice & Direct-Indirect Speech: Rules Made Simple

These two topics carry 2-4 questions in SSC exams and are purely rule-based — memorize the rules and score guaranteed marks.

Active to Passive Voice

Rule 1: Object becomes subject, subject becomes object. Rule 2: Add "by" before the new object. Rule 3: Change verb to past participle form. Rule 4: Add appropriate form of "be" (is/am/are/was/were/been/being).

Tense Changes in Passive

Simple Present: am/is/are + V3. Present Continuous: am/is/are + being + V3. Simple Past: was/were + V3. Past Continuous: was/were + being + V3. Future: will be + V3.

Direct to Indirect Speech

Rule 1: Remove quotation marks, add "that/if/whether." Rule 2: Change tense one step back (Simple Present → Simple Past). Rule 3: Change pronouns accordingly. Rule 4: Change time/place words (now→then, here→there, today→that day, yesterday→the previous day).