MSW - English Unit 3

 Unit - 3

English Grammar

Active Voice and Passive Voice

Active voice and passive voice are two different ways of expressing the relationship between the subject and the verb in a sentence. Here's an explanation of each:

Active Voice: In active voice, the subject performs the action expressed by the verb. The subject is the doer of the action, and the sentence structure is typically Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). Active voice sentences are direct, straightforward, and usually more concise.

Example:

• Active Voice: Sarah wrote the letter.
  • In this sentence, "Sarah" is the subject, "wrote" is the verb, and "the letter" is the object. The subject (Sarah) is performing the action (writing the letter).

Passive Voice: In passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed by the verb. The focus is on the receiver of the action rather than the doer. The sentence structure is typically Object-Verb-Subject (OVS) or Object-Verb (OV). Passive voice sentences often have a form of the verb "to be" followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Example:

• Passive Voice: The letter was written by Sarah.
  • In this sentence, "the letter" is the subject (even though it receives the action), "was written" is the verb phrase, and "by Sarah" indicates who performed the action. The subject (the letter) is not actively performing the action (writing), but rather it is being acted upon by Sarah.

When to Use Active Voice and Passive Voice:

• Active voice is generally preferred in writing and communication because it is more direct and engaging. It focuses on the subject as the doer of the action and creates a stronger impact.
• Passive voice is used when the emphasis is on the receiver of the action or when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or to create a more formal tone.

It's important to note that passive voice can sometimes make sentences sound wordy or vague. Whenever possible, aim for clarity and directness by using active voice. However, there may be situations where passive voice is appropriate or necessary.

Here are examples of sentences in both active voice and passive voice:

Active Voice:

1. She bakes a delicious cake.
2. The company released a new product.
3. They repaired the broken window.
4. The teacher is explaining the lesson.
5. He wrote an inspiring poem.

Passive Voice:

1. A delicious cake is baked by her.
2. A new product was released by the company.
3. The broken window was repaired by them.
4. The lesson is being explained by the teacher.
5. An inspiring poem was written by him.

In the active voice examples, the subject is performing the action (bakes, released, repaired, etc.). In the passive voice examples, the subject receives the action and is acted upon (is baked, was released, was repaired, etc.).

It's important to note that not all sentences can be transformed into the passive voice, and not all sentences should be converted to passive voice. The decision to use active or passive voice depends on the context and the intended emphasis of the sentence.

Direct Speech & Indirect Speech

Direct speech and indirect speech (also known as reported speech) are two ways of reporting or conveying someone's words or speech. Here's an explanation of each:

Direct Speech: Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken by someone, enclosed in quotation marks. It is used when we want to quote someone's words verbatim and attribute them directly to the speaker.

Example:

• Direct Speech: John said, "I am going to the park."
  • In this sentence, the exact words spoken by John are reported within quotation marks.

Indirect Speech: Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used when we want to convey someone's words without quoting them directly. In indirect speech, we report what someone said using reporting verbs, changes in verb tenses, pronouns, and time expressions.

Example:

• Indirect Speech: John said that he was going to the park.
  • In this sentence, the words spoken by John are reported indirectly, without using the exact words. The reporting verb "said" is used, the verb tense is changed, and the pronoun "he" is used to refer to John.

Key Changes in Indirect Speech:

1. Changes in Verb Tense:

   • Present tense changes to past tense.
   • Past tense changes to past perfect tense.
   • Present continuous tense changes to past continuous tense.
   • Present perfect tense changes to past perfect tense.
   • Future tense changes to conditional tense.

2. Changes in Pronouns and Demonstratives:

   • First-person pronouns (I, we) change according to the subject of the reporting clause.
   • Second-person pronouns (you) change according to the subject of the reporting clause.
   • Third-person pronouns (he, she, it, they) may change depending on the context.

3. Changes in Time Expressions:

   • Words indicating time and place may change based on the reporting context.

Example:

• Direct Speech: "I love this book," she said.
• Indirect Speech: She said that she loved that book.

In indirect speech, the reported words are no longer enclosed in quotation marks, and there are changes in verb tense, pronouns, and time expressions to reflect the reporting context.

It's important to note that there may be additional changes and variations based on the specific rules of reported speech and the context in which it is used.

Here are examples of direct speech and their corresponding indirect speech:

Direct Speech:

1. She said, "I am going to the party tonight."

   • In direct speech, the exact words spoken by the person are quoted.

2. He exclaimed, "What a beautiful sunset!"

   • The direct speech captures the speaker's exact words and uses quotation marks.

3. They shouted, "We won the championship!"

   • The direct speech reports the words spoken by the group, enclosed in quotation marks.

Indirect Speech (Reported Speech):

1. She said that she was going to the party tonight.

   • The indirect speech reports the words spoken by the person without using the exact words.

2. He exclaimed with joy that it was a beautiful sunset.

   • The indirect speech conveys the speaker's exclamation indirectly, without quoting verbatim.

3. They shouted with excitement that they had won the championship.

   • The indirect speech reports the words spoken by the group indirectly, reflecting the past event.