The Rules of the Sequence of Tenses

The Sequence of Tenses    Original Tense                Changed to....

Present         -       Past

Present Continuous         -        Past Continuous

Past        -        Past Perfect

Present Perfect        -        Past Perfect

will        -        would

can        -        could

may       -        might

The tense of a verb in the subordinate clause changes in accordance with the tense of the verb in the main clause.

The basic rules are as follows:

Rule 1

When the verb in the principal (main) clause is in the present or future tense, the verb in the subordinate clause may be in any tense that the context requires.

           Examples:

•  I maintain (main clause) that he is honest (subordinate clause).
•  I maintain that he was honest.
• I maintain that he will be honest.
• I shall maintain (main clause) that he is honest (subordinate clause).
• I shall maintain that he was honest.
• I shall maintain that he will be honest.

Exception:

Conditional and time clauses generally take a Verb in the Present Tense and not in the Future.

          Examples:

• You will catch (Future) the train, if (condition) you run (Present) fast.
• I shall be (Future) very glad, if (condition) you come. (Present)
• I will call you when (time) dinner is ready. (Present)
• I shall wait until (time) you return. (Present)

Rule 2

When the principal (main) clause is in the past tense, the verb in the subordinate clause also should be in the past tense.

            Examples:

• He said (main clause) that he was not guilty (subordinate clause).
• He asked (main clause) whether he might go home (subordinate clause).
• She was so weak (main clause) that she could not stand (subordinate clause).

Exceptions:

(a) A Past Tense in the Principal clause is followed by a Present Indefinite Tense in the subordinate clause when there is a universal truth, habitual fact, geographical truth etc.

                Examples:

• Copernicus proved (main clause) that the earth moves round the sun (subordinate clause).
• The preacher said (main clause) that there is only one God (subordinate clause).
• The teacher said (main clause) that honesty is always the best policy (subordinate clause).

(b) A past tense in the principal clause may be followed by any tense required by the sense when the subordinate clause is adverb clause of place, reason, or comparison.

            Examples:

• He didn’t get the job because his English isn’t good.
• A fishing village once existed where now lies the city of Mumbai.

(c) A past tense in the principal clause may be followed by any tense required by the sense if the subordinate clause is an adjective clause.

            Examples:

• Yesterday I met a man who sells balloons.
• Yesterday I met a man who sold me a balloon.

(d) When the Subordinate Clause begins with ‘as if or ‘as though’, ‘if only’, ‘it is time’ and ‘wish that’ the Verb in the Past Tense means the Present Tense.

            Examples:

• He talks as if he were mad.
• She scolded me as if I were her servant.
• He talks as if he knew everything.
• I wish I was a bit taller.
• It is time we started working.

Note: ‘As if’ or ‘as though’ are followed by ‘were’.

            Example:

•  She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers.

Exercises on the Sequence of Tenses

Elementary level

Exercise 1. Choose the most appropriate answer.Exercise 2. Complete the sentences.Exercise 3. Complete with the verbs in the right tense.Exercise 5. Choose from the dropdown menu and mind the sequence of tenses of the reporting verbs.Exercise 6. Choose the right verb.Exercise 7. Complete the sentences in reported speech, minding the sequence of tenses.Exercise 8. Complete the sentences in reported speech, minding the sequence of tenses.Exercise 9. Complete the sentences in reported speech, minding the sequence of tenses.Exercise 10. Complete the sentences in reported speech, minding the sequence of tenses.

Intermediate level

Exercise 1. Take the quiz on the sequence of tenses.Exercise 2. Take the quiz on the sequence of tenses.Exercise 3. Choose the correct form of the verb.Exercise 4. Read the sentences and choose the correct answer.Exercise 5. Choose the most appropriate answer.Exercise 6. Complete the sentences, minding the sequence of tenses.Exercise 7. Choose the correct tense form of the verb.Exercise 8. Complete the sentences in reported speech, minding the sequence of tenses.Exercise 9. Take the quiz on the sequence of tenses.Exercise 10. Choose the correct tense.

Advanced level

Exercise 1. Change the verbs in the following sentences from the past tense to the present tense.Exercise 2. Choose the correct tense.Exercise 3. Take the quiz on the sequence of tenses.Exercise 4. Take the quiz on the sequence of tenses.Exercise 5. Choose the correct tense form of the verb.Exercise 6. Take the verb tense quiz.Exercise 7. Take the quiz on the sequence of tenses.Exercise 8. Complete questions below with the appropriate tenses.Exercise 9. Use the formal sequence of tenses to change the tense.Exercise 10. Transform the sentences into reported speech, minding the sequence of tenses.

Reported speech. Indirect questions, orders and statements, requests, exclamations.

If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.

Statements

When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

pronouns

present tense verbs (3rd person singular)

place and time expressions

tenses (backshift)

Type	Example
direct speech	“I speak English.”
reported speech (no backshift)	He says that he speaks English.
reported speech (backshift)	He said that he spoke English.

Indirect questions
There's more than one way to ask a question. Indirect questions are more polite and don't need a change in word order in the main question. Indirect questions are a little more formal and polite. We use them when talking to a person we don’t know very well, or in professional situations, and their form is a little different.

Questions

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

pronouns

present tense verbs (3rd person singular)

place and time expressions

tenses (backshift)

Also note that you have to:

transform the question into an indirect question

use the interrogative or if / whether

Type		Example
with interrogative	direct speech	“Why don’t you speak English?”
	reported speech	He asked me why I didn’t speak English.
without interrogative	direct speech	“Do you speak English?”
	reported speech	He asked me whether / if I spoke English.

Requests

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

pronouns

place and time expressions

Type	Example
direct speech	“Carol, speak English.“
reported speech	He told Carol to speak English.

An order or a request in indirect speech is expressed by an infini­tive:

She said to him, "Open the window (do not open the window)."	She told him to open the window (not to open the window).
She said to him, "Please, open the window (do not open the window)."	She asked him to open the window (not to open the window).

The choice of the verb is determined by the character of the order (request).

Exclamations. We use the verbs exclaim /say that to report exclamations which begin with ‘What a/an......’ or   ‘How........’in direct speech.

‘What an unusual design!’ he said. He exclaimed /said that it was an unusual design.

                                                       He exclaimed /said that the design was unusual.

But with exclamations such as ‘Splendid!, ‘Great!’, ‘Good!’, ‘Excellent!’, ‘Oh!’, ‘Oh dear!’ etc.

we use the expression give an exclamation of delight /disgust/ relief/ surprise, etc.

‘Wow!’ he said as he unwrapped his gift. He gave an exclamation of surprise as he unwrapped

  his gift.

Study the following examples:

They said, ‘Thank you’. They thanked us.

‘You fool!’ she said. She called him fool.

‘Happy Birthday!’ we said to Tom. We wished Tom a happy birthday.

‘Congratulations!’ they said to us. They congratulated us.

Additional Information and Exeptions

Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should keep in mind, for example:

·         main clauses connected with and / but

·         tense of the introductory clause

·         reported speech for difficult tenses

·         exeptions for backshift

·         requests with must, should, ought to and let’s

E    Exercises:
Elementary:

      Exercise 1

      (Transform these sentences into Reported Speech)

      Exercise 2

      ( Transform these sentences into Reported Speech)

      Exercise 3

      ( Choose the correct ending)

      Exercise 4

      (Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary)

      Exercise 5

      (Choose the correct answer)
Exercise 6
(Short-answer quiz on Reported (Indirect) Speech

)     Exercise 7
(Complete the sentences in reported speech)                
Exercise 8
(Put in order)

      Exercise 9
(Finish the sentences using Reported speech)

Exercise 10
(Fill in all the gaps)

Intermediate:
Exercise 1
(mix and match)
Exercise 2
(Change the following sentences from direct speech to reported speech)

Exercise 3
(Complete the sentences)
Exercise 4
(Complete the sentences)
Exercise 5(Rewrite the sentences in direct speech)

Exercise 6(Complete the sentences)
Exercise 7(Make reported statements)
Exercise 8(Add the missing parts to put the questions in reported speech)
Exercise 9
(Change these direct questions into reported speech)

Exercise 10
(Choose the best (most grammatically correct) response)

Advanced:
Exercise 1
(Choose the right sentence in reported speech)
Exercise 2(Turn the sentences into the reported speech. Write down the full sentence.Don't use 'that')
Exercise3(Find the end of the sentences in the reported speech)

Exercise 4(Turn into the reported speech.The pronoun 'that' must be omitted)

Exercise 5(Complete the sentences)

T    TEST
 KEY

The Passive Voice

Use of Passive

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the action.

Example: My bike was stolen.

In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.

Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows:

Example: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a mistake.).

Form of Passive

Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)

Example: A letter was written.

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

• the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence

• the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)

• the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

Examples of Passive

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Simple Present	Active:	Rita	writes	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is written	by Rita.
Simple Past	Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was written	by Rita.
Present Perfect	Active:	Rita	has written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	has been written	by Rita.
Future I	Active:	Rita	will write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	will be written	by Rita.
Hilfsverben	Active:	Rita	can write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	can be written	by Rita.

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Present Progressive	Active:	Rita	is writing	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is being written	by Rita.
Past Progressive	Active:	Rita	was writing	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was being written	by Rita.
Past Perfect	Active:	Rita	had written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	had been written	by Rita.
Future II	Active:	Rita	will have written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	will have been written	by Rita.
Conditional I	Active:	Rita	would write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	would be written	by Rita.
Conditional II	Active:	Rita	would have written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	would have been written	by Rita.

Passive Sentences with Two Objects

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.

Subject	Verb	Object 1	Object 2
Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter	to me.
Passive:	A letter	was written	to me	by Rita.
Passive:	I	was written	a letter	by Rita.

As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound very elegant. That’s why it is usually dropped.

Personal and Impersonal Passive

Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive.

Example: They build houses. – Houses are built.

Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction – therefore this passive is calledImpersonal Passive.

Example: he says – it is said

Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin). In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, know).

Example: They say that women live longer than men. – It is said that women live longer than men.

Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.

Example: They say that women live longer than men. – Women are said to live longer than men.

The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped).

Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to become the subject of the passive sentence.

Exercises

Elementary

Exercise 1 (new)

1. Guess the Voice and the Tense. 2. Make the sentences Passive. 3. Make up the sentences using the Passive Voice. 4. Ask questions beginning with the question-words.

Exercise 2 (new)

Turn the following active constructions into passive.

Exercise 3 (new)

Turn the following active constructions into passive.

Exercise 4 (new)

Turn the following active constructions into passive.

Exercise 5 (new)

Turn the following active constructions into passive.

Exercise 6 (new)

Put the following sentences into the passive voice.

Exercise 7

Put the following statements into the passive voice.

Exercise 8
Change the following sentences from the Active voice to the passive voice.
Exercise 9
Choose the right answer.

Exercise 10 (new)

1. Complete the sentences with the correct passive tense. 2. Write sentences and questions in the passive. 3. Complete the conditional sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

Exercise 11 (new)
Rewrite the sentences using the passive voice.
Exercise 12 (new)
Change these sentences from active to passive voice.

Intermediate

Exercise 1

1. Translate into English, using verbs in the required time. 2. Choose the right answer.

Exercise 2
Choose the best way to complete these passive voice sentences.

Exercise 3
Choose the best way to complete these passive voice sentences.

Exercise 4
Choose the best way to complete these passive voice sentences.

Exercise 5
Put the verb in parentheses () into the passive voice. Use past simple passive only. 
Exercise 6
Correct the mistakes in these passive voice sentences. 
Exercise 7
Correct the mistakes in these passive voice sentences.

Exercise 8

Choose the best way to complete these passive voice sentences.

Exercise 9

Correct the mistakes in these passive voice sentences.

Exercise 10

Choose the best way to complete these passive voice sentences.
Exercise 11 (new)
1. Match each sentence with the appropriate oppsite picture "a" or "b". 2. Write the corresponding letter the box provided.
Exercise 12 (new)
Put the following sentences into the passive voice.

Advanced
Exercise 1
Fill the gaps with the correct tenses (active or passive voice).
Exercise 2
Choose the right verb.
Exercise 3
1. Fill in the missing word in each sentence- one word in each sentence. 2. Choose the correct words. 3. Rewrite the following sentences in the Passive Voice.
Exercise 4
Rewrite the sentence given in the example in passive voice. Use the correct tense.
Exercise 5
Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets.
Exercise 6
Complete the questions with the verbs in brackets.
Exercise 7
Rewrite the sentences in the more natural form of passive voice.
Exercise 8
Rewrite the sentences. Use the passive voice and keep the same tense.
Exercise 9
Make sentences in passive voice. Use the correct tense.
Exercise 10
Make questions in passive voice.
Exercise 11 (new)
Choose the best way to complete these passive voice sentences.

Exercise 12 (new)
Rewrite the following sentences in the Passive Voice.

Test
Key