Active and Passive Voice MCQs
Change the voice:
"One should keep one's promises"
One's promises should be kept.
Promises should be kept by one.
Promises should be kept by us.
Promises should be kept.
Explanation:When the active subject is vague (like "one" or "people"), it is usually omitted in the passive voice, making the statement more general.
Change the voice:
"The fire destroyed the entire building."
The entire building is destroyed by the fire.
The entire building was being destroyed by the fire.
The entire building has been destroyed by the fire.
The entire building was destroyed by the fire.
Explanation:Simple past active (`destroyed`) becomes simple past passive (`was destroyed`).
Change the voice:
"My wallet has been stolen."
Someone stole my wallet.
Someone has been stealing my wallet.
Stealing has happened to my wallet.
Someone has stolen my wallet.
Explanation:Since the doer is unknown, "someone" is introduced as the subject. The present perfect passive "has been stolen" becomes the present perfect active "has stolen".
Change the voice:
"He teaches us grammar."
Grammar is taught to us by him.
We are taught grammar by him.
We were taught grammar by him.
Both A and B are correct.
Explanation:This sentence has two objects (us, grammar). Either one can become the subject in the passive voice, so both A and B are correct passive constructions.
Change the voice:
"They have informed him of his success."
He was informed of his success by them.
He is informed of his success by them.
He had been informed of his success by them.
He has been informed of his success by them.
Explanation:Present perfect active "have informed" becomes present perfect passive "has been informed".
Which of these sentences is in the active voice?
The ball was thrown by the boy.
The decision was made yesterday.
The windows had been cleaned.
The boy threw the ball.
Explanation:This question asks you to identify the active sentence, not convert. In this sentence, the subject ("The boy") is performing the action ("threw"). The others are all passive.
Change the voice:
"You are requested to keep quiet."
Keep quiet.
I request you that you keep quiet.
You should keep quiet.
Please keep quiet.
Explanation:The passive form `You are requested to...` is the formal equivalent of the active imperative `Please...`.
Change the voice:
"Let the order be given."
You should give the order.
Let's give the order.
The order must be given.
Give the order.
Explanation:This is the active imperative form corresponding to the passive imperative.
Change the voice:
"Let the truth be told."
You should tell the truth.
Someone tells the truth.
The truth is to be told.
Tell the truth.
Explanation:The passive imperative form `Let + object + be + past participle` changes to the active imperative (base verb).
Change the voice:
"Do not insult the poor."
The poor are not to be insulted.
You should not insult the poor.
Let's not insult the poor.
Let the poor not be insulted.
Explanation:The negative imperative is changed to the passive using the structure `Let + object + not + be + past participle`.
Change the voice:
"Why was such a letter written by your brother?"
Why your brother wrote such a letter?
Why has your brother written such a letter?
Why does your brother write such a letter?
Why did your brother write such a letter?
Explanation:The interrogative past passive (`Why was... written`) changes to the interrogative past active (`Why did... write`).
Change the voice:
"The national anthem is being sung by the students."
The students sing the national anthem.
The students have sung the national anthem.
The students were singing the national anthem.
The students are singing the national anthem.
Explanation:Present continuous passive (`is being sung`) comes from present continuous active (`are singing`).
Change the voice:
"Who is creating this mess?"
By whom is this mess created?
By whom this mess is being created?
Who is this mess being created by?
By whom is this mess being created?
Explanation:The question form is maintained (`is` before the subject). Present continuous active (`is creating`) becomes present continuous passive (`is being created`).
Change the voice:
"The cat chased the mouse."
The mouse is chased by the cat.
The mouse was being chased by the cat.
The cat was chased by the mouse.
The mouse was chased by the cat.
Explanation:The object "the mouse" becomes the subject. The simple past "chased" becomes "was chased".
Change the voice:
"Let the door be shut."
You should shut the door.
The door is to be shut.
You are ordered to shut the door.
Shut the door.
Explanation:The passive imperative "Let...be + past participle" is converted to the active imperative (base verb).
Change the voice:
"The novel was written by a famous author."
A famous author has written the novel.
A famous author was writing the novel.
A famous author writes the novel.
A famous author wrote the novel.
Explanation:The subject "a famous author" performs the action. The passive "was written" becomes the simple past "wrote".
Change the voice:
"They had not done their homework."
Their homework was not done by them.
Their homework is not done by them.
Their homework has not been done by them.
Their homework had not been done by them.
Explanation:Past perfect active (`had not done`) becomes past perfect passive (`had not been done`).
Change the voice:
"The mechanic is repairing the car."
The car was being repaired by the mechanic.
The car is repaired by the mechanic.
The car has been repaired by the mechanic.
The car is being repaired by the mechanic.
Explanation:Present continuous active (`is repairing`) becomes present continuous passive (`is being repaired`).
Change the voice:
"He was praised by his teacher."
His teacher praises him.
His teacher has praised him.
His teacher was praising him.
His teacher praised him.
Explanation:Simple past passive (`was praised`) becomes simple past active (`praised`).
Change the voice:
"The president will give a speech."
A speech would be given by the president.
A speech is given by the president.
A speech will have been given by the president.
A speech will be given by the president.
Explanation:Simple future active (`will give`) becomes simple future passive (`will be given`).
Change the voice:
"Who taught you English?"
By whom was you taught English?
Who was English taught by?
English was taught to you by who?
By whom were you taught English?
Explanation:"Who" becomes "By whom". The simple past "taught" becomes "were taught" to agree with the new subject "you".
Change the voice:
"I remember my sister taking me to the museum."
I remember myself being taken to the museum by my sister.
I remember I was taken to the museum by my sister.
I am remembered to be taken to the museum by my sister.
I remember being taken to the museum by my sister.
Explanation:The gerund phrase `my sister taking me` becomes the passive gerund phrase `being taken... by my sister`.
Change the voice:
"Who wrote this poem?"
By whom is this poem written?
Who was this poem written by?
This poem was written by whom?
By whom was this poem written?
Explanation:`Who` becomes `By whom`, and the simple past active (`wrote`) becomes the simple past passive (`was written`). Option C is colloquially common but A is more formally correct.
Change the voice:
"The injured were being helped by the volunteers."
The volunteers helped the injured.
The volunteers have helped the injured.
The volunteers help the injured.
The volunteers were helping the injured.
Explanation:Past continuous passive (`were being helped`) becomes past continuous active (`were helping`).
Change the voice:
"The work had been completed by them."
They completed the work.
They have completed the work.
They were completing the work.
They had completed the work.
Explanation:Past perfect passive "had been completed" becomes past perfect active "had completed".
Change the voice:
"Her manners please us."
We are pleased by her manners.
We have been pleased with her manners.
We were pleased by her manners.
We are pleased with her manners.
Explanation:The verb `please` in the passive voice is typically followed by the preposition `with`, not `by`.
Change the voice:
"Why was I not told about the meeting?"
Why you did not tell me about the meeting?
Why I was not told about the meeting by you?
Why you were not telling me about the meeting?
Why did you not tell me about the meeting?
Explanation:A suitable subject ("you") is assumed. The interrogative past passive changes to the interrogative past active (`Why did... not tell`).
Change the voice:
"The novel 'Ulysses' was written by James Joyce."
James Joyce was writing the novel 'Ulysses'.
James Joyce has written the novel 'Ulysses'.
James Joyce writes the novel 'Ulysses'.
James Joyce wrote the novel 'Ulysses'.
Explanation:Simple past passive (`was written`) becomes simple past active (`wrote`).
Change the voice:
"Can anyone solve this problem?"
Can this problem be solved by anyone?
This problem can be solved by whom?
Could this problem be solved?
Can this problem be solved?
Explanation:The active question with a modal (`Can... solve`) becomes a passive question (`Can... be solved`). "By anyone" is usually omitted.
Change the voice:
"We must finish this task."
This task must have been finished by us.
This task must be finishing by us.
This task is to be finished by us.
This task must be finished by us.
Explanation:Active with modal verb (`must finish`) becomes passive with modal verb (`must be finished`).
Change the voice:
"Someone has stolen my pen."
My pen was stolen by someone.
My pen is stolen.
My pen had been stolen.
My pen has been stolen.
Explanation:Present perfect active (`has stolen`) becomes present perfect passive (`has been stolen`). "By someone" is often omitted when the agent is unknown or unimportant.
Change the voice:
"The child is eating bananas."
Bananas are eaten by the child.
Bananas were being eaten by the child.
Bananas have been eaten by the child.
Bananas are being eaten by the child.
Explanation:Present continuous active "is eating" becomes present continuous passive "are being eaten".
Change the voice:
"They are building a new bridge."
A new bridge is built by them.
A new bridge was being built by them.
A new bridge has been built by them.
A new bridge is being built by them.
Explanation:The present continuous "are building" becomes "is being built" in the passive voice.
Change the voice:
"Circumstances will oblige me to go."
I will be obliged to go by circumstances.
I would be obliged to go by circumstances.
I should be obliged to go by circumstances.
I shall be obliged to go by circumstances.
Explanation:`I` and `we` traditionally take `shall` in the future tense, though `will` is also common. The core change is `will oblige` to `shall be obliged`.
Change the voice:
"The thief was caught by the police."
The police was catching the thief.
The police have caught the thief.
The police had caught the thief.
The police caught the thief.
Explanation:Simple past passive (`was caught`) becomes simple past active (`caught`). The agent (the police) is specified in the active voice.
Change the voice:
"This portrait was painted by my grandmother."
My grandmother has painted this portrait.
My grandmother was painting this portrait.
My grandmother paints this portrait.
My grandmother painted this portrait.
Explanation:Simple past passive (`was painted`) becomes simple past active (`painted`).
Change the voice:
"The judge had already sentenced the prisoner."
The prisoner was already sentenced by the judge.
The prisoner has already been sentenced by the judge.
The prisoner is already sentenced by the judge.
The prisoner had already been sentenced by the judge.
Explanation:Past perfect active (`had... sentenced`) becomes past perfect passive (`had... been sentenced`).
Change the voice:
"They will have completed the project by next month."
The project will be completed by them by next month.
The project would have been completed by them by next month.
The project is being completed by them by next month.
The project will have been completed by them by next month.
Explanation:Future perfect active (`will have completed`) becomes future perfect passive (`will have been completed`).
Change the voice:
"Someone saw him picking up a gun."
He was seen to pick up a gun.
He was seen when he was picking up a gun.
He was seen by someone to pick up a gun.
He was seen picking up a gun.
Explanation:After verbs of perception like `see`, the active `verb + -ing` form is retained in the passive. `To pick` (Option A) is also possible but B retains the continuous nature of the action.
Change the voice:
"He will finish the work in a fortnight."
The work would be finished by him in a fortnight.
The work will have been finished by him in a fortnight.
The work is finished by him in a fortnight.
The work will be finished by him in a fortnight.
Explanation:The simple future "will finish" becomes "will be finished".
Grammar Related MCQs
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