SOLUTION Active Passive Voice Practice Set 2 in English
View the Active Passive Voice Practice Set 2
Active Passive Voice Practice Set 2 English
1. He was obliged to resign.
Answer: C
Explanation: Option ‘C’ (Circumstances obliged him to resign.). The verb in the passive is WAS OBLIGED. To make it in the active voice we need to know its object. We find the object of a verb in the passive by putting BY WHOM and BY WHAT after the verb. By doing so we are not getting an object. Obviously we’ll need to assume it by our own reasoning, CIRCUMSTANCES is the right word here for that if we go through the answer option. TO RESIGN is not the object of OBLIGED at all.
NOTE: Here the word OBLIGE means ‘to force somebody to do something because of the person’s duty or moral duty or something else of this nature’. Here the intention of the speaker is to say that THE RESIGNATION WAS A RESULT OF SOME KIND OF FORCE.
2. Have this gate crashed.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Option ‘B’ (Get someone to crash this gate.). Normally we make a passive by BE + V3. We also make a sentence in the passive by HAVE + OBJECT + V3. Note how this construction has been used in the given sentence:
a) Have b) This gate (object) c) Crashed (V3)
Hindi translation: किसी से ये दरवाजा तुडवाओ.
As this sentence is in the passive voice, it needs to be changed in the active. Hindi translation of the sentence in the active voice will be: इस दरवाजे को तोड़ने के लिए किसी आदमी को बुलाओ. So the correct option is GET SOMEONE TO CRASH THE GATE. (option ‘B’)
NOTE: CRASH THIS GATE (option ‘A’) is not the correct change of voice of the given sentence as it implies that the person to whom the order was given, had to crash the gate himself, whereas he was given order to get this done by some other person.
3. Decisions must be taken.
Answer: Answer B
4. The thief destroyed several items in the room. Even the carpet has been torn.
Answer: C
5. It is impossible to do this.
Answer: C
Explanation: Option ‘C’ (This can’t be done.). IT in the active is an artificial subject; the real subject is the infinitive TO DO. The object of the infinitive TO DO is THIS. So it will become the subject of the sentence in the passive. The passive of the infinitive TO DO is TO BE DONE. Because this is IMPOSSIBLE, we’ll say CAN’T BE DONE. So the correct passive will be THIS CAN’T BE DONE.
Option ‘B’ is incorrect as DO (TO BE DONE) is a transitive verb, and hence it must have an object, but there is no object in the sentence, here IT is the artificial subject, not object.
6. A bullet in the chest is adored by the brave.
Answer: B
Explanation: Option ‘B’ (The brave adore a bullet in the chest.). Brave is an adjective, but it’s preceded by THE here. When an adjective like poor, rich, etc. is preceded by THE, it becomes a common noun in the plural and takes a plural verb. In option ‘A’ the verb is in the singular, hence incorrect.
7. I would advise you not to get on the wrong side of your boss.
Answer: C
Explanation: Option ‘C’ (You would be advised by me not to get on the wrong side of your boss.). The object of the verb in the active voice is YOU; so it must be mentioned there in the passive as the subject. It’s an ordinary case of change of voice. The verb ADVISE can also be reported in the direct or indirect speech with ‘THAT — SHOULD’ construction, so another passive of the sentence can also be: You would be advised by me that you should not get on the wrong side of your boss.
8. He decided to sell the car.
Answer: D
Explanation: Option ‘D’ (He decided that the car should be sold.). It’s not a decision made by a particular group of persons or an organization etc, rather it was made by one particular person. Therefore the person making the decision must be included in the subject of the passive.
Active: They decided to divide the profits equally.
Passive: They decided that the profits should be divided equally.
9. Are they not cheating me?
Answer: A
Explanation: Option ‘A’ (Am I not being cheated?). Option ‘B’ is incorrect as in interrogative sentence we place the subject immediately after the helping verb. Option ‘C’ is incorrect as in an interrogative sentence words like NOT/NEVER are placed immediately after the subject.
10. My teacher gave me a journal to read.
Answer: D
Explanation: Option ‘D’ (I was given a journal by my teacher to read.). We have two objects in the given sentence: ME and A JOURNAL. So we can form two passives of the sentence:
a) I was given a journal by my teacher to read.
b) A journal was given to me by my teacher to read.
NOTE: The object is A JOURNAL, not A JOURNAL TO READ, so option ‘B’ is incorrect. Option ‘A’ is incorrect as when the receiver of the action (here ‘I’) is the focus we use the active infinitive, but you see here the infinitive (TO BE READ) is the passive. Option ‘C’ is incorrect because of wrong positioning of the BY PHRASE (by my teacher).
11. We understand that he opposes our views.
Answer: A
Explanation: Option ‘A’ (It is understood by us that he opposes our views.). The verb of the sentence in the active voice (here UNDERSTAND) is following a THAT-CLAUSE you see. Some of other such verbs are FEEL, BELIEVE, CONSIDER, KNOW, REPORT, SAY, SUPPOSE, THINK, UNDERSTAND. When such is the case we form passive in either of the following ways:
i) It + Passive Verb of Main Clause + That-Clause as it is
ii) Subject of That-Clause + Passive Verb of Main-Clause + To-infinitive of Verb of That-Clause + Given Object/Adjective
EXAMPLES
a) People consider that Mohan is a fool.
= It is considered that Mohan is a fool.
= Mohan is considered to be a fool.
b) They say she will resign.
= It is said she will resign.
= She is said to be going to resign.
c) The public will learn with astonishment that war is imminent.
= It will be learned/learnt with astonishment that war is imminent.
= War will be learned/learnt to be imminent with astonishment.
NOTE-I: Clause after the verb SAY in sentence ‘b’ above is actually a THAT-CLAUSE as THAT after the verb ASK can always be omitted.
NOTE-II: Main problem we face in such a structure is that when we should use the present infinitive (TO + V1), when we should use the perfect infinitive (TO + HAVE + V3). If the time reference of the verb in the THAT-CLAUSE and the MAIN-CLAUSE is the same we use the present infinitive, and if the time reference of the verb in the THAT-CLAUSE is of an earlier time than the time reference of the verb of the MAIN-CLAUSE we use the perfect infinitive; e.g.
a) They said that he knew Katrina Kaif.
= He was said to know Katrina Kaif.
[In the above sentence, the verb of the THAT-CLAUSE is KNEW and verb of the MAIN-CLAUSE is SAID. We see the time reference of both these verbs is the same, so we’ve used the present infinitive (TO KNOW).]
b) They think that he acted foolishly.
= He is thought to have acted foolishly.
[In the above sentence, the verb of the THAT-CLAUSE is ACTED and the verb of the main clause is THINK. We see that the time reference of both these verbs is different, so we’ve used the perfect infinitive (TO HAVE ACTED) here.]
12. I give alms to the poor every Sunday.
Answer: A
Explanation: Option ‘A’ (Alms are given to the poor by me every Sunday.). Certain nouns are always plural and hence take plural verbs, ALMS is such a noun. ALMS = money or food given to poor people (भिक्षा, भीख, ख़ैरात)
13. Who knows you?
Answer: C
Explanation: Option ‘C’ (To whom are you known?). When KNOW is the verb, a noun/pronoun (here WHOM) is preceded by the preposition TO rather than BY. So TO WHOM ARE YOU KNOWN? is correct here. Sometimes the preposition TO is taken at the end of the sentence, but it does not happen in standard English
14. It is necessary to write this essay.
Answer: A
Explanation: Option ‘A’ (It is necessary for this essay to be written.). The structure ‘It + is + adjective + to-infinitive + object’ is converted into the Passive Voice in the following manner:
It + is + adjective + for + object of the infinitive + passive form of the infinitive
In the given sentence NECESSARY is the adjective. Therefore the passive form of the given sentence is: It is necessary for this essay to be written.
15. Someone is following us.
Answer: B
16. Smoke and flames engulfed the area and made rescue operations difficult.
Answer: B
Explanation: Option ‘B’ (The area was engulfed in smoke and flames making rescue operations difficult.). The subject of the verb MADE in the active voice is SMOKE AND FLAMES, so use of MAKING is correct. MAKING is a present participle (adjective) qualifying two nouns SMOKE AND FLAMES, so it is quite correct to use here. Option ‘D’ is not telling us by whom/what rescue operations were made difficult, hence incorrect.
Both options ‘A’ and ‘C’ have THE AREA as the subject for the second clause MAKE RESCUE OPERATIONS DIFFICULT, but it’s impossible as THE AREA cannot do anything. Also there is use of wrong tense in both these options.
17. You should endure what you cannot cure.
Answer: A
Explanation: Option ‘A’ (What cannot be cured should be endured.). Object of the verb ENDURE is the whole clause WHAT YOU CANNOT CURE. So it will become the subject in the passive. The subject YOU is not a specific person here, rather it refers to people in general, so it’s not needed in the passive.
18. I play billiards during my free time.
Answer: D
Explanation: Option ‘D’ (Billiards is played by me during my free time.). Some of the nouns look plural but in fact they are singular, BILLIARDS is one of them, so option ‘A’ is incorrect.
19. Why did your father refuse to give the money to you?
Answer: C
Explanation: Option ‘C’ (Why was the money refused to be given to you by your father?). See the structure of this sentence, it’s ‘Subject + Verb + To-infinitive + Object’ where YOUR FATHER is the subject, REFUSE is the verb, TO GIVE is the infinitive and THE MONEY is the object. In this construction the object of the infinitive in the active voice is taken as the subject of the sentence in the passive and the verb of the active remains to be the same, only infinitive is converted into passive; e.g.
Your father refused to give the money to you.
= The money refused to be given to you by your father.
But, this sentence is interrogative, so the passive will be:
Why was the money refused to be given to you by your father?
NOTE: In an interrogative sentence, if the subject of the passive is a person we put DO/DOES (not IS/WAS) after the question word; e.g.
Why did the team captain hoped to select Jadeja?
= Why did Jadeja hoped to be selected by the team captain?
20. The traitors should be shot dead.
Answer: C
Explanation: Option ‘C’ (They should shoot the traitors dead.). THEY also refers to people in general.
21. Why did she break the garden wall?
Answer: C
Explanation: Option ‘C’ (Why was the garden wall broken by her?). The sentence in the active voice is interrogative, so its passive also should be an interrogative sentence. Option ‘A’ is incorrect as it’s not in the interrogative. In an interrogative sentence the helping verb comes before the subject, but in this sentence the helping verb WAS is used after the subject THE GARDEN WALL.
22. They say he can teach almost anything in this world.
Answer: A
Explanation: Option ‘A’ (It is said that almost anything in this world can be taught by him.). Other possible passive constructions:
a) They say almost anything in this world can be taught by him.
b) He is said to be able/competent/efficient to teach anything in this world.
23. He would have written this essay in time.
Answer: B
24. He has been arrested and sent to jail.
Answer: C
Explanation: Option ‘C’ (The police have arrested him and the court has sent him to jail). POLICE is a plural noun, and hence takes a plural verb.
25. He teaches us Grammar.
Answer: B
Explanation: Option ‘B’ (We are taught grammar by him.). The verb has two objects, so two passives can be made.
a) Grammar is taught to us by him.
b) We are taught Grammar by him.
NOTE: We must remember that when the DIRECT OBJECT (object referring to a thing) is made the subject of the passive, a suitable preposition is inserted between the main verb and the INDIRECT OBJECT i.e. the object referring to a person; you see TO has been inserted between TAUGHT and US here.
View solution with explanation in Hindi
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