Direction: In the question, a sentence has been given in Active/Passive Voice. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expressed the same sentence in Passive/Active Voice and mark your answer.
1. We waste much time on trifles.
(a) Much time was wasted on trifles
(b) Much time will be wasted on trifles
(c) Much time is wasted by us on trifle’s.
(d) Much time is wasted on trifles
Correct answer: (d) Much time is wasted on trifles.
Explanation:
• The original sentence “We waste much time on trifles” is in the simple present tense and in the active voice.
• To convert an active voice sentence in the simple present tense to passive voice, use the structure: Object + is/am/are + Past Participle (V3) + (by + Subject – optional).
• In this case, “much time” is the object, “waste” is the verb (V1), and “on trifles” is the adverbial phrase modifying the verb.
• Therefore, in passive voice, the object “much time” becomes the subject, the verb becomes “is wasted” (is + V3), and the phrase “on trifles” remains.
• The subject “we” can be omitted or added with “by us” in the passive voice, but it’s often omitted when the doer of the action is unknown or less important than the action itself.
“Much time is wasted on trifles” is the most accurate and concise passive voice conversion. Using “by us” (option c) is grammatically correct but not strictly necessary here, and “trifle’s” in option c is incorrect as “trifles” is already a plural noun.
2. The task would have been completed by that time tomorrow. Someone/Some people
a) will complete the task by that time tomorrow. b) will be completing the task by that time tomorrow. c) would have completed the task by that time tomorrow. d) will have completed the task by that time tomorrow.
Correct answer: (c) would have completed the task by that time tomorrow.
Explanation:
The original sentence, “The task would have been completed by that time tomorrow,” is in the passive voice and uses the conditional perfect tense with a future time reference (“by that time tomorrow”). To convert it to the active voice while maintaining the exact same tense and hypothetical meaning, the active form must also use the conditional perfect tense: “someone/some people would have completed the task by that time tomorrow”.
Why other options are incorrect
a) will complete the task by that time tomorrow. This is in the simple future tense and changes the tense and meaning of the sentence. It suggests a definite future action, not the completion of an action before a specific future point in a hypothetical context.
b) will be completing the task by that time tomorrow. This is in the future continuous tense, suggesting an action in progress at that future time, which alters the original meaning of completion.
d) will have completed the task by that time tomorrow. This is in the future perfect tense. While semantically very close to the original sentence’s future time frame, it uses “will have” (future perfect) instead of “would have” (conditional perfect), which changes the hypothetical condition implied by “would” in the original passive voice sentence. The “would have” structure is specifically used to express this hypothetical or less certain condition.
3. One should not give unsolicited advice.
a) Unsolicited advice is not to be given. b) Unsolicited advice can’t be given. c) Unsolicited advice may not be given. d) Unsolicited advice should not be given.
Correct answer: (d) Unsolicited advice should not be given.
Explanation:
• The original sentence, “One should not give unsolicited advice,” is in the active voice and uses the modal verb “should” to express an obligation or recommendation. The structure is Subject + modal verb + V1 (base form) + Object.
• To convert an active voice sentence with a modal verb to the passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence, and the modal verb is followed by “be” and the past participle (V3) of the main verb.
• The structure for modal passive is: Object + modal verb + be + V3 + (by + Subject – optional).
• In this sentence, “unsolicited advice” is the object, and “should not give” is the verb phrase with the modal verb “should”.
• Therefore, the correct passive voice construction is “Unsolicited advice should not be given,” where “unsolicited advice” becomes the subject, “should” remains the modal verb, and “not be given” is the passive form of the verb “to give”. The agent, “one,” is omitted in the passive voice, which is common when the agent is general or implied.
4. Our task had been completed before sunset.
A. We completed our task before sunset. B. We have completed our task before sunset. C. We complete our task before sunset. D. We had completed our task before sunset.
Correct answer: (D) We had completed our task before sunset.
Explanation:
The original sentence, “Our task had been completed before sunset,” is in the past perfect tense and passive voice. The passive structure for the past perfect tense is had + been + Past Participle (V3).
To change this to the active voice, the receiver of the action (the subject in passive voice) becomes the object in active voice, and the agent (the implied or expressed doer of the action) becomes the subject.
o In the passive sentence, “Our task” is the subject (receiver of the action).
o The implied agent (doer of the action) is “We”.
o The passive verb phrase “had been completed” changes to the active past perfect form: had + V3 (completed).
By applying these changes, the active voice sentence becomes, “We had completed our task before sunset”. This structure emphasizes the agent “We” as the doer of the action and maintains the past perfect tense.
Lie facedown; stretch your arms in front. A. You are face down, arms are to be outstretched B. You should be lying face down, with arms outstretched. C. You should be lying face down; let arms stretch out. D. Let face be down; let arms be stretched out.
Correct answer: (d) Let face be down; let arms be stretched out.
Explanation:
• The original sentence, “Lie facedown; stretch your arms in front,” is an imperative sentence, which gives a command or instruction. In imperative sentences, the subject “you” is usually implied.
• To change an imperative sentence from active to passive voice, the structure is typically: Let + Object + be + Past Participle (V3).
• In the first part of the sentence, “Lie facedown”, “face” acts as the object of the implied verb “to be” or “to place” (e.g., “place your face facedown”), and the passive form uses “let face be down”.
• In the second part, “stretch your arms in front”, “your arms” is the object, and “stretch” is the verb. The passive voice becomes “let arms be stretched out” (using the past participle of “stretch”, which is “stretched”).
• The phrase “in front” is implicit in “stretched out” in this context
A. Cricket had been played by the boys. B. Cricket has been played by the boys. c. Cricket was played by the boys. D. Cricket was being played by the boys.
Correct answer: (D) Cricket was being played by the boys.
Explanation:
The original sentence, “The boys were playing Cricket,” is in the Past Continuous Active Voice. In the active voice, this tense uses the structure: Subject + was/were + V-ing (present participle) + Object. In this sentence, “The boys” is the subject, “were playing” is the verb phrase, and “Cricket” is the object.
To change a Past Continuous Active Voice sentence to Passive Voice, the structure changes to Object + was/were + being + Past Participle (V3) + (by + Subject – optional).
o “Cricket” (the object in the active voice) becomes the subject in the passive voice.
o The correct form of “to be” for “Cricket” in the past tense is “was”.
o “Being” is added to show the continuous aspect of the verb.
o The past participle of “playing” is “played”.
o The original subject, “The boys”, becomes the object of the preposition “by”.
Therefore, the correct passive voice sentence is “Cricket was being played by the boys”.
7. They drew a circle in the morning.
A. A circle was being drawn by them in the morning. B. A circle was drawn by them in the morning. C. In the morning a circle have been drawn by them. D. A circle has been drawing since morning.
Correct answer: (B) A circle was drawn by them in the morning.
Explanation:
• The original sentence, “They drew a circle in the morning,” is in the simple past tense and active voice.
• The structure for simple past active voice is: Subject + V2 (simple past form of the verb) + Object + (Time Phrase – optional). In this case, “They” is the subject, “drew” is the verb (V2 of “draw”), “a circle” is the object, and “in the morning” is the time phrase.
• To convert a simple past active voice sentence into passive voice, the object becomes the subject, the verb changes to was/were + Past Participle (V3), and the original subject can be included as the object of the preposition “by” (optional).
• The past participle of “draw” is “drawn”.
• Therefore, in the passive voice, “a circle” (object) becomes the subject, followed by “was” (because “a circle” is singular) and the past participle “drawn”, with the original subject “them” (from “They”) introduced by “by”, and the time phrase “in the morning” remaining at the end.
8. They will demolish the entire block.
A. The entire block is being demolished. B. The block may be demolished entirely. C. The entire block will have to be demolished by the D. The entire block will be demolished.
Correct answer: (D) The entire block will be demolished.
Explanation:
• The original sentence, “They will demolish the entire block,” is in the simple future active voice. This tense is formed with will + base form of the verb.
• To convert a sentence from the simple future active voice to the passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence, and the verb structure changes to will + be + past participle (V3).
• The original subject (“They”) can be optionally included in the passive sentence by adding “by them”. However, it’s often omitted when the agent is general or obvious.
• In this example, “the entire block” is the object in the active voice and becomes the subject in the passive voice. “Demolish” is the verb, and its past participle is “demolished”.
• Therefore, the correct passive voice conversion is “The entire block will be demolished”. Adding “by them” (as seen in some explanations) is also grammatically correct but not included in this option.
9. The burglar destroyed several items in the room. Even the carpet has been torn.
A. Several items destroyed in the room by the burglar. Even the carpet he has torn. B. Several items in the room were destroyed by the burglar. Even the carpet was torn. C. Including the carpet, several items in the room have been torn by the burglar. D. The burglar, being destroyed several items in the room, also carpet has torn.
Correct answer: (b) Several items in the room were destroyed by the burglar. Even the carpet has been torn.
Explanation:
This question involves converting a compound sentence, where each part needs to be considered separately for voice transformation. The original sentence is:
• “The burglar destroyed several items in the room.” (Active voice, simple past tense)
• “Even the carpet has been torn.” (Passive voice, present perfect tense)
To choose the correct alternative, the first part needs to be transformed from active to passive voice, while the second part remains in its original passive voice form.
10. We must respect the elders.
A. The elders deserve respect from us. B. The elders must be respected. C. The elders must be respected. D. Respect the elders we must.
Correct answer: (B) The elders must be respected.
Explanation:
• The original sentence, “We must respect the elders,” uses the active voice with the modal verb “must” to show obligation.
• To change an active voice sentence with a modal verb to the passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence, and the verb structure changes to modal verb + be + past participle (V3).
• Here, “the elders” is the object in the active voice and becomes the subject in the passive voice. “Respect” is the main verb, and its past participle is “respected”.
• The original subject “we” can be added at the end of the passive sentence as “by us,” but it’s often left out when the agent is known or not the main focus.
• Therefore, the correct passive voice transformation is “The elders must be respected”.
