Fill in the blanks with suitable active and passive verb forms
The accused ........................... to a tree.
Answer: C
Correct answer: was bound
To a tree shows that the accused was acted upon, so the verb is passive: was bound. Bind and bound alone are active forms.
Please log in or register to report this question.
She ................................ the first prize in the competition.
Answer: A
Correct answer: won
She is the winner, so the verb stays active and past. Was won would make her the prize, and has won loses the connection with the completed competition.
Please log in or register to report this question.
The ocean .................................... dry.
Answer: B
Correct answer: cannot be pumped
The ocean is the thing that would be pumped, so the modal takes be + participle. Cannot pump would make the ocean do the pumping.
Please log in or register to report this question.
I ..................................... to leave the room.
Answer: C
Correct answer: was told
I am the one who received the instruction, so the verb is passive: was told. Told and have told would make me the one giving it.
Please log in or register to report this question.
This house -------- in 1970 by my grandfather
Answer: B
Correct answer: Was built
The date in 1970 fixes the tense as past, and by my grandfather marks the sentence as passive, so the verb is was built. Was build uses the base form where the participle belongs.
Please log in or register to report this question.
The robbers --------- by the police.
Answer: B
Correct answer: Have been arrested
By the police marks the sentence as passive, and the robbers are plural, so the present perfect passive is have been arrested. Have arrested is active and would make the robbers the arresting party.
Please log in or register to report this question.
We -------- for the examination.
Answer: B
Correct answer: Are preparing
We are the ones doing the preparing, so the verb is active: the present continuous are preparing. Have been prepared is passive and would make us the thing prepared.
Please log in or register to report this question.
It ------- since yesterday.
Answer: B
Correct answer: Has been raining
Since yesterday marks a period running up to now, which is what the present perfect continuous expresses. It is singular, so the auxiliary is has, not have.
Please log in or register to report this question.
I --------- for five hours.
Answer: A
Correct answer: Have been working
For five hours marks a duration continuing to the present, so the present perfect continuous is needed, and I takes have. Was working closes the period off in the past.
Please log in or register to report this question.
The students -------- to submit their reports by the end of this week.
Answer: B
Correct answer: Are asked
The students are the ones who receive the instruction, so the verb is passive: are asked to submit. Have asked and are asking would make them the ones doing the asking.
Please log in or register to report this question.
