Active-Passive voice Questions and Answers

Answer: C

The passive form is was requested: 'Mahesh was requested by Neerja to share his book.'

The active sentence is in the simple past ('requested'). The simple past passive is was/were + past participle, and since the new subject 'Mahesh' is singular, the verb is was requested.

'Is requested' and 'is being requested' are present-tense forms, which change the time of the action. 'Were requested' does not agree with the singular subject.

Answer: D

The passive form is We were advised not to go out alone.

In 'People advised us not to go out alone', the object us becomes the subject We, the past tense 'advised' becomes 'were advised', and the general agent 'people' is dropped. The infinitive phrase 'not to go out alone' stays as it is.

'I was advised' changes 'us' to 'I'. 'To get out alone is not advisable' changes the meaning and tense. 'Given the advise' misuses the verb advise for the noun advice.

Answer: D

The passive form is The spies were arrested by the Interpol and sent to jail.

In the active sentence both verbs, 'arrested' and 'sent', are in the past tense and share the object 'the spies'. In the passive, 'the spies' becomes the subject, both verbs become past passive ('were arrested ... and [were] sent'), and the agent appears with 'by'.

The other three options keep 'The Interpol' as the subject, so they are still active, and they also change the tense to the present continuous or the future.

Answer: C

The passive is A new building was constructed by the engineers.

The active sentence is in the simple past (constructed). In the passive, the object a new building becomes the subject, and the verb becomes was/were + past participle, keeping the same tense: was constructed. The doer follows by.

Was being constructed is past continuous, is constructed is simple present and has been constructed is present perfect. Each changes the tense of the original.

Answer: A

The active voice is I shall write a letter.

A letter will be written by me is the simple future passive (will be + past participle). In the active, the doer me becomes the subject I, and the verb returns to the simple future: shall write (traditional grammar uses shall with I; will write means the same).

I write is simple present, I have written is present perfect and I am writing is present continuous, so all three change the tense.

Answer: D

The correct passive is This book must be read by everyone.

To turn an active sentence with a modal verb into the passive, keep the modal and add be + past participle: must read becomes must be read. The object this book becomes the subject, and everyone moves into the by phrase.

Should be read weakens the obligation to advice. Has to be read and is to be read express obligation in other words, but they change the modal, so they do not faithfully convert the original sentence.

Answer: A

The keyed answer is Who is feeding the child ?

By whom is the child fed? is a simple-present passive question. Its exact active form is Who feeds the child?, with whom becoming the subject who. That form is not among the options, and the key takes the only present-tense choice, Who is feeding the child?, as the closest.

The other options shift the tense further away: has fed is present perfect, was feeding is past continuous, and has been feeding is present perfect continuous. Their passives would be has been fed, was being fed and so on, not is fed.

Answer: B

The answer is is known: The efficiency of a plant is known by the load it can take.

The subject, the efficiency of a plant, does not know anything; it is what is judged. So the verb must be passive, and a general truth calls for the simple present: is known.

Knows and has known are active forms, which would make efficiency the knower. Has been known is passive but in the present perfect, which suits a state continuing up to now rather than a general rule.

Answer: C

The active form is The cat ate the fish.

'The fish was eaten by the cat' is in the simple past passive (was + past participle). In the active voice the agent 'the cat' becomes the subject and the verb returns to the simple past: ate.

'Had eaten' is the past perfect and 'eats' the simple present, so both change the tense. Since option C is correct, 'None of the above' is wrong.

Answer: A

The key gives Promises should be kept.

In a sentence with the indefinite subject one, the passive drops the agent altogether, because 'by one' adds nothing. The object becomes the subject, and the modal should is kept with be plus the past participle: 'should be kept'. Grammar books give the general statement in the plural, 'Promises should be kept'.

'One's promises should be kept by them' keeps an unnecessary agent and switches from one to them. 'Promises were kept' loses the modal and changes the tense. 'A promise should be kept' is also a passive of the same idea, but the key prefers the generic plural form that the standard rule produces.