The English language is phenomenal and is an excellent tool for communicating effectively. However, it can create confusion if the writer or speaker is unable to use the right words and right grammar. Sometimes, we tend to be verbose and use long-winded sentences when there is no need to. Knowing when to use active or passive voice is a boon to your writing and your speech. This is the first of seven High English quizzes on active voice and passive voice and it concentrates on recognising their differences and using them appropriately.
Recognising the difference between active and passive voice is not so hard when you know how. Each sentence contains a subject and an object. Usually, the subject performs an action on the object. When the focus is on the subject performing the action, then we say that the sentence is in active voice. Here is an example:
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‘Abishek hit the thief.’ This is a sentence in active voice as ‘Abishek’ is the subject performing the action of hitting the ‘thief’, and ‘thief’ is the object on whom the action is performed.
Now, we may encounter a situation where we have to focus on the object. This is where we should be using the passive voice. In the passive voice the above sentence would be written like this:
‘The thief was hit by Abishek.’ When the sentence is in passive voice the focus has shifted to the ‘thief.’
We notice that a sentence in active voice becomes a sentence in passive voice by modifying the original sentence. Generally, we use the preposition ‘by’ as in the above example. The reverse is also true. When we convert from passive to active, we do so by removing the preposition. Obviously, we must first identify if the sentence is in active or passive voice for us to convert it to the other. A pointer to identify passive voice is the use of ‘be’ and its various forms - 'am', 'is', 'was', 'were', 'are', or 'been' in a sentence. We note that the presence of the various forms of ‘be’ is not a necessary condition for the sentence to be a passive sentence.
To become good communicators we must become skilled at recognising and using active and passive voices and the quiz that follows helps you to do just that.
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1.
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Choose the sentence in the active voice from the following options. |
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The umpires have called off play due to bad light. |
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Play was called off by the umpires due to bad light. |
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Play was called off due to bad light. |
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Bad light caused play to be called off. |
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2.
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Choose the sentence in the passive voice from the following options. |
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The police force is considering action against the culprit. |
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I stepped on the brakes as I saw a young girl jump on to the road. |
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I have damaged your car. |
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Your car has been damaged. |
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3.
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Choose the sentence that is NOT in passive voice from the following options. |
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By the time boarding starts, the aeroplane will have been completely cleaned by the cleaning crew. |
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By the time boarding starts, the cleaning crew will have completely cleaned the aeroplane. |
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The cleaning crew is being notified that the aeroplane has to be cleaned. |
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A novel experimental cleaning system was introduced to clean the aeroplane today. |
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4.
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Choose the sentence that is NOT in active voice from the following options. |
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Members of Parliament are seeking an increase in their salaries. |
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Parliament makes laws to be followed. |
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Rules are made to be followed. |
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Members of Parliament have found a way to circumvent the system. |
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5.
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Manager the resigned is HR three have notifying that employees.
Rearrange the words into a sentence in active voice. Choose from the following options. |
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The manager is three employees that have resigned notifying HR. |
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Employees have resigned that HR is notifying the three manager. |
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Employees have notifying manager that the three HR is resigned. |
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The manager is notifying HR that three employees have resigned. |
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6.
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Hills of uranium traces been discovered have of Meghalaya the on.
Rearrange the words into a sentence in passive voice. Choose from the following options. |
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Traces of uranium have been discovered on the hills of Meghalaya. |
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On the hills of Meghalaya discovered have been traces of uranium. |
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Uranium of traces on the Meghalaya of hills have been discovered. |
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Have been discovered traces of uranium on of the Meghalaya hills. |
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7.
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'A first class aeroplane ticket between Bengaluru and Atlanta is going to be bought for me by my father.'
Rewrite this sentence in active voice. Choose from the following options. |
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My father is go to buy me a first class aeroplane ticket between Bengaluru and Atlanta. |
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My father buying me a first class aeroplane ticket between Bengaluru and Atlanta. |
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My father is going to buy me a first class aeroplane ticket between Bengaluru and Atlanta. |
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My father are going to buy me a first class aeroplane ticket between Bengaluru and Atlanta. |
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8.
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'I can see Mustaq is drawing money from the ATM.'
Rewrite this sentence in passive voice. Choose from the following options. |
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I can see money is being draw from the ATM by Mustaq. |
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I can see money is being drawn from the ATM by Mustaq. |
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I can see money is being drew from the ATM by Mustaq. |
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I can see money are being drawn from the ATM by Mustaq. |
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9.
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'After the windscreen _______________ someone smashed it again.'
Fill up the blank to complete the sentence in passive voice. Choose from the following options. |
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had been replace |
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has been replaced |
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have been replaced |
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had been replaced |
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10.
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'The microwave technician ________________ the appliances for over twelve years before he changed his profession.'
Fill up the blank to complete the sentence in passive voice. Choose from the following options. |
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had been repairing |
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had been repairs |
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had been repair |
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had been repaired |
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1.
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Choose the sentence in the active voice from the following options. |
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| [x] |
The umpires have called off play due to bad light. |
| [ ] |
Play was called off by the umpires due to bad light. |
| [ ] |
Play was called off due to bad light. |
| [ ] |
Bad light caused play to be called off. |
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2.
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Choose the sentence in the passive voice from the following options. |
|
| [ ] |
The police force is considering action against the culprit. |
| [ ] |
I stepped on the brakes as I saw a young girl jump on to the road. |
| [ ] |
I have damaged your car. |
| [x] |
Your car has been damaged. |
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3.
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Choose the sentence that is NOT in passive voice from the following options. |
|
| [ ] |
By the time boarding starts, the aeroplane will have been completely cleaned by the cleaning crew. |
| [x] |
By the time boarding starts, the cleaning crew will have completely cleaned the aeroplane. |
| [ ] |
The cleaning crew is being notified that the aeroplane has to be cleaned. |
| [ ] |
A novel experimental cleaning system was introduced to clean the aeroplane today. |
|
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4.
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Choose the sentence that is NOT in active voice from the following options. |
|
| [ ] |
Members of Parliament are seeking an increase in their salaries. |
| [ ] |
Parliament makes laws to be followed. |
| [x] |
Rules are made to be followed. |
| [ ] |
Members of Parliament have found a way to circumvent the system. |
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5.
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Manager the resigned is HR three have notifying that employees.
Rearrange the words into a sentence in active voice. Choose from the following options. |
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| [ ] |
The manager is three employees that have resigned notifying HR. |
| [ ] |
Employees have resigned that HR is notifying the three manager. |
| [ ] |
Employees have notifying manager that the three HR is resigned. |
| [x] |
The manager is notifying HR that three employees have resigned. |
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6.
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Hills of uranium traces been discovered have of Meghalaya the on.
Rearrange the words into a sentence in passive voice. Choose from the following options. |
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| [x] |
Traces of uranium have been discovered on the hills of Meghalaya. |
| [ ] |
On the hills of Meghalaya discovered have been traces of uranium. |
| [ ] |
Uranium of traces on the Meghalaya of hills have been discovered. |
| [ ] |
Have been discovered traces of uranium on of the Meghalaya hills. |
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7.
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'A first class aeroplane ticket between Bengaluru and Atlanta is going to be bought for me by my father.'
Rewrite this sentence in active voice. Choose from the following options. |
|
| [ ] |
My father is go to buy me a first class aeroplane ticket between Bengaluru and Atlanta. |
| [ ] |
My father buying me a first class aeroplane ticket between Bengaluru and Atlanta. |
| [x] |
My father is going to buy me a first class aeroplane ticket between Bengaluru and Atlanta. |
| [ ] |
My father are going to buy me a first class aeroplane ticket between Bengaluru and Atlanta. |
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8.
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'I can see Mustaq is drawing money from the ATM.'
Rewrite this sentence in passive voice. Choose from the following options. |
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| [ ] |
I can see money is being draw from the ATM by Mustaq. |
| [x] |
I can see money is being drawn from the ATM by Mustaq. |
| [ ] |
I can see money is being drew from the ATM by Mustaq. |
| [ ] |
I can see money are being drawn from the ATM by Mustaq. |
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9.
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'After the windscreen _______________ someone smashed it again.'
Fill up the blank to complete the sentence in passive voice. Choose from the following options. |
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| [ ] |
had been replace |
| [ ] |
has been replaced |
| [ ] |
have been replaced |
| [x] |
had been replaced |
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10.
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'The microwave technician ________________ the appliances for over twelve years before he changed his profession.'
Fill up the blank to complete the sentence in passive voice. Choose from the following options. |
|
| [x] |
had been repairing |
| [ ] |
had been repairs |
| [ ] |
had been repair |
| [ ] |
had been repaired |
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