Active or Passive Form MCQ Exercise 1

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Question 1

James should tell everyone the good news as soon as possible.

A	Everyone should be told the good news.
B	James should be told good news.
C	Everyone should have told James the good news.
D	James should tell the good news to everyone.
E	Everyone should have been told.

Question 1 Explanation:

In the passive, the person who receives the action becomes the subject: everyone gets the news. With a modal verb we use should be + past participle: Everyone should be told the good news. Not James should be told, because James gives the news; he does not receive it.

Question 2

They didn't allow anyone to leave before the end of the month.

A	Everyone has been allowed to leave before the end of the month.
B	No one had been allowed to leave before the end of the month.
C	Everyone was allowed to leave before the end of the month.
D	No one was allowed to leave before the end of the month.
E	No one has been allowed to leave before the end of the month.

Question 2 Explanation:

Didn't allow is past simple, so the passive is was allowed. Didn't allow anyone means no one was allowed. Not had been allowed: that is past perfect, and the original sentence is past simple.

Question 3

Someone gave me some very nice flowers for my birthday last week.

A	The flowers I was given last week were for someone's birthday.
B	I was given some very nice flowers for my birthday last week.
C	I had been given some very nice flowers for my birthday a week before.
D	The flowers that someone gave me for my birthday last week are very nice.
E	Someone was given some very nice flowers last week as it was their birthday.

Question 3 Explanation:

Gave is past simple, so the passive is was given. The person who received the flowers (I) becomes the subject: I was given some very nice flowers. Not had been given, which is past perfect.

Question 4

He hasn't been seen since the excursion.

A	He hasn't seen anyone since the excursion.
B	No one saw him after the excursion.
C	No one has seen him since the excursion.
D	Everyone has seen him since the excursion.
E	They didn’t see him after the excursion.

Question 4 Explanation:

Hasn't been seen is the present perfect passive, so the active form is also present perfect: No one has seen him. Not No one saw him: that is past simple, and since needs the present perfect.

Question 5

The radio is not used as much as it was in the past.

ACTIVE:

A	People do not use the radio as much as they did in the past.
B	In the past, people used the radio more.
C	They do have more usage for the radio now than in the past.
D	They used the radio much more than they did in the past.
E	The people using the radio don’t want to use it too much.

Question 5 Explanation:

Is not used is the present simple passive, so the active form is do not use. It was (used) becomes they did: People do not use the radio as much as they did in the past. The other options change the tense or the meaning.

Question 6

The teachers are showing the students how to improve their reading skills.

PASSIVE:

A	The students see how their reading skills are being improved by the teacher.
B	The students are having their reading skills improved by the teacher.
C	The students are being shown how to improve their reading skills by the teachers.
D	The students have seen how their reading skills have improved.
E	The teacher is seeing how the students are improving their reading skills.

Question 6 Explanation:

Are showing is present continuous, so the passive is are being + past participle: are being shown. The students receive the action, so they become the subject. The other options change the meaning or the tense.

Question 7

The waiter is bringing our order to the table now.

PASSIVE:

A	The table has our order on it.
B	They are bringing our order with the waiter.
C	Our order is being brought to the table now.
D	Our order is being taken at the table by the waiter now.
E	The waiter brought our order now to the table.

Question 7 Explanation:

The present continuous is bringing becomes is being brought in the passive. Our order becomes the subject. Not is being taken, because take an order means something different from bring an order.

Question 8

They are watering the garden with our hose.

PASSIVE:

A	The hose is watering our garden.
B	They are using our hose to water the garden.
C	The garden was watered with the hose.
D	We water the garden with our hose.
E	The garden is being watered with our hose.

Question 8 Explanation:

The present continuous are watering becomes is being watered. The garden becomes the subject, and with our hose stays the same. Not was watered, which is past simple.

Question 9

They cut tiles with a special tool.

PASSIVE:

A	The special tool is cutting the tiles.
B	Tiles are cut with a special tool.
C	Tiles will be cut with a special tool.
D	The special tool will cut the tiles.
E	We will cut the special tool with the tiles.

Question 9 Explanation:

Cut here is present simple: it describes a general fact. The present simple passive is are + past participle: Tiles are cut with a special tool. Not will be cut, which is future.

Question 10

Did they tell you anything you didn't know before?

PASSIVE:

A	Was anything you didn't know before told to you?
B	Didn't you know anything they told you before?
C	Isn't what they told you was what you knew before?
D	Before you knew what they told you, did you know anything?
E	Will anything you didn't know be told to you?

Question 10 Explanation:

Did they tell is a past simple question, so the passive question is Was ... told? Anything you didn't know before becomes the subject: Was anything you didn't know before told to you? Not Will anything ... be told, which is future.

Question 11

He should have finished his homework by now.

PASSIVE:

A	The homework should be finished now.
B	His homework will have been finished by now.
C	His work will be finished now.
D	The homework shall have to be finished now.
E	His homework should have been finished by now.

Question 11 Explanation:

Should have finished becomes should have been finished in the passive: modal + have been + past participle. By now stays the same. Not will have been finished, because that changes should to will.

Question 12

He was expected to be on time to work.

ACTIVE:

A	The boss expected that he would have to be on time.
B	The administrator wanted him to be expecting him.
C	The administrators expected him to be on time to work.
D	The boss expects him to be on time.
E	They expected me to be on time at work.

Question 12 Explanation:

Was expected is past simple passive, so the active form is past simple: expected him to be on time. The doer is not given, so a general subject such as the administrators is added. Not The boss expects: that is present simple.

Question 13

The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.

ACTIVE:

A	Alexander Graham Bell was the inventor of the telephone.
B	Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.
C	Alexander Graham Bell has invented the telephone.
D	Alexander Graham Bell was inventing the telephone.
E	Alexander Graham Bell had invented the telephone.

Question 13 Explanation:

Was invented is past simple passive, so the active form is past simple: Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. The agent after by becomes the subject. Not has invented or had invented, which change the tense.

Question 14

I will never forget the traffic accident as long as I live.

PASSIVE:

A	The traffic accident was never forgotten.
B	The traffic accident will never be forgotten.
C	The traffic accident will be forgotten.
D	The accident would be forgotten.
E	The traffic accident hasn't been forgotten.

Question 14 Explanation:

Will never forget becomes will never be forgotten: will be + past participle. The traffic accident becomes the subject. Not will be forgotten, because it loses never and the meaning becomes the opposite.

Question 15

She put the fresh-cut flowers into the vase.

PASSIVE:

A	The flowers were being put into the vase.
B	The fresh-cut flowers are in the vase.
C	The fresh-cut flowers are being put into the vase.
D	The fresh-cut flowers were put into the vase.
E	The flowers are in the vase.

Question 15 Explanation:

Put here is past simple (She put), so the passive is were put. Plural flowers needs were: The fresh-cut flowers were put into the vase. Not were being put, which is past continuous.

Question 16

She was making a cake when the electricity went out.

PASSIVE:

A	The electricity went out as she had made the cake.
B	The electricity was going out as the cake was made.
C	The electricity was going out as the cake had been made.
D	The cake was being made as the electricity was out.
E	The cake was being made when the electricity went out.

Question 16 Explanation:

Was making is past continuous, so the passive is was being made. The second clause, when the electricity went out, does not change. Not as the electricity was out, because that changes the meaning.

Question 17

They will put their savings into the bank.

PASSIVE:

A	Their savings will put into the bank.
B	The bank is where they will put their savings.
C	The bank is where their savings are.
D	Their savings are being put into the bank.
E	Their savings will be put into the bank.

Question 17 Explanation:

The future passive is will be + past participle: Their savings will be put into the bank. Not will put into the bank: it has no be, so it is not passive.

Question 18

I will hire a woman to take care of the baby.

PASSIVE:

A	A woman will be hired to take care of the baby.
B	The baby will have a woman hired to take care.
C	The woman will hire a baby to take care of.
D	The care of the baby is left to the hired woman.
E	The woman was hired to care for the baby.

Question 18 Explanation:

Will hire becomes will be hired. A woman becomes the subject: A woman will be hired to take care of the baby. Not The woman was hired, which is past tense.

Question 19

The teacher would be giving a note on the students' notebooks tomorrow.

PASSIVE:

A	The notebooks of the students will be given a note on the next day.
B	A note would be given on the students' notebooks by the teacher tomorrow.
C	The notebooks would be given to the teacher the next day.
D	The teacher would have given the notebooks a note tomorrow.
E	The notebooks of the students would give a note tomorrow.

Question 19 Explanation:

The object of the active sentence is a note, so it becomes the subject of the passive sentence. On the students' notebooks stays as it is, and the teacher becomes the agent after by. The strict passive of would be giving is would be being given, which sounds awkward, so it is normally simplified to would be given: A note would be given on the students' notebooks by the teacher tomorrow. Not will be given, because that changes would to will. Not would give, which is active and means the notebooks give the note.

Question 20

The public like the new styles.

PASSIVE:

A	The new styles are liked.
B	They like the new styles.
C	The new styles are being liked.
D	They are liking the new styles.
E	They like them.

Question 20 Explanation:

Like is present simple, so the passive is are liked. The new styles become the subject, and by the public can be left out. Not are being liked: like is a state verb and is not normally used in continuous forms.

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