CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “Nobody can deny the truth.”
A. The truth cannot be denied.
B. The truth is not denied by nobody.
C. Nobody can be denied by the truth.
D. The truth can deny nobody.
Correct Answer: A
A negative subject such as 'nobody' becomes a negative passive, normally without an agent.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “Can anyone answer this question?”
A. Can this question be answered by anyone?
B. Can anyone be answered by this question?
C. Is this question answered by anyone?
D. Can this question answered anyone?
Correct Answer: A
Modal interrogative passive uses modal + subject + be + past participle.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “They will not accept the proposal.”
A. The proposal is not accepted by them.
B. The proposal would not accept them.
C. The proposal will not accepted by them.
D. The proposal will not be accepted by them.
Correct Answer: D
Negative future passive places 'not' after 'will'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “The company had offered him a job.”
A. He was offered a job by the company.
B. He had been offered a job by the company.
C. He has been offered a job by the company.
D. A job had offered him.
Correct Answer: B
Past perfect passive uses had been + past participle.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “They were questioning the suspect.”
A. The suspect had been questioned by them.
B. The suspect was being questioned by them.
C. The suspect was questioned by them.
D. The suspect is being questioned by them.
Correct Answer: B
Past continuous passive uses was being + past participle.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “The committee is considering the proposal.”
A. The proposal has been considered by the committee.
B. The proposal was considered by the committee.
C. The proposal is being considered by the committee.
D. The proposal is considered by the committee.
Correct Answer: C
Present continuous passive uses is being + past participle.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “The storm damaged many houses.”
A. Many houses have damaged by the storm.
B. Many houses were damaged by the storm.
C. Many houses damaged the storm.
D. The storm was damaged by many houses.
Correct Answer: B
Plural subject 'houses' takes 'were damaged'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “The police arrested the thief.”
A. The police was arrested by the thief.
B. The thief had arrested the police.
C. The thief is arrested by the police.
D. The thief was arrested by the police.
Correct Answer: D
Simple past passive uses was + past participle.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “The news surprised me.”
A. I was surprised by the news.
B. I had surprised by the news.
C. The news was surprised by me.
D. I surprised the news.
Correct Answer: A
The object 'me' becomes subject 'I'; simple past becomes 'was surprised'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “People say that he was a great leader.”
A. He is said that he was a great leader.
B. He was said to be a great leader.
C. He is said to have been a great leader.
D. He says to have been a great leader.
Correct Answer: C
When the reported state is earlier than the reporting, use perfect infinitive 'to have been'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Choose another correct passive form: “People believe that he is honest.”
A. He has believed to be honest.
B. He is believed to be honest.
C. He believed to be honest.
D. He is believed that honest.
Correct Answer: B
A personal passive can use subject + is believed + to-infinitive.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “People believe that he is honest.”
A. It believes that he is honest.
B. That he is honest is believed people.
C. He believes to be honest.
D. It is believed that he is honest.
Correct Answer: D
An impersonal passive may begin with 'It is believed that...'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “We heard her sing a song.”
A. A song heard her singing.
B. She was heard sing a song by us.
C. She was heard to sing a song by us.
D. She had been heard singing a song.
Correct Answer: C
After verbs of perception, the passive generally uses 'to + verb'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “They made him work hard.”
A. Hard work was made by him.
B. He was made to work hard.
C. He made to work hard.
D. He was made work hard.
Correct Answer: B
The bare infinitive after 'make' becomes a to-infinitive in the passive.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “I saw him cross the road.”
A. He had seen to cross the road.
B. He was seen to cross the road by me.
C. He was seen cross the road by me.
D. The road was seen crossing by him.
Correct Answer: B
With verbs of perception, a bare infinitive becomes a to-infinitive in passive voice.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “They used to make cars here.”
A. Cars had been made here.
B. Cars used to be made here.
C. Cars were used to make here.
D. Cars used to make here.
Correct Answer: B
'Used to' passive uses used to be + past participle.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “We have to complete the form.”
A. The form has to be completed by us.
B. The form has completed by us.
C. The form is to completing by us.
D. The form had to completed by us.
Correct Answer: A
'Have to' becomes has/have to be + past participle according to the new subject.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “They are going to announce the results.”
A. The results are going to announce.
B. The results were going to be announced.
C. The results are going to be announced.
D. The results have been going to announce.
Correct Answer: C
'Be going to' passive uses am/is/are going to be + past participle.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “Someone has stolen my bicycle.”
A. Someone has been stolen by my bicycle.
B. My bicycle was stolen someone.
C. My bicycle has stolen.
D. My bicycle has been stolen.
Correct Answer: D
An unknown agent is normally omitted in passive voice.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Passive Voice
Change into passive voice: “People speak English worldwide.”
A. English is spoken worldwide.
B. English speaks worldwide.
C. English was spoken worldwide.
D. Worldwide is spoken English.
Correct Answer: A
The indefinite agent 'people' is usually omitted.