English Language

Sentence Transformation

697 Questions

Sentence transformation questions evaluate grammatical accuracy in converting sentences between active and passive voice, as well as direct and indirect speech. The focus lies on altering sentence structures without changing the original meaning while maintaining correct tense and verb forms. This is a highly weighted English language topic in SSC and banking exams.

Active and passive voiceDirect and indirect speechNarration changeTense consistencyVerb form transformation

Sentence Transformation Questions

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose an appropriate passive sentence for the given sentence.

The clown was being laughed at by them.

  1. They were laughing at the clown.

  2. They were laughing on the clown.

  3. They were laughed at the clown.

  4. The clown was laughed at by them.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'Was being' shows that this is a case of past continuous tense. Them' (object) becomes 'they' (subject). Prepositional error in option 2, verb form error in optiojn 3, and voice form error in option 4. Hence, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose an appropriate passive sentence for the given sentence.

A lion may be helped even by a little mouse.

  1. A little mouse may even help a lion.

  2. Even a little mouse may help a lion.

  3. A little mouse can even help a lion.

  4. Even a little mouse ought to help a lion.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The subject of active voice becomes the object in passive voice and vice-versa. Moreover, the subject and the object interchange thier placements in the sentence in active and passive voices. Case of present indefinite. In such cases, we use the same modal + third form of the verb. Hence, option 2.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose an appropriate passive sentence for the given sentence.

The noise of the traffic kept me awake.

  1. I remained awake by the noise of the traffic.

  2. I was kept awaking by the noise of the traffic.

  3. I was kept awake by the noise of the traffic.

  4. The traffic kept me awake by the noise.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The subject of active voice becomes the object in passive voice and vice-versa. Moreover, the subject and the object interchange thier placements in the sentence in active and passive voices. Case of past indefinite. In such cases, we use auxilary 'was/were' + 'third form of the verb'. Hence, option 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose an appropriate passive sentence for the given sentence.

Why do you waste time?

  1. Why is time wasted by you?

  2. Why is time been wasted by you?

  3. Why has time been wasted by you?

  4. Why is time being wasted by you?
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The subject of active voice becomes the object in passive voice and vice-versa. Moreover, the subject and the object interchange thier placements in the sentence in active and passive voices. Case of present indefinite. In an interrogative case, auxilary precedes the subject.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose an appropriate passive sentence for the given sentence.

Somebody told me that there had been an explosion in the Town Hall.

  1. I was told by somebody about the explosion in the Town Hall.

  2. I was told about the explosion in the Town Hall.

  3. I was informed that there was an explosion in the Town Hall.

  4. I was told by somebody that there had been an explosion in the Town Hall.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Case of indirect form of narration. Option 4 is the right choice.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose an appropriate passive sentence for the given sentence.

Mona was writing a letter to her father.

  1. A letter was writing to her father by Mona.

  2. A letter has been written to her father by Mona.

  3. A letter was being written by Mona to her father.

  4. A letter was written by Mona to her father.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The subject of active voice becomes the object in passive voice and vice-versa. Moreover, the subject and the object interchange their placements in the sentence in active and passive voices. Case of past continuous tense. In such cases, we use 'was/were' + being + 'third fom of the verb' (in passive cases). Hence, option 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that converts the given statement into indirect speech.

He said, ''May the king live long!''

  1. He prayed that the king might live long.

  2. He asked that the king might live long.

  3. He told that king may live long.

  4. He said that the king might live long.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

When we seek something from God for someone, we use the word 'pray'. If the reported verb is in the past tense and the reported speech is in the present tense, reported speech (in indirect form) will be in past tense, and the past tense of 'may' is 'might'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the alternative that best rephrases the given sentence.

''Are you alone, my son?'', said a soft voice close behind me.

  1. A soft voice from my back asked if I was alone.

  2. A soft voice said to me are you alone son?

  3. A soft voice asked that what I was doing there alone.

  4. A soft voice behind me asked if I was alone.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Rule 1: Indirect speech never takes a question mark. Rule 2: If the reported verb is in the past, then reported speech (in indirect form) becomes past. Past of 'will' is 'would'.

Hence, option 4 is correct.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the voice from active to passive and select the correct option.

One should keep one's promise.

  1. One's promise should be kept by us.

  2. One's promise has to be kept.

  3. A promise should be keeping.

  4. A promise should be kept.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

 In case of indefinite pronouns like anybody, one etc. sometimes there is no need to carry the pronoun after change of voice. So, 'one' is not needed. So, in place of the object 'one's promise', we can simply have 'promise' or 'a promise'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the voice from active to passive and select the correct option.

Why do you waste time?

  1. Why is time wasted by you?

  2. Why is time been wasted by you?

  3. Why has time been wasted by you?

  4. Why is time being wasted by you?
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

While changing the voice, we interchange the respective places of the subject and the object. In passive voice, we always use the third form of the verb with the helping verb. Case of past simple tense. In such cases, we use 'is/are' with the third form of the verb.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the voice from active to passive and select the correct option.

Who teaches you English?

  1. By whom were you taught English?

  2. By whom are you taught English?

  3. English is taught by whom?

  4. By whom will you be taught English?
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

While changing the voice, we interchange the respective places of the subject and the object. In passive voice, we always use the third form of the verb with the helping verb. Case of past simple tense. In such cases, we use 'is/are' with the third form of the verb.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the voice from active to passive and select the correct option.

I saw him leaving the house.

  1. He had been seen leaving the house.

  2. He was seen to be leaving the house.

  3. Leaving the house he was seen by me.

  4. He was seen leaving the house by me.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

While changing the voice, we interchange the respective places of the subject and the object. In passive voice, we always use the third form of the verb with the helping verb. Case of past simple tense. In such cases, we use 'was/were' with the third form of the verb.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the voice from active to passive and select the correct option.

They ran a race.

  1. A race was run by them.

  2. A race is run by them.

  3. A race was being run by them.

  4. A race has been run by them.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

While changing the voice, we interchange the respective places of the subject and the object. In passive voice, we always use the third form of the verb with the helping verb. Case of past simple tense. In such cases, we use 'was/were' with the third form of the verb.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the voice from active to passive and select the correct option.

Never tell a lie.

  1. You are forbidden to tell a lie.

  2. You are disallowed not to tell a lie.

  3. You are advised never to tell a lie.

  4. You are requested never to tell a lie.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

While changing the voice, we interchange the respective places of the subject and the object. In passive voice, we always use the third form of the verb with the helping verb. Case of past simple tense. In such cases, we use 'is/are' with the third form of the verb.