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: Change the following sentence from active to passive voice.

The cat killed a mouse.

  1. A mouse has been killed by the cat.

  2. A mouse is being killed by the cat.

  3. A mouse had been killed by the cat.

  4. A mouse was killed by the cat.

  5. .
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The places of subject and object in sentence are inter-changed in passive voice. Third form of verb (past participle) will be used only (as main verb) in passive voice. Auxiliary verb in passive form for the given sentence in simple past tense is ‘was’.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the following sentence from Active to Passive voice.

Somebody has stolen my book.

  1. My book is stolen.

  2. My book has been stolen.

  3. My book is being stolen.

  4. My book will have been stolen.

  5. .
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer. The places of subject and object in sentence are inter-changed in passive voice. 3rd form of verb (past participle) will be used only (as main verb) in passive voice. Auxiliary verb in passive for verb in present perfect tense is ‘has been’.

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence has been given in direct from. Out of the four alternatives suggested select the one which best expresses the same sentence in indirect from

I have waited for you till six o' clock, she said to me.

  1. She said that she had waited till six o' clock for myself.

  2. She said that she shall wait till six o' clock for me.

  3. She said that she had waited for me till six o' clock.

  4. It was only till six o' clock that she said she would wait for me.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

While changing a direct sentence into an indirect one, we keep in mind two major things - reported verb and reported speech. It is a transitive sentence , so reported verb 'said to' will become 'said that'. If reported speech is in present perfect tense, then in an indirect sentence it changes into past perfect tense. Thus, option 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence has been given in direct form. Out of the four alternatives suggested select the one which best expresses the same sentence in indirect form.

The teacher said to the student, Don' t pretend.

  1. The teacher ordered the student not to pretend.

  2. The teacher was advised by the student not to pretend.

  3. The student was advised by the teacher to stop pretending.

  4. The teacher warned the student against pretending.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

While changing a direct sentence into an indirect one, we keep in mind two major things - reported verb and reported speech. Here, reported verb is in past tense (said), so the right substitution for this is 'advised'. No auxilary is required. Reported speech 'Don't pretend' will change into 'not to pretend'. Thus, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence has been given in direct form. Out of the four alternatives suggested select the one which best expresses the same sentence in indirect form.

The fox muttered, the grapes are sour.

  1. The fox muttered that the grapes were sour.

  2. The fox was angry as the grapes were sour.

  3. The fox found the grapes sour.

  4. The fox ate the sour grapes.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

While changing a direct sentence into an indirect one, we keep in mind two major things - reported verb and reported speech. Reported verb in past remains in past in indirect speech. So, 'fox muttered that'. Also, if reported verb is in past tense, reported speech too changes into past tense. So, the grapes were sour.

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence has been given in direct form. Out of the four alternatives suggested select the one which best expresses the same sentence in indirect form.

Don' t argue with me, he said to me.

  1. He asked me not to argue with me.

  2. I am advised not argue with him.

  3. I am told not to argue with him.

  4. I was warned for arguing with him.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

While changing a direct sentence into an indirect one, we keep in mind two major things - reported verb and reported speech. Here, the reported verb said to (which is in the past tense) will remain in the past tense. As it is a warning so 'said to' will become 'warned'. Subject of the reported speech will become an object, so 'me' will be replaced by 'him'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the following sentence from active voice to passive voice.

She is singing a song.

  1. A song is being sung by her.

  2. A song is sung by her.

  3. A song has been sung by her.

  4. A song was sung by her.

  5. .
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The places of subject and object in the sentence are interchanged in passive voice. 3rd form of verb (past participle) will be used only (as main verb) in passive voice. The passive auxiliary verb for future perfect tense in the active voice for present continuous tense is ‘is being’. Thus, this is the correct answer choice in this context.

Multiple choice
Directions: In the following question, four statements are provided between an opening statement 1 and a closing statement 6. The statements are jumbled up and form a coherent paragraph when properly arranged. Select the alternative representing the proper and logical sequencing of these six taken together.
1. Gustave Flaubert's 'Madamame Bovary' (1857) is the acclaimed masterpiece of realistic fiction in 19th century French literature.
A. Madame Bovary amasses huge debts ad finally, in a state of complete demoralization, poisons herself.
B. The novel, the desperate attempts of Eunna Bovary to escape from the boredom and drabness of provincial life.
C. When the novel was published, Flaubert was charged with immorality by the courts.
D. Unhappy in her marriage, she encountered only mediocrity in the lover she originally believed could save her.
6. But it is the unflattering portrayal of bourgeois society that aroused them, not any act of immorality in the novel.

  1. ADCB

  2. ACDB

  3. DCBA

  4. BDAC
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In sentence C, Flaubert has been described being charged with immorality by the courts. In sentence 6, the speaker denies the charge by saying that portrayal of bourgeois society aroused them and not acts of immortality, therefore, it must be preceded by sentence C. This sequence is provided to us in option (4), BDAC, which is the answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the given sentence into an indirect sentence.

Urmila said, “I have been reading a book for an hour.”

  1. Urmila said that she had been reading a book for an hour

  2. Urmila said that I have been reading a book for an hour.

  3. Urmila said that she is reading a book for an hour.

  4. Urmila said that she was reading a book for an hour.

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'I' will be changed to ‘she’ as per subject and present perfect continuous will be changed to past perfect continuous. Hence, option 1 is the correct answer.