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: In this question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Direct/Indirect form.

He said to me, ”Why did you insult me?”

  1. He asked me why you insulted me?

  2. He asked me why I had insulted him.

  3. He asked me why I had insulted him?

  4. He asked me why did you insult me.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: The tense of “reported speech” will be changed into “had + past participle”. Explanation for option 2: This is correct as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Explanation for option 3: Reported speech will be in statement form in “indirect speech” as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Explanation for option 4: “Had + past participle” will be used in “indirect” speech. “You” will be replaced with “I” and “me” with “him”.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Direct/Indirect form.

He said to me, “Do you play chess?”

  1. He asked me if I play chess.

  2. He asked me if I played chess.

  3. He told me that I played chess.

  4. He said to me if I played chess.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: The tense of “reported speech” will be changed into “past tense” as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Explanation for option 2: This is correct as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Explanation for option 3: As “reported speech” is in “interrogative form”, so “said to” will be changed into “asked”. Explanation for option 4: As “reported speech” is in “interrogative form”, so “said to” will be changed into “asked”.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Direct/Indirect form.

The teacher said to the students, “Sit down.”

  1. The teacher told the students to sit down.

  2. The teacher ordered the students to sit down.

  3. The teacher order the students to sit down.

  4. The teacher ordered the students that sit down.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: As “reported speech” is in “imperative form', so reporting verb will be changed into “ordered”.  Explanation for option 2: This is correct as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Explanation for option 3: “said to” will be changed into “ordered” as “reported speech” is in “imperative form”. Explanation for option 4: “that” will be replaced by “to”.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Active/Passive form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Active/Passive voice.

Some boys were helping the wounded woman.

  1. The wounded woman was being helped by some boys.

  2. The wounded woman were being helped by some boys.

  3. The wounded woman was helped by some boys.

  4. The wounded woman was being helped by them.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: This is correct as per the rules of active/passive voice. Explanation for option 2: “Were” is used with plural nouns. Hence, “were” will be replaced by “was”. Explanation for option 3: Was will be followed by “being” in the passive voice. Explanation for option 4: Pronoun “them” will not be used for “some boys”.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Active/Passive form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Active/Passive voice.

He is known to me.

  1. I knew him.

  2. He knows me.

  3. I know him.

  4. He is my known.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: “Active voice” will be in present tense, if passive voice is in the present form. Explanation for option 2: The subject will become object. Thus, it is incorrect. Explanation for option 3: This is correct as per the rules of active/passive voice. Explanation for option 4: This is a different sentence and is not the active form of the given sentence.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Active/Passive form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Active/Passive voice.

Did Kiran insult you?

  1. Are you insulted by Kiran?

  2. Were you insulted by Kiran?

  3. Was you insulted by Kiran?

  4. By Kiran were you insulted?
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: “Are” should be replaced by “were”. Explanation for option 2: It is correct as per the rules of active/passive voice. Explanation for option 3: “Were” will be used instead of “was”. Explanation for option 4: Incorrect sentence formation.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Active/Passive form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Active/Passive voice.

The authorities are looking into the matter.

  1. The matter is being looked into by the authorities.

  2. The matter are being looked into by the authorities.

  3. The matter is looked into by the authorities.

  4. The matter is being looked into the authorities.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: This is correct as per the rules of active/passive voice. Explanation for option 2: “Are” will be replaced by “is” as singular noun is placed at the beginning. Explanation for option 3: In passive voice "is" will be followed by “being” as the active voice is in the “present continuous” form. Explanation for option 4: Preposition "by" is missing and it will be placed before the objective of a “passive voice”.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Direct/Indirect form.

My teacher says, “Guru Nanak Dev ji was born in 1469.”

  1. My teacher says that Guru Nanak Dev ji had been born in 1469.

  2. My teacher said that Guru Nanak Dev ji was born in 1469.

  3. My teacher says that Guru Nanak Dev ji was born in 1469.

  4. My teacher told that Guru Nanak Dev ji was born in 1469.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: As the reporting verb is in present tense, the tense of “reported speech” will not change in indirect speech. Explanation for option 2: “Present Tense” form (says) of reporting verb does not change into “said” as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Hence, this is not a valid option. Explanation for option 3: As reporting verb is in present tense, only conjunction “that” will be used after omitting “inverted commas” and the tense remains the same in the reported speech. Explanation for option 4: “Says” will not change to “told”.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Direct/Indirect form.

He said to me, “He does not love her.”

  1. He said to me that he did not love her.

  2. He told me that he did not love her.

  3. He told me that he does not love her.

  4. He told me that he did not loved her.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: “Said to” is changed to “told” in indirect speech. Hence, we cannot take it as the right option. Explanation for option 2: This is correct as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Explanation for option 3: “Simple present tense” of “reported speech” changes into “simple past” in indirect speech. Explanation for option 4: “Did” will be followed by the first form of the verb.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Active/Passive form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Active/Passive voice.

He will write a letter.

  1. A letter will be writing by him.

  2. Letter will be written by him.

  3. A letter would be written by him.

  4. A letter will be written by him.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: Past participle should be used in the passive voice. Explanation for option 2: “A letter will be written by him” is the right answer. Explanation for option 3: “Will be” should be used here. Explanation for option 4: This is correct as per the rules of active/passive voice.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Direct/Indirect form.

She said to me, “I tried to drive a car but failed.”

  1. She told me that I tried to drive a car but failed.

  2. She told me that she had tried to drive a car but failed.

  3. She told me that she tried to drive a car but had failed.

  4. She told me that she had tried to drive a car but had failed.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: “I” will be changed with the subject of the “reporting verb” and “simple past tense” of “reported speech” will be converted into “Past Perfect”. Explanation for option 2: The second part of “reported speech” will also be converted into “past perfect” (but had failed). Explanation for option 3: The first part of “reported speech” will also be converted into “past perfect” (had tried). Explanation for option 4: This is correct as per the rules of direct/indirect speech.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Active/Passive form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Active/Passive voice.

Valmiki wrote the Ramayana.

  1. The Ramayana is written by Valmiki.

  2. Ramayana was written by Valmiki.

  3. The Ramayana was written by Valmiki.

  4. The Ramayana was written by the Valmiki.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: Passive voice will be in past tense (was + past participle) as the active voice is in the “simple past tense”. Explanation for option 2: Article “the” will be followed by “Ramayana”. Explanation for option 3: This is correct as per the rules of active/passive voice. Explanation for option 4: “The Valmiki” is incorrect.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Direct/Indirect form.

He said to me, “I am ill.”

  1. He told me that he is ill.

  2. He asked me that he was ill.

  3. He told me that he was ill.

  4. He told me that I was ill.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: “Reported verb” will be in past in indirect speech as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Explanation for option 2: “Said to “should be changed into “told”. Explanation for option 3: This is correct as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Explanation for option 4: “I” will be changed with the subject of “reporting verb”.

Multiple choice

Directions: In this question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Direct/Indirect form.

She said to me, “What were you eating?”

  1. She asked me what I had eaten.

  2. She asked me what I had been eating.

  3. She told me that what I had been eating.

  4. She asked me what had I been eating.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for option 1: Reported speech is in past continuous, so it will be changed into “past perfect continuous”. Hence, this is not a valid option. Explanation for option 2: This is correct as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Explanation for option 3: As “reported speech” is in interrogative form, so “said to “should be changed into “asked” as per the rules of direct/indirect speech. Explanation for option 4: “Reported speech” will be in statement form. Hence this is not a valid option.

Multiple choice

The car company has _________ all the models of last year.

  1. called up

  2. called back

  3. called off

  4. called down

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

 Exp: The phrase ‘called back’ means to recall a defective product for repair. This is correct in thiscontext. To call up is to raise a topic for discussion. To call off is to cancel something and to call down isto reprimand someone for a mistake.