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: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

To invest wisely for the future, the fixed deposits provide a safe way for investors.

  1. To invest wisely for the future

  2. As a wise investment for the future

  3. Investing wisely for the future

  4. wise investment for the future

  5. Having invested wisely for the future, one must determine that
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for (1): Error of modifier. There is no subject in the modifying (underlined) clause. The modified clause depicts 'fixed deposits' to be the subject. 'To invest' wisely would seem to provide another verb clause.

Justification for (2): There is no subject in the modifying (underlined) clause. The modified clause depicts 'fixed deposits' to be the subject. The underlined clause ought to modify the modified clause in the latter part. The given option corrects the error.

Explanation for (3): There is no subject in the modifying (underlined) clause. The underlined clause ought to modify the modified clause in the latter part. The given option fails to do so.
Explanation for (4): There is no subject in the modifying (underlined) clause. The underlined clause ought to modify the modified clause in the latter part. The given option fails to do so. Explanation for (5): There is no subject in the modifying (underlined) clause. The underlined clause ought to modify the modified clause in the latter part. The given option fails to do so.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change active voice into passive voice.

Workers are raising slogans against their master.

  1. Slogans were being raised against their master by the workers.

  2. Slogans were raised against their master by the workers.

  3. Slogans are being raised against their master by the workers.

  4. Slogans have being raised against their master by the workers.

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

Passive voice of present continuous tense contains 'object + is/am/are + being + past participle + phrase + by + subject'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change direct speech into indirect speech.

Sonam said, “Alas! I have lost my tooth in the accident.”

  1. Sonam exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost her tooth in the accident.

  2. Sonam exclaimed with sorrow that she has lost her tooth in the accident.

  3. Sonam exclaimed with sorrow that she had been lost tooth in the accident.

  4. Sonam shouted with sorrow that she had been lost tooth in the accident.

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

Case of exclamatory sentence: 'Alas' converts into 'exclaimed with sorrow', and reported speech will change to past tense because reporting verb is in past tense.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the direct speech into an indirect speech.

Rita said, “Which of these roads leads to Delhi?”

  1. Rita said which of these roads leaded to Delhi.

  2. Rita said which of these roads led to Delhi.

  3. Rita asked which of those roads leading to Delhi?

  4. Rita asked which of those roads lead to Delhi.

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

Reporting verb is in the past tense. So, the reported speech will also change from simple present tense to simple past tense. As a questions has been asked, so 'asked' will be used in an indirect speech.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change direct speech into indirect speech.

The mayor said to the citizens, “Your grievances will be addressed soon.”

  1. The mayor told the citizens that their grievances should be addressed soon.

  2. The mayor told the citizens that their grievances would be addressed soon.

  3. The mayor asked the citizens that their grievances would be addressed soon?

  4. The mayor told the citizens that your grievances would be addressed soon.

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

Reporting verb is in past tense, so the reported speech will also be changed to past tense.

Multiple choice

In order to boost their name recognition, the Political Party conducted a campaign in the whole city.

  1. In order to boost their name recognition,

  2. In order that their name is recognized

  3. In order to boost its name recognition

  4. Because they wanted to boost their name recognition

  5. Boosting their name recognition
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A pronoun should match the form of the noun. Use “its” instead of “their” as party is a singular noun.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following is an example of indirect speech?

  1. “Be nice to your neighbours”, John said.

  2. “Where have you been?” he asked me.

  3. Rohan told Neetu not to waste her money.

  4. He said, “I always wake up early”.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

In indirect speech, a speaker's words are reported in subordinate clauses governed by reporting verb, with changes in person and tense.

Multiple choice

Directions: Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best converts the given sentence into passive or active voice.

He spoke English fairly well.

  1. English is spoken fairly well by him.

  2. English was spoken fairly well by him.

  3. English speaking was done fairly well by him.

  4. English was spoken by him fairly well.
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. It is a case of past simple tense. In such cases, we use 'was/were' with the third form of the verb.

Multiple choice

Directions: Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best converts the given sentence into passive or active voice.

Can you smell these nice flowers?

  1. Can these nice flowers be smelled by you?

  2. Can these flowers that are nice be smelled by you?

  3. Can these flowers be smelled nicely by you?

  4. Can these flowers be smelled nice 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 interrrogative sentence in present simple tense. 'Be smelled by you' is the correct usage.