General English MCQs
Topic Notes: General English
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
1061
The committee will have to review the proposal again.
Answer:
The proposal will have to be reviewed again by the committee.
**Rule**: For sentences using the modal-like structure 'will have to', the passive form is **Object + will have to + be + V3**.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'the proposal' becomes the subject. The structure 'will have to be reviewed' is the correct passive form for the future necessity expressed by 'will have to'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This omits 'have to', changing the meaning from future necessity to a simple future action.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: 'would' is an incorrect modal change.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: 'will have been reviewed' is the passive form of the Future Perfect tense, not of 'will have to'.
1062
The university had awarded him a scholarship.
Answer:
He had been awarded a scholarship by the university.
**Rule**: For a Past Perfect Tense sentence with two objects, either can become the subject. The passive structure is **Object + had + been + V3**.
- **Correct Answer (b)**: The indirect object 'him' becomes the subject 'He'. The verb form 'had been awarded' is the correct passive construction for the Past Perfect Tense. The direct object 'a scholarship' follows.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
1063
The government was distributing aid to the victims.
Answer:
Aid was being distributed to the victims by the government.
**Rule**: For a sentence in the Past Continuous Tense, the passive voice structure is **Object + was/were + being + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The object 'aid' becomes the subject. Since 'aid' is uncountable, the singular verb 'was' is used, followed by 'being' and the past participle 'distributed'.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This completely changes the meaning of the sentence by making 'the victims' the doer of the action.
1064
The guard refused him entry.
Answer:
Both a and b are correct.
**Rule**: For a Simple Past Tense sentence with two objects (indirect 'him' and direct 'entry'), either can become the subject of the passive sentence.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: Both (a) and (b) are correct passive transformations.
- In (a), the direct object 'Entry' becomes the subject. The passive verb is 'was refused', and the indirect object 'him' is preceded by 'to'.
- In (b), the indirect object 'him' becomes the subject 'He'. The passive verb is 'was refused', and the direct object 'entry' follows.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This is correct, but (b) is also a valid and common transformation.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This is correct, but (a) is also a valid transformation.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
1065
The company had not approved the budget.
Answer:
The budget had not been approved by the company.
**Rule**: For a negative sentence in the Past Perfect Tense, the passive structure is **Object + had + not + been + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: The object 'the budget' becomes the subject. The verb form 'had not been approved' is the correct passive construction for a negative sentence in the Past Perfect Tense.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
1066
They were painting the house when I arrived.
Answer:
The house was being painted when I arrived.
**Rule**: In a complex sentence, only the clause with a transitive verb and object is changed to passive. The main clause 'They were painting the house' (Past Continuous) is passivized, while the subordinate clause 'when I arrived' remains unchanged.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'the house' becomes the subject. The verb form 'was being painted' is the correct passive for the Past Continuous. The subordinate clause 'when I arrived' is correctly placed at the end.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Continuous.
1067
The fire completely destroyed the records.
Answer:
The records were completely destroyed by the fire.
**Rule**: For a sentence in the Simple Past Tense, the passive voice structure is **Object + was/were + V3 + by + Subject**. Adverbs are usually placed before the main verb.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'the records' becomes the subject. Since 'records' is plural, 'were' is used. The adverb 'completely' is correctly placed before the past participle 'destroyed'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Continuous.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
1068
We will have to arrange the furniture.
Answer:
The furniture will have to be arranged by us.
**Rule**: When the active sentence uses a modal-like structure such as 'will have to', the passive form is **Object + will have to + be + V3**.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: The object 'the furniture' becomes the subject. The structure 'will have to be arranged' is the correct passive form for the future obligation.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: 'would' is an incorrect modal change.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This omits 'have to', changing the meaning from future obligation to a simple future action.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This is the passive form of the Future Perfect tense, not of 'will have to'.
1069
Who is going to manage the finances?
Answer:
By whom are the finances going to be managed?
**Rule**: For an interrogative sentence with the 'be going to' future form starting with 'Who', the passive structure is **By whom + is/am/are + object + going to be + V3?**
- **Correct Answer (a)**: 'Who' changes to 'By whom'. The object 'the finances' is plural, so 'are' is used, followed by the object and the correct passive structure 'going to be managed'.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This changes the structure from 'going to' future to 'will' future.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: The verb 'is' is incorrect because the subject 'finances' is plural.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: 'who' is the incorrect case; 'whom' is required after the preposition 'By'.
1070
Someone has to take responsibility.
Answer:
Responsibility has to be taken.
**Rule**: When the active sentence uses 'has to'/'have to', the passive form is **Object + has/have to + be + V3**. The indefinite subject 'someone' is omitted.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'responsibility' becomes the subject. Since 'responsibility' is singular, it takes 'has to be', followed by the past participle 'taken'. The agent 'by someone' is correctly omitted.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: 'has been taken' is the passive of the Present Perfect Tense, not of 'has to'.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: 'had to be' incorrectly changes the tense to the past.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: 'is to be' implies a plan or arrangement, which is different from the necessity expressed by 'has to'.