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
1111
The postman has not delivered the parcel yet.
Answer:
The parcel has not been delivered yet by the postman.
**Rule**: For a negative sentence in the Present Perfect Tense, the passive structure is **Object + has/have + not + been + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (b)**: The object 'the parcel' becomes the subject. The passive verb form 'has not been delivered' correctly reflects the negative Present Perfect tense.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
1112
The company will have to hire more staff.
Answer:
More staff will have to be hired by the company.
**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 'more staff' becomes the subject. The structure 'will have to be hired' is the correct passive form for the future necessity.
- **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 (c)**: This is the passive form of the Future Perfect tense ('will have hired'), not 'will have to hire'.
1113
His comment offended me.
Answer:
I was offended by his comment.
**Rule**: A sentence in the Simple Past Tense is converted to passive voice using the structure: **Object + was/were + V3 + by + Subject**. The preposition 'by' is standard with the verb 'offend' to indicate the agent.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The object 'me' becomes the subject 'I'. The verb form 'was offended' is correct for the Simple Past Tense, and 'by' correctly introduces the agent.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present and uses the wrong preposition 'with'.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: While 'at' can be used with some emotional verbs, 'by' is the standard choice for 'offended'.
1114
The team will have to practice harder.
Answer:
Harder practice will have to be done by the team.
**Rule**: When an intransitive verb phrase needs to be made passive, it often requires restructuring. Here, 'practice harder' can be nominalized to 'Harder practice'.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The phrase is restructured. 'Harder practice' becomes the subject, and the verb 'do' is introduced to carry the passive voice ('will have to be done'). This is the most natural-sounding conversion.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This is grammatically incorrect.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: 'Harder' is an adverb and cannot be the subject.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: While grammatically possible, it's more awkward than option (a).
1115
Someone must have taken the file from my desk.
Answer:
The file must have been taken from my desk.
**Rule**: For sentences with past modals (modal + have + V3), the passive structure is **Object + modal + have been + V3**. The indefinite subject 'someone' is omitted.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'the file' becomes the subject. The past modal passive form 'must have been taken' is the correct construction. The agent 'by someone' is correctly omitted.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: 'must be taken' is the passive form for a present modal ('must take'), not a past modal.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This changes the modal structure entirely, altering the meaning from deduction to past necessity.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: Using 'should' changes the meaning from a strong deduction to a recommendation about a past event.
1116
She showed me the new design.
Answer:
I was shown the new design by her.
**Rule**: For a Simple Past Tense sentence with two objects (indirect 'me' and direct 'the new design'), either can become the subject of the passive sentence.
- **Correct Answer (b)**: The indirect object 'me' becomes the subject 'I'. The verb form 'was shown' is correct for the Simple Past Tense, and the direct object 'the new design' follows.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: The past participle of 'show' is 'shown', not 'showed'.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
1117
The artist is carving a beautiful sculpture.
Answer:
A beautiful sculpture is being carved by the artist.
**Rule**: For a Present Continuous Tense sentence, the passive structure is **Object + is/am/are + being + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: The object 'a beautiful sculpture' becomes the subject. Since it is singular, 'is' is used, followed by 'being' and the past participle 'carved'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Continuous.
1118
Nobody was listening to the speech.
Answer:
The speech was not being listened to.
**Rule**: A negative sentence in the Past Continuous Tense with a phrasal verb is converted to passive using **Object + was/were + not + being + V3 + preposition**. The negative idea from 'Nobody' is transferred to the verb.
- **Correct Answer (b)**: The object 'the speech' becomes the subject. The passive verb 'was not being listened to' correctly reflects the negative meaning, the Past Continuous tense, and retains the preposition 'to'. The agent is correctly omitted.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Continuous.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
1119
Someone had locked the gate.
Answer:
The gate had been locked.
**Rule**: For a Past Perfect Tense sentence, the passive structure is **Object + had + been + V3**. The indefinite subject 'someone' is omitted.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'the gate' becomes the subject. The verb form 'had been locked' is the correct passive construction for the Past Perfect Tense. The agent 'by someone' is correctly omitted.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
1120
Who broke the window?
Answer:
By whom was the window broken?
**Rule**: Interrogative sentences in the Simple Past Tense starting with 'Who' are converted to passive voice using **By whom + was/were + object + V3?**
- **Correct Answer (a)**: 'Who' becomes 'By whom'. The object 'the window' is singular, so 'was' is used, followed by the past participle 'broken'.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: The word order is incorrect for a question, and 'who' should be 'whom' after a preposition.