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
801
The audience loudly cheered the Mayor's speech.
Answer:
The Mayor's speech was loudly cheered by the audience.
**Rule**: For a sentence in the Simple Past Tense, the passive voice structure is **Object + was/were + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The object 'The Mayor's speech' becomes the subject. Since it's singular, 'was' is used. The adverb 'loudly' is correctly placed before the past participle 'cheered'.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Continuous.
802
The court will have acquitted him by then.
Answer:
He will have been acquitted by the court by then.
**Rule**: To convert a Future Perfect Tense sentence to passive voice, the structure is **Object + will/shall + have been + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The object 'him' becomes the subject 'He'. The verb form 'will have been acquitted' is the correct passive construction for the Future Perfect Tense.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Future Simple.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: 'would' is an incorrect modal change.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
803
They have cancelled the flight.
Answer:
The flight has been cancelled.
**Rule**: For a Present Perfect Tense sentence, the passive structure is **Object + has/have + been + V3**. The agent ('by them') is often omitted when it is vague or obvious from the context.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: The object 'the flight' becomes the subject. Since it is singular, 'has' is used, followed by 'been' and the past participle 'cancelled'. Omitting 'by them' is natural here.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
804
Kindly grant me a leave for two days.
Answer:
You are requested to grant me a leave for two days.
**Rule**: Imperative sentences that make a request (often starting with 'Please' or 'Kindly') are converted into passive voice using the phrase **'You are requested to'** followed by the base form of the verb.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The word 'Kindly' indicates a request. Therefore, the passive form 'You are requested to...' is the most appropriate structure.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: The original sentence is a request, not an order.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: While 'Let' can be used for imperatives, 'You are requested to' is a better fit for polite requests starting with 'Kindly'.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: 'Should' suggests advice or obligation, which does not accurately reflect the tone of the request.
805
Can we solve this problem?
Answer:
Can this problem be solved by us?
**Rule**: For interrogative sentences with modal verbs, the passive structure is **Modal verb + object + be + V3 + by + subject?** The modal verb does not change its position at the start of the sentence.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The modal 'Can' remains at the beginning. The object 'this problem' follows. Then 'be' and the past participle 'solved' are used. The agent 'by us' is correctly placed at the end.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: 'Could' is a different modal and changes the meaning from ability to possibility.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: While grammatically correct, it omits the agent 'by us' which was present in the original sentence.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This is a statement, not a question. The interrogative structure has been lost.
806
No one has ever climbed this mountain.
Answer:
This mountain has never been climbed.
**Rule**: A sentence in the Present Perfect Tense is converted to passive voice using **Object + has/have + been + V3**. The negative 'No one' in the active voice becomes 'never' in the passive voice.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The object 'this mountain' becomes the subject. The verb 'has never been climbed' correctly reflects the negative meaning and the Present Perfect Tense in passive form. The agent 'by no one' is omitted.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past and uses a double negative ('never' and 'no one'), which is grammatically incorrect.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Perfect.
807
Do they sell construction material?
Answer:
Is construction material sold by them?
**Rule**: To convert an interrogative sentence in the Simple Present Tense (starting with 'Do/Does') to passive voice, the structure is **Is/Am/Are + object + V3 + by + subject?**
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The object 'construction material' is singular, so the sentence starts with 'Is'. This is followed by the object and the past participle 'sold'.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This structure is grammatically incorrect. 'Does' is not used with 'be' in this way.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
808
The editor was editing the article.
Answer:
The article was being edited by the editor.
**Rule**: To convert a Past Continuous Tense sentence to passive voice, the structure is **Object + was/were + being + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'the article' becomes the subject. Since it's singular, 'was' is used, followed by 'being' and the past participle 'edited'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Continuous.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
809
He is writing a novel.
Answer:
A novel is being written by him.
**Rule**: To convert a Present Continuous Tense sentence to passive voice, the structure is **Object + is/am/are + being + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: The object 'a novel' becomes the subject. As it is singular, 'is' is used, followed by 'being' and the past participle 'written'.
- **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.
810
They will have completed the project by next year.
Answer:
The project will have been completed by next year.
**Rule**: To convert a Future Perfect Tense sentence to passive voice, the structure is **Object + will/shall + have been + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'the project' becomes the subject. The verb form 'will have been completed' is the correct passive construction for the Future Perfect Tense. The agent 'by them' can be omitted.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Future Simple.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: 'would' is an incorrect modal change.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.