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
831
Someone is following us.
Answer:
We are being followed.
**Rule**: For a Present Continuous Tense sentence, the passive structure is **Object + is/am/are + being + V3**. When the subject is an indefinite pronoun like 'someone', it is usually omitted in the passive voice.
- **Correct Answer (b)**: The object 'us' becomes the subject 'We'. The verb form 'are being followed' is correct for the Present Continuous passive. The agent 'by someone' is correctly and naturally omitted.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: While grammatically correct, it is stylistically better to omit 'by someone'.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Continuous.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
832
I had to finish the work on time.
Answer:
The work had to be finished on time by me.
**Rule**: When the active sentence uses structures like 'has to', 'have to', or 'had to', the passive form is **Object + has/have/had to + be + V3**.
- **Correct Answer (b)**: The object 'the work' becomes the subject. The structure 'had to be finished' is the correct passive form for the obligation expressed by 'had to'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: 'had been finished' is the passive of the Past Perfect Tense, not of 'had to'.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: 'was to be' implies a pre-arranged plan, which is a different meaning from the obligation of 'had to'.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: 'must have been' implies a past deduction or certainty, which is different from 'had to'.
833
The storm damaged the coastal area severely.
Answer:
The coastal area was severely damaged by the storm.
**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 coastal area' becomes the subject. Since it is singular, 'was' is used, followed by the adverb 'severely' and the past participle 'damaged'. The agent 'by the storm' is correctly placed.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This option incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect Tense.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This option incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present Tense.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This option incorrectly changes the tense to Past Perfect Tense.
834
The children have broken the window pane.
Answer:
The window pane has been broken by the children.
**Rule**: For a sentence in the Present Perfect Tense, the passive voice structure is **Object + has/have + been + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'The window pane' becomes the subject. Since it is singular, 'has' is used, followed by 'been' and the past participle 'broken'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Perfect.
835
Who taught her such tricks?
Answer:
By whom was she taught such tricks?
**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 'her' becomes the subject 'she', which is singular and takes 'was'. The past participle 'taught' is used correctly.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: 'were' is incorrect with the singular subject 'she'.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: The word order is incorrect, and 'who' should be 'whom' after the preposition 'by'.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
836
One should keep one's promises.
Answer:
Promises should be kept.
**Rule**: When the subject of an active sentence is an indefinite pronoun like 'one', 'someone', or 'people', it is generally omitted in the passive voice. The structure for modals like 'should' is **Object + modal + be + V3**.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The object 'promises' becomes the subject. 'should be kept' is the correct passive construction. The agent 'by one' is omitted as it is understood from the context of a general truth.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: Including 'by one' is grammatically correct but stylistically redundant in this context.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: 'them' is an incorrect pronoun to refer back to the singular 'one'.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: 'were to be kept' incorrectly changes the modal verb and the tense.
837
The board has approved the new policy.
Answer:
The new policy has been approved by the board.
**Rule**: For a sentence in the Present Perfect Tense, the passive voice structure is **Object + has/have + been + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: The object 'the new policy' becomes the subject. Since it is singular, 'has' is used, followed by 'been' and the past participle 'approved'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Perfect.
838
We must listen to his words.
Answer:
His words must be listened to by us.
**Rule**: For sentences with modal verbs and phrasal verbs (verb + preposition), the passive structure is **Object + modal verb + be + V3 + preposition + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The object 'his words' becomes the subject. The modal 'must' is followed by 'be'. The past participle 'listened' is used, and the preposition 'to' is correctly retained.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: The preposition 'to' is incorrectly omitted.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: 'should' is a different modal and changes the meaning from obligation to advice.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense and modal structure to Simple Past.
839
They found him guilty of murder.
Answer:
He was found guilty of murder by them.
**Rule**: For a sentence in the Simple Past Tense, the passive voice structure is **Object + was/were + V3 + by + Subject**. The object complement ('guilty of murder') remains after the verb.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: The object 'him' becomes the subject 'He'. The verb 'was found' is the correct passive form for the Simple Past Tense. The object complement 'guilty of murder' follows, and the agent 'by them' is included.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This is also grammatically correct, but it omits the agent 'by them'. Option (d) is a more complete transformation of the original sentence.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Perfect.
840
Why do you tell a lie?
Answer:
Why is a lie told by you?
**Rule**: For interrogative sentences in the Simple Present Tense starting with a 'Wh-' word, the passive structure is **Wh- word + is/am/are + object + V3 + by + subject?**
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The 'Wh-' word 'Why' remains at the beginning. The object 'a lie' is singular, so 'is' is used. This is followed by the object and the past participle 'told'.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This is not in the correct interrogative word order; the verb 'is' should come before the subject 'a lie'.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Continuous.