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
911
The team is developing a new app.
Answer:
A new app is being developed by the team.
**Rule**: For a Present Continuous Tense sentence, the passive structure is **Object + is/am/are + being + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'a new app' becomes the subject. Since it is singular, 'is' is used, followed by 'being' and the past participle 'developed'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Past Continuous.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
912
How do you operate this machine?
Answer:
How is this machine operated by you?
**Rule**: For an interrogative sentence 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 (d)**: The 'Wh-' word 'How' remains at the beginning. The object 'this machine' is singular, so 'is' is used, followed by the past participle 'operated'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This introduces the modal 'can', which was not in the original sentence.
913
The sudden news shocked us all.
Answer:
We all were shocked at the sudden news.
**Rule**: The verb 'shocked' in the passive voice is often followed by the preposition **'at'** (or 'by') to indicate the cause. The active sentence is in the Simple Past Tense.
- **Correct Answer (b)**: The object 'us all' becomes 'We all'. The passive verb 'were shocked' is correct for the Simple Past. The preposition 'at' is idiomatically correct here.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: While 'by' is possible, 'at' is very common with 'shocked'.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Present.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
914
What have you been reading?
Answer:
What has been being read by you?
**Rule**: The passive voice for the Present Perfect Continuous Tense is formed with **What + has/have + been + being + V3**. This construction is extremely rare and awkward but is the grammatically correct passive form.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: This is the technically correct, though very uncommon, passive form of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This changes the tense to Present Perfect.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This changes the tense to Past Continuous.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This changes the tense to Present Continuous.
915
The manager has to sign these papers.
Answer:
These papers have to be signed by the manager.
**Rule**: For active sentences using 'has to'/'have to' to express necessity, the passive form is **Object + has/have to + be + V3**. The choice between 'has' and 'have' depends on the new subject.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'these papers' becomes the subject. Since 'papers' is plural, it takes 'have to be', followed by the past participle 'signed'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: 'have been signed' is the passive of the Present Perfect Tense ('have signed'), which is incorrect.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: 'are to be' implies a plan or arrangement, which is a different meaning from the necessity expressed by 'has to'.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: 'had to be' incorrectly changes the tense to the past.
916
He teaches us grammar.
Answer:
Both a and b are correct.
**Rule**: For a Simple Present Tense sentence with two objects (indirect 'us' and direct 'grammar'), 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 'Grammar' becomes the subject. The passive verb is 'is taught', and the indirect object 'us' is preceded by 'to'.
- In (b), the indirect object 'us' becomes the subject 'We'. The passive verb is 'are taught', and the direct object 'grammar' follows.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This is correct, but (b) is also correct, making (d) the best choice.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This is correct, but (a) is also correct, making (d) the best choice.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
917
Who is going to bake the cake?
Answer:
By whom is the cake going to be baked?
**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 (b)**: 'Who' changes to 'By whom'. The object 'the cake' is singular, so 'is' is used, followed by the object and the correct passive structure 'going to be baked'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This changes the structure from 'going to' future to 'will' future.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to the past.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: 'who' is the incorrect case; 'whom' is required after the preposition 'By'.
918
The team will have to find a new strategy.
Answer:
A new strategy will have to be found by the team.
**Rule**: When the active sentence uses 'will have to', the passive form is **Object + will have to + be + V3**.
- **Correct Answer (b)**: The object 'a new strategy' becomes the subject. The structure 'will have to be found' is the correct passive form for the future necessity.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This omits 'have to', changing the meaning to a simple future action.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: 'would' is an incorrect modal change.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: 'will have been found' is the passive of the Future Perfect Tense.
919
Kindly do not smoke in the office.
Answer:
You are requested not to smoke in the office.
**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/not to'** followed by the base form of the verb.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The word 'Kindly' indicates a polite request. Therefore, 'You are requested not to...' is the most appropriate passive structure.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: 'ordered' is incorrect as the original sentence is a request, not a command.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: The 'Let' structure is less suitable for a polite request.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This is an active voice sentence offering advice, not a passive conversion of the original request.
920
The team had not won any matches that year.
Answer:
No matches had been won by the team that year.
**Rule**: For a negative sentence in the Past Perfect Tense, the passive structure is **Object + had + not + been + V3**. A common alternative is to make the object positive and use 'No' instead of 'not any'.
- **Correct Answer (b)**: The phrase 'not any matches' is converted to 'No matches', which becomes the subject. The verb form 'had been won' is the correct passive for the Past Perfect. This structure is more idiomatic than using 'Any matches had not been...'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This structure is grammatically awkward.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Simple Past and is also awkward.