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
941
Let us finish the game.
Answer:
Both b and c are correct.
**Rule**: Imperative sentences starting with 'Let us' can indicate a proposal or a simple command. This ambiguity allows for multiple passive forms.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: Both (b) and (c) are valid passive interpretations.
- (b) **'Let the game be finished'** treats the sentence as a direct imperative and uses the standard 'Let' structure.
- (c) **'It is proposed that we should finish the game'** interprets 'Let us' as a proposal or suggestion.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: 'should be finished' is a statement of advice, which is a possible but less direct conversion.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This is correct, but (c) is also a valid interpretation.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This is correct, but (b) is also a valid interpretation.
942
Why will he not help you?
Answer:
Why will you not be helped by him?
**Rule**: For interrogative sentences in the Future Simple Tense starting with a 'Wh-' word, the passive structure is **Wh- word + will/shall + object + not + be + V3 + by + subject?**
- **Correct Answer (d)**: The 'Wh-' word 'Why' remains at the beginning. The modal 'will' comes next, followed by the new subject 'you', 'not be', and the past participle 'helped'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: While 'won't' is a contraction of 'will not', the structure in (d) is more formal and a clearer transformation.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: The word order is incorrect for a question; 'will' should come before 'you'.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: 'would' is an incorrect modal change.
943
Who is going to give the presentation?
Answer:
By whom is the presentation going to be given?
**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 presentation' is singular, so 'is' is used, followed by the object and the correct passive structure 'going to be given'.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This changes the structure to the 'will' future.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: 'who' is the incorrect case; 'whom' is required after the preposition 'By'.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This word order is not standard for formal interrogative sentences.
944
I was to submit the assignment yesterday.
Answer:
The assignment was to be submitted by me yesterday.
**Rule**: When the active sentence uses 'was to'/'were to' to indicate a past plan or arrangement, the passive form is **Object + was/were to + be + V3**.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'the assignment' becomes the subject. The structure 'was to be submitted' is the correct passive form corresponding to the active 'was to submit'.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: 'was being submitted' is the passive of the Past Continuous Tense.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: 'had to be' implies past necessity, which is a different meaning.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: 'was to have been' implies an unfulfilled past plan, which slightly changes the meaning.
945
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
Answer:
The prisoner was found guilty by the jury.
**Rule**: For a sentence in the Simple Past Tense, the passive voice structure is **Object + was/were + V3 + by + Subject**. The object complement ('guilty') remains after the verb.
- **Correct Answer (a)**: The object 'the prisoner' becomes the subject. The verb 'was found' is the correct passive form for the Simple Past. The complement 'guilty' follows correctly.
- **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 Perfect.
946
Who is managing the event?
Answer:
By whom is the event being managed?
**Rule**: For interrogative sentences in the Present Continuous Tense starting with 'Who', the passive structure is **By whom + is/am/are + object + being + V3?**
- **Correct Answer (c)**: 'Who' changes to 'By whom'. The object 'the event' is singular, so 'is' is used, followed by the object, 'being', and the past participle 'managed'. The word order is correct for a question.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: The word order is incorrect for an interrogative sentence; the auxiliary verb 'is' must come before the subject 'the event'.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: 'who' is the incorrect case; 'whom' is required after the preposition 'By'.
- **Incorrect Answer (d)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
947
Who had warned you about this?
Answer:
By whom had you been warned about this?
**Rule**: For an interrogative sentence in the Past Perfect Tense starting with 'Who', the passive structure is **By whom + had + object + been + V3?**
- **Correct Answer (c)**: 'Who' becomes 'By whom'. The auxiliary 'had' is used, followed by the new subject 'you', 'been', and the past participle 'warned'.
- **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 has incorrect word order for a question.
948
Someone is painting the fence.
Answer:
The fence is being painted.
**Rule**: For a Present Continuous Tense sentence, the passive structure is **Object + is/am/are + being + V3**. The indefinite subject 'someone' is omitted.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'the fence' becomes the subject. The passive verb form 'is being painted' is correct for the Present Continuous. The agent 'by someone' is correctly omitted.
- **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.
949
The committee is going to announce the results soon.
Answer:
The results are going to be announced soon by the committee.
**Rule**: For active sentences using the 'be going to' future form, the passive structure is **Object + is/am/are + going to be + V3**.
- **Correct Answer (d)**: The object 'the results' becomes the subject. The structure 'are going to be announced' is the correct passive conversion.
- **Incorrect Answer (a)**: This is the passive of the Present Continuous tense.
- **Incorrect Answer (b)**: This changes the structure to the 'will' future.
- **Incorrect Answer (c)**: This incorrectly changes the tense to Present Perfect.
950
The cat was chasing the mouse.
Answer:
The mouse was being chased by the cat.
**Rule**: For a sentence in the Past Continuous Tense, the passive voice structure is **Object + was/were + being + V3 + by + Subject**.
- **Correct Answer (c)**: The object 'the mouse' becomes the subject. Since it's singular, 'was' is used, followed by 'being' and the past participle 'chased'.
- **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.