Passive Voice Constructions Flashcards

Which sentence is correctly written in the passive voice?

Answer: The mission was completed successfully by the soldiers.

Passive voice requires the object to become the subject, followed by a form of 'to be' and the past participle: 'The mission (subject) was completed (be + past participle) by the soldiers (agent).' Choice A is active voice. Choice C is missing the auxiliary 'was.' Choice D incorrectly uses the verb with the wrong subject.

Choose the correct passive form of: 'They will announce the results tomorrow.'

Answer: The results will be announced tomorrow.

The original sentence uses future tense ('will announce'), so the passive must preserve 'will' and use 'be + past participle': 'will be announced.' Choice A uses simple present passive. Choice B uses simple past passive. Choice D incorrectly omits 'been' and uses the wrong structure.

Fill in the blank: 'English _____ by millions of people around the world.'

Answer: is spoken

'Is spoken' is the simple present passive: 'be (is) + past participle (spoken).' The subject 'English' receives the action of being spoken — it does not perform the action. 'Speaks' is active voice with a third-person singular subject. 'Is speaking' is present continuous active. 'Was speaking' is past continuous active.

Which sentence correctly transforms 'The general signed the orders' into passive voice?

Answer: The orders were signed by the general.

The original sentence is in simple past tense ('signed'), so the passive uses 'were + past participle': 'The orders were signed by the general.' Choice B uses present tense passive, which changes the meaning. Choice C incorrectly makes 'the general' the subject with a passive verb. Choice D omits the auxiliary verb entirely.

Choose the correct passive verb form: 'A new training center _____ in the northern district next year.'

Answer: will be built

'Will be built' is the future passive: will + be + past participle. The training center is the receiver of the building action, not the actor. 'Will build' is future active and would need a different subject (someone who builds it). 'Builds' is simple present active. 'Is building' is present continuous active.

Which sentence uses the past continuous passive correctly?

Answer: The road was being repaired when we arrived.

Past continuous passive is formed with 'was/were + being + past participle.' Here: 'was being repaired' correctly describes an ongoing action in the past when another event (arriving) interrupted or coincided with it. Choice B mixes present and past tense. Choice C omits 'being.' Choice D incorrectly uses 'repairing' without 'been.'