ALCPT Passive Voice Constructions — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence is correctly written in the passive voice?
- The soldiers completed the mission successfully.
- The mission was completed successfully by the soldiers. (Correct answer)
- The mission completed by the soldiers successfully.
- The soldiers were completed the mission.
Correct 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.
Question 2: Choose the correct passive form of: 'They will announce the results tomorrow.'
- The results are announced tomorrow.
- The results were announced tomorrow.
- The results will be announced tomorrow. (Correct answer)
- The results will have announced tomorrow.
Correct 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.
Question 3: Fill in the blank: 'English _____ by millions of people around the world.'
- speaks
- is spoken (Correct answer)
- is speaking
- was speaking
Correct 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.
Question 4: Which sentence correctly transforms 'The general signed the orders' into passive voice?
- The orders were signed by the general. (Correct answer)
- The orders are signed by the general.
- The general was signed the orders.
- The orders signed by the general.
Correct 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.
Question 5: Choose the correct passive verb form: 'A new training center _____ in the northern district next year.'
- will build
- builds
- will be built (Correct answer)
- is building
Correct 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.
Question 6: Which sentence uses the past continuous passive correctly?
- The road was being repaired when we arrived. (Correct answer)
- The road is being repaired when we arrived.
- The road was repairing when we arrived.
- The road had been repairing when we arrived.
Correct 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.'
ALCPT Passive Voice Constructions
Which sentence is correctly written in the passive voice?