Voice in English grammar

In this blog, we will discuss on Voice

Let us first look at the domains where you could find questions from voices.
1.    Error Spotting
2.    Sentence Improvement
3.    Fillers
4.    Direct Questions

Since we have discussed the questions from error spotting and fillers. Let us now look at the other two domains:
 

•    Sentence Improvement:

Direction: Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select ‘No substitution required’.

1.  Our homework has been done by them.

A. have been done by
B. have had been done by
C. has been done to
D. has been done by
E. No substitution required

Explanation: The given sentence is in passive voice. Its active voice is “They have done our homework”. Since this sentence is in the present perfect tense. The passive voice has to be in present tense with the word ‘been’ in it. Hence, the correct answer will be ‘No substitution required’.

2.  A lot were eaten by the sheep.

A. was being eaten by the
B. was eaten by the
C. had been eaten by the
D. were being eaten by the

Explanation: The given sentence is in passive voice. Its active voice is “The sheep ate a lot”. Since this sentence is in past indefinite tense. The passive voice has to be in past indefinite with a change in the form of the verb (eat) in it. Hence, the correct answer will be option B i.e. was eaten by the.

3.   Our bungalow was constructed by last Friday.

A. was broken into last
B. were broken by last
C. was broken on last
D. was being broken on last
E. No Substitution required.

Explanation: This question can be improved by replacing the preposition ‘by’ with ‘into’ as with the day we use ‘into’. Hence, option A i.e. was broken into last is the correct answer.

This is how questions from voices are asked in sentence improvement questions. Let us now look at the direct questions. Although, we have already discussed many direct questions in the previous sessions but let us have some more of them. 

•    Direct Questions:

Direction: Change the form of the voice i.e. active to passive and passive to active as given in the questions:

1.  Lots of houses were destroyed by the earthquake in 1906.

A. The earthquake in 1906 destroyed lots of houses.
B. The earthquake destroyed lots of houses in 1906.
C. The earthquake in 1906 had destroyed lots of houses.
D. An earthquake in 1906 destroyed the lots of houses.

Explanation: There are many ways with which we can say that this sentence is in passive voice. So, we have to change it in active voice.

Step 1: Change the subject to object and vice versa.
Step 2: Remove the preposition ‘by’.
Step 3: Make the grammatical changes like removing ‘were’ from the sentence.

On making these changes, we can say that option A i.e. The earthquake in 1906 destroyed lots of houses is the correct answer.

2.  The bus driver will take the tourists to the hotel.

A. The tourists will be taken to the hotel.
B. The tourists will be taken to the hotel by the bus driver.
C. The tourists will have to be be taken to the hotel.
D. The tourists would be taken to the hotel.

Explanation: As we can see, the given question consists of two objects i.e. tourists and hotel. In one of the previous blogs, we discussed that the object that is closer to the subject will come first in the sentence. So, the main object will be ‘The tourists”.

Secondly, it is always advised to form the passive voice with the least usage of words. That is why we can ignore the subject i.e. ‘the bus driver’.
Hence, option A i.e. The tourists will be taken to the hotel is the correct answer.