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
1
Who wrote this article?
Answer:
By whom was this article written?
For interrogative sentences starting with "Who", the passive form begins with **"By whom"**. The active sentence is in the **Simple Past Tense**. The passive structure for a question is **Wh-word + was/were + Object + Past Participle (V3) + ?**. Thus, "By whom was this article written?" is the correct form. Option (b) is incorrect as "who" is the subjective case. Options (c) and (d) are grammatically awkward and less standard.
2
They are building a new bridge.
Answer:
A new bridge is being built by them.
The sentence is in the **Present Continuous Tense**. The passive structure is **Object + is/am/are + being + Past Participle (V3) + by + Subject**. The object "a new bridge" is singular, so we use "is". The past participle of "build" is "built". Thus, "A new bridge is being built..." is correct.
3
They have informed me of the decision.
Answer:
is the most common and natural passive form. Option
The active sentence is in the **Present Perfect Tense**. The object is "me," which becomes "I" in the passive voice. The passive structure is **Object + have/has + been + Past Participle (V3)**. The agent "by them" is often omitted when it is clear or unimportant. Option (d) is the most common and natural passive form. Option (a) is also grammatically correct.
4
Did she do her duty?
Answer:
Was her duty done by her?
This is a **yes/no question** in the **Simple Past Tense**. The passive structure for such a question is **Was/Were + Object + Past Participle (V3) + by + Subject + ?**. "Her duty" is the object. Thus, "Was her duty done by her?" is the correct form. The other options use incorrect auxiliary verbs and tenses.
5
The cat is chasing the mouse.
Answer:
The mouse is being chased by the cat.
The sentence is in the **Present Continuous Tense (Active Voice)**. The passive structure is **Object + is/am/are + being + Past Participle (V3) + by + Subject**. "The mouse" is the object. Hence, "is being chased" is correct. Option (b) is in the past tense. Options (c) and (d) use incorrect tenses.
6
The students were listening to the lecture.
Answer:
The lecture was being listened to by the students.
The original sentence is in the **Past Continuous Tense (Active Voice)**. To change it to Passive Voice, the structure is **Object + was/were + being + Past Participle (V3) + by + Subject**. Here, "The lecture" is the object, and "the students" is the subject. Therefore, "was being listened to" is the correct verb form. Option (b) is incorrect because it uses the present tense. Options (c) and (d) use the wrong tense and form.
7
The noise of the traffic kept me awake.
Answer:
I was kept awake by the noise of the traffic.
The sentence is in the **Simple Past Tense**. The passive structure is **Object + was/were + Past Participle (V3) + by + Subject**. The object is "me," which becomes "I" in the subject position of the passive sentence. "Kept" is the past participle of "keep." Therefore, "I was kept awake..." is correct. Options (b) and (c) use the wrong tense. Option (d) incorrectly changes the meaning.
8
Who is making a noise?
Answer:
By whom is a noise being made?
This is a question in the **Present Continuous Tense**. For questions starting with "Who," the passive form starts with **"By whom"**. The structure is **By whom + is/am/are + Object + being + Past Participle (V3) + ?**. "A noise" is the singular object. Therefore, "By whom is a noise being made?" is the correct structure.
9
Let him finish the task.
Answer:
Let the task be finished by him.
For imperative sentences starting with "Let," the passive structure is **Let + Object + be + Past Participle (V3) + by + Agent**. Here, "the task" is the object and "him" is the agent. Therefore, "Let the task be finished by him" is the correct passive construction.
10
He will not have read the book.
Answer:
The book will not have been read by him.
The sentence is in the **Future Perfect Tense**. The passive voice structure is **Object + will + not + have been + Past Participle (V3) + by + Subject**. "The book" is the object. Thus, "will not have been read" is the correct verb construction. Option (b) incorrectly uses "would". Options (c) and (d) are in the wrong tense.