Active and Passive Voice Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. In “The novel was written by Elena Ruiz,” what does the phrase “by Elena Ruiz” identify?
The recipient of the novel
The agent who performed the action
The instrument used to perform the action
The location where the action occurred
2. The committee will announce the results tomorrow. Select the revision that changes the sentence to passive voice without changing its tense or meaning.
The results are announced by the committee tomorrow.
The committee will be announced with the results tomorrow.
The results will announce the committee tomorrow.
The results will be announced by the committee tomorrow.
3. Which sentence remains active even though its verb phrase contains “have” and a past participle?
They have completed the work ahead of schedule.
The work has been completed ahead of schedule.
The invitations were mailed on Monday.
The road is being repaired this week.
4. What can you conclude from the passive sentence “Several errors were found in the report”?
The errors received the action, and the person who found them is not named.
The errors performed the action of finding something.
The report itself intentionally created the errors.
The sentence proves that nobody knows who found the errors.
5. Which sentence cannot normally be changed into the passive voice without replacing or changing the core verb?
The baby slept peacefully.
Maya opened the parcel.
The team discussed the proposal.
The audience applauded the performer.
6. The mechanic was repairing the car. Select the passive construction that keeps the action in the past progressive tense.
The car was repaired by the mechanic.
The car is being repaired by the mechanic.
The car was being repaired by the mechanic.
The car had been repaired by the mechanic.
7. The manager gave the interns a revised schedule. Choose the passive construction that makes “the interns” the grammatical subject without altering the event.
The interns gave the manager a revised schedule.
The manager was given to the interns with a revised schedule.
The interns were given a revised schedule by the manager.
The interns were giving the revised schedule to the manager.
8. Scientists have discovered a new species. How should this be expressed in passive voice while retaining the present perfect tense?
A new species was discovered by scientists.
A new species is discovered by scientists.
A new species has discovered scientists.
A new species has been discovered by scientists.
9. A restaurant reviewer wants to emphasize the chef as the person performing the action. Which sentence does this most directly?
The table was set by the staff.
The meal was prepared before noon.
The ingredients were measured carefully.
The chef prepared the meal before noon.
10. Which example clearly presents an action in passive voice rather than merely describing a state or quality?
The room was quiet after lunch.
The door was locked by the caretaker at nine.
The fabric feels soft to the touch.
The children seemed tired after the trip.
11. How is the sentence “Every citation is checked by the editors” structured?
It is passive: “every citation” receives the action, and “the editors” names the agent.
It is active: “every citation” performs the action on the editors.
It describes a state without expressing an action or an agent.
It uses an intransitive verb, so it has neither an object nor an agent.
12. What voice is used in the sentence “A new library is being built beside the station”?
Active voice, because the sentence describes an ongoing action
Passive voice, because the subject receives the action
Active voice, because the builder is not named
Neither voice, because the sentence uses a continuous tense
13. Change “The rules must be followed by all visitors” to active voice while retaining the obligation expressed by “must.”
All visitors followed the rules.
The rules must follow all visitors.
All visitors must follow the rules.
All visitors should have followed the rules.
14. Rewrite “The windows were broken by the storm” in active voice while keeping the same meaning.
The storm was breaking near the windows.
The windows had broken before the storm.
The windows broke during the storm.
The storm broke the windows.
15. A bicycle has disappeared, the person responsible is unknown, and the writer wants to focus on the bicycle. Which sentence best suits that purpose?
Someone stole the bicycle last night.
The bicycle was stolen last night.
The bicycle disappeared because of someone last night.
An unknown person was stealing something last night.
16. An editor wants an active sentence that clearly names who approved a budget. Which option best meets that goal?
The final budget was approved yesterday.
It was decided that the final budget should be approved.
The board approved the final budget yesterday.
Approval of the final budget occurred yesterday.