Univ. of Phoenix: Center for Writing Excellence, Active and Passive Voice Skill-and-Drill Quiz Note: Every time you take the quiz the questions are in a different order and some questions will be different. 1. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? •The hotel was left by the blackout with 250 pounds of spoiledfood. ? The blackout left the hotel with 250 pounds of spoiled food. 1. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? •The director’s left had was left with about 75% mobility after he suffered injuries in a car accident. A gap was left in the auditing team by the capable director when he left. 2. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: Enron might still exist had auditors been granted full access to company records by the executives. ? Auditors might have saved Enron had authorities granted them full access to company records. •Auditors might have been able to save Enron had they been granted full access to company records. •Enron might still exist had the executives granted the auditors full access to company records. 3. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? The ingredients will have to be added to the boiling water. ? You will have to add the ingredients to the boiling water. 4. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: The books will be taken from the library by the movers on January 16. ? The movers will take the books from the library on January 16. •The movers are taking the books from the library on January 16. •The movers took the books from the library on January 16. 5. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: Intellectuals were relocated by Pol Pot to the Indonesian countryside. Pol Pot has relocated intellectuals to the Indonesian countryside •Pol Pot wanted to relocate intellectuals to the Indonesian countryside. ? Pol Pot relocated intellectuals to the Indonesian countryside. 6. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: The brochures and the radio spots were written by the tireless marketing team. •The brochures and radio spots had been written by the tireless marketing team. ? The tireless marketing team wrote the brochures and radio spots. •The brochures and radio spots were written by the tireless marketing team. 7.
Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? ? PepsiCo’s production of diet soda was exceeded by Coca-Cola in 2006. •The coast of Maine wa buffeted by strong winds early this morning. 8. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: The layout of the new rooms at headquarters was considered “ old-fashioned” by the designers, and new flooring and wall coverings were recommended. •The layout of the new rooms at headquarters was considered “ old-fashioned” by the designers, and they recommended new flooring and wall coverings. The designer considered the layout of the new rooms at headquarters to be “ old-fashioned,” and new flooring and wall coverings were recommended. ? The designers considered the layout of the new rooms at headquarters to be “ old-fashioned” and recommended new flooring and wall coverings. 9. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: The notebook computers were produced by Toshiba Corporation. ? Toshiba Corporation produced the notebook computers. •Toshiba Corporation had produced the notebook computers. •Toshiba Corporation will produce the notebook computers. 10.
Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? •The jury was instructed not to discuss the case with anyone. ? The judge instructed the jury not to discuss the case with anyone. 11. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? •The rare book was found several miles from the library on a park bench. ? The dissertation was worked on 14 hours a day for seven days by the talented and soon-to-beDoctorJana Hartwood. 12. Change this verb form active voice to passive voice: “…were watching their stock. ” ? … stock was being watched •… stock had been watched •… stock had been watching 3. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ? The eccentric millionaire will purchase the artwork for about $100, 000. •The artwork will be purchased by the eccentric millionaire for about $100, 000. 14. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: The show was stolen by Sue Preston, when an imitation of CEO Richard Blake was performed by her. ? Sue Preston stole the show when she imitated CEO Richard Blake •Sue Preston stole the show when an imitation of CEO Richard Blake was performed by her. •The show was stolen by Sue Preston, when she performed an imitation of CEO Richard Blake. 15.
Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: After the colors were presented by the color guard, the commencement address was given by Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of theholocaust. •After the colors were presented by the color guard, Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust, gave the commencement address. ? After the color guard presented the colors, Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust, gave the commencement address. •After the color guard presented the colors, the commencement address was given by the Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust. 6. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? •The experiment was first conducted at Yale University in the 1970s. ? The gold medal was won by gymnast Peter Vidmar in Los Angeles. 17. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ? The government cannot foresee the potential damage of a severe hurricane season. •The potential damage of a severe hurricane season cannot be foreseen by the government. 18. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ? Workers burn the sugar cane before hauling it to the refinery. •The sugar cane is burned before it is hauled to the refinery. 19.
Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: A thickening was found by the doctor in the patient’s right bicep, and the patient was told by the doctor that it would need to be removed by the surgeon. •The doctor found a thickening in the patient’s right bicep, and the patient was told by the doctor that it would need to be removed by the surgeon. •A thickening was found by the doctor in the patient’s right bicep, and the doctor told the patient the surgeon would need to remove it. ? The doctor found a thickening in the patient’s right bicep, and the doctor told the patient the surgeon would need to remove it. 0. Change this verb from active voice to passive voice: “…will perform Chopin’s etudes. ” ? Chopin’s etudes will be performed… •Chopin’s etudes were performed… •Chopin’s etudes may be performed… 21. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: The organization had originally been established by the Quakers in 1848. •The Quakers originally established the organization in 1848 ? The Quakers had originally established the organization in 1848. •The Quakers were originally establishing the organization in 1848. 22. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? By whom can Mt. Everest be climbed? ? Who will be able to climb Mt. Everest? 23. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ? The executive team sought ways to help the training department recover. •Ways were sought by the executive team to help the training department recover. 24. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? ? Sweaters were knitted by the 75-year-old great grandmother of seven, who sold them to supplement her social security. •The relic of inestimable value was found in an antique store in West Virginia.
