SSC CGL Active-Passive Voice: Rules by Tense + 12 Real PYQ Examples

Active-passive voice questions trip people up not because the basic rule is hard, but because the exam tests edge cases: modals, imperatives, and impersonal constructions that don't follow the simple "swap subject and object" pattern most students memorize. This guide covers the rule for each sentence type, then works through 12 real, independently verified questions from official SSC CGL Tier 1 papers.

The Basic Rule (Quick Recap)

Object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence, and the verb changes to "be + past participle." The original subject becomes the "by ___" agent, and the tense of "be" must match the original sentence's tense exactly — this is where most mistakes happen.

Category 1: Modals (can, could, may, might, should)

Q1. Active: "A child could understand his theory."

1. His theory was understood by a child.   2. His theory can be understood by a child.   3. His theory could be understood by a child.   4. His theory is being understood by a child.

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Answer: 3. The modal "could" carries over unchanged — only the main verb becomes "be + past participle" ("could be understood").

Category 2: Simple Past & Present Continuous

Q2. Active: "The children sang the National Anthem with great enthusiasm."

1. The National Anthem was sung with great enthusiasm by the children.   2. The National Anthem has been sung with great enthusiasm by the children.   3. The National Anthem is sung with great enthusiasm by the children.   4. The National Anthem was being sung with great enthusiasm by the children.

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Answer: 1. Simple past active ("sang") becomes simple past passive ("was sung").

Q3. Active: "She is teaching French to children."

1. Children are being taught French by her.   2. Children were taught French by her.   3. Children are taught French by her.   4. Children have been taught French by her.

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Answer: 1. Present continuous active ("is teaching") becomes present continuous passive ("are being taught").

Q4. Active: "Fortunately, the fire did not cause much damage."

1. Fortunately, not much damage was caused by the fire.   2. Fortunately, not much damage was being caused by the fire.   3. Fortunately, not much damage is caused by the fire.   4. Fortunately, not much damage is being caused by the fire.

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Answer: 1. Negative simple past ("did not cause") becomes negative simple past passive ("was... caused," with "not" placed correctly).

Category 3: Imperatives (Commands & Requests)

Imperatives are the trickiest category because there's no explicit subject in the active sentence — the passive form depends on whether it's a command, a prohibition, or a polite request.

Q5. Active (prohibition): "Do not buy medicines without the doctor's prescription."

1. Medicines might not be bought without the doctor's prescription.   2. Medicines need not be bought without the doctor's prescription.   3. Medicines could not be bought without the doctor's prescription.   4. Medicines should not be bought without the doctor's prescription.

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Answer: 4. A negative imperative ("Do not...") becomes "should not be..." in passive — this is the standard fixed transformation for prohibitions.

Q6. Active (polite request): "Please show me my son's Mathematics notebook."

1. I will please be shown my son's Mathematics notebook.   2. My son may please be shown the Mathematics notebook.   3. My son's Mathematics notebook was please shown to me.   4. I may please be shown my son's Mathematics notebook.

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Answer: 4. Polite imperatives with "please" use "may please be" in the passive — a fixed idiomatic pattern worth memorizing directly.

Q7. Active (command): "Show these visitors the butterfly farm."

1. These visitors should be showed the butterfly farm.   2. Let these visitors be showing the butterfly farm.   3. You must show these visitors the butterfly farm.   4. Let these visitors be shown the butterfly farm.

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Answer: 4. Direct commands use "Let + object + be + past participle" in passive.

Category 4: Passive-to-Active Conversion

The reverse direction is just as commonly tested — you're given the passive sentence and must find the correct active form.

Q8. Passive: "The crop was adversely affected by the inadequate rainfall."

1. The adversely rainfall has affected the inadequate crop.   2. The inadequate rainfall was adversely affecting the crop.   3. The inadequate rainfall adversely affected the crop.   4. The inadequate crop adversely affected the rainfall.

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Answer: 3. The "by" agent ("the inadequate rainfall") becomes the subject, and "was affected" becomes simple past active "affected."

Q9. Passive: "Their children were brought up with great care."

1. They brought up their children with great care.   2. Their children brought them up with great care.   3. They had brought up their children with great care.   4. They have been bringing up their children with great care.

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Answer: 1. Since no agent is stated, use a general "they" as the subject — tense must still match ("were brought up" → simple past "brought up").

Q10. Passive: "One of the passengers was being thoroughly checked by the custom officers."

1. The custom officers have been thoroughly checking one of the passengers.   2. The custom officers thoroughly checked one of the passengers.   3. One of the passengers was thoroughly checking the custom officers.   4. The custom officers were thoroughly checking one of the passengers.

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Answer: 4. Past continuous passive ("was being checked") becomes past continuous active ("were checking") — the continuous aspect must carry over exactly.

Category 5: Impersonal & Reporting Constructions

Q11. Active: "Some people believe that discipline means blind submission to authority."

1. It is belief by some people that discipline means blind submission to authority.   2. It was believed by some people that discipline meant blind submission to authority.   3. It is believed by some people that discipline means blind submission to authority.   4. It has been believed by some people that discipline means blind submission to authority.

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Answer: 3. Reporting verbs like "believe," "say," and "think" use the impersonal "It is believed that..." construction, keeping the same tense throughout both clauses.

Q12. Passive: "She was seen sitting in the last row."

1. We see her sitting in the last row.   2. We have seen her sitting in the last row.   3. We had seen her sitting in the last row.   4. We saw her sitting in the last row.

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Answer: 4. With perception verbs ("see," "hear," "notice"), the unstated agent becomes a general "we," and simple past passive becomes simple past active.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Which category of active-passive questions is hardest?
Imperatives (Category 3) trip up the most aspirants, since commands and polite requests each follow a different fixed transformation pattern rather than the standard subject-object swap.

Q2. Do I need to memorize "may please be" as a fixed phrase?
Yes — polite imperative passives don't follow logical derivation the way other tenses do; this is one of the few patterns worth memorizing directly rather than reasoning through.

Q3. How is this different from the active-passive questions in the mock tests?
The mock tests give you timed practice mixing this with other topics; this guide isolates active-passive voice specifically so you can build the underlying rule recognition before testing it under time pressure. Try our Mock Test Day 3 next.

For more grammar practice, see our Top 10 English Mistakes and Para Jumbles Practice Set.