Question

Change the following sentence into passive voice :

They don't speak English in this shop.

• A. English is not spoken in this shop.
• B. English was not spoken in this shop.
• C. English is not being spoken in this shop.
• D. English has not been spoken in this shop.

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

English is not spoken in this shop.

When a sentence is written, it can either be in active or passive voice. Active voice describes a sentence where the subject (They) performs an action (speak) that affects the object (English). (The given sentence has two objects 'English' and 'shop'). Passive voice describes a sentence where the action is performed 'by the' subject, and the object takes the role as the subject (English). The change in voice from active to passive results in the change in its structure, and the tense remains the same but its form is changed (simple, perfect, continuous tense). In the given sentence, 'They' can be omitted while changing its voice to passive, as it's evident by the phrase "in this shop" as to who doesn't speak English. When the sentence is changed to passive, the simple present 'do not speak' is changed to present perfect tense 'is not spoken'. Hence the correct sentence is in option A. Option B is incorrect because the tense is changed to past, whereas the original sentence is in present tense. Option C is incorrect because 'is not being spoken' is in present progressive tense, whereas the phrase should be in present perfect "is not spoken". Option D is incorrect because 'has not been' is in the present continuous tense, whereas the correct tense is in present perfect.