Verb Mood and Voice Quiz

The Active and Passive Voices Quiz

The verb mood and voice are critical components of the English language that are often tested in standardized exams for high school students. Understanding and mastery of verb mood and voice is essential for clear and effective communication, as well as for demonstrating proficiency in the English language. The Verb Mood and Voice Quiz is designed to test high school students' knowledge and ability to identify and form sentences in various verb moods and voices.

Verb mood refers to the manner in which a verb is used to indicate the attitude of the speaker or writer towards the action described by the verb. The three main verb moods in English are the indicative, the imperative, and the subjunctive. The indicative mood is used to make statements, the imperative mood is used to give commands, and the subjunctive mood is used to express doubt, wish, or hypothetical situations.

Voice, on the other hand, refers to the relationship between the subject of a sentence and the action described by the verb. There are two voices in English: the active voice and the passive voice. In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action described by the verb. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action described by the verb.

This quiz is intended to help high school students develop their understanding and proficiency in verb mood and voice, which are fundamental skills for success in both their academic and professional lives. The quiz is comprised of a series of multiple-choice questions that will assess students' ability to identify sentences written in different verb moods and voices, as well as their ability to construct sentences in these forms.

By taking this quiz, high school students will have the opportunity to practice and reinforce their understanding of verb mood and voice, and to receive feedback on their performance. This will help to ensure that they are well-prepared for standardized exams and other language assessments, and will also provide them with a useful tool for improving their writing skills more generally.

1/9

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who would later come to be known as Mark Twain, would have been 25 years old when the Civil War started in 1861.

NO CHANGE

would of been 25 years old when the Civil War had started

was 25 years old when the Civil War started

was 25 years old when the Civil War would have started

Explanation: This sentence is making two factual historical claims, so both claims— about Clemens’s age and when the Civil War started—must take the indicative mood, not the subjunctive mood. Therefore, choices A, B, and D are incorrect. (Notice that, in choice B, the phrase would of is a common diction error. The proper subjunctive phrasing is would have.)

2/9

If the goalie had not slipped backward, he might not have blocked the shot and saved the game.

NO CHANGE

did not slip

had not of slipped

would not have slipped

Explanation: The original subjunctive phrasing is best, because this clause is counterfactual: the goalie did slip backward. Recall that the past conditional counterfactual takes the same form as the past consequential: had not slipped. Choice B is incorrect because this statement is counterfactual, not indicative. Choice C is incorrect because the preposition of serves no grammatical purpose. Choice D is incorrect because this is not the idiomatic phrasing for a past conditional counterfactual.

3/9

The ushers demanded that we must turn off our cell phones until the intermission.

NO CHANGE

should turn

turn

turned

Explanation: Since the verb demanded indicates that the underlined verb represents a command or suggestion, the imperative auxiliaries must and should are redundant in choices A and B. The imperative requires the infinitive form, turn, as in choice C.

4/9

As we move through our daily routines, we tend to become agitated when our rituals are changed, our habits are disrupted, or something violates our expectations.

NO CHANGE

our expectations are violated

something would violate our expectations

something violated our expectations

Explanation: This sentence contains a list, the first two items of which are clauses in the passive voice: our rituals are changed and our habits are disrupted. The Law of Parallelism requires that the third item also be a clause in the passive voice, as in choice B.

5/9

As expected, the rule against protests was dropped by the management, who even expressed sympathy with the workers who had registered their complaints.

NO CHANGE

the rule against protests would have been dropped by the management

the management would have dropped the rule against protests

the management dropped the rule against protests

Explanation: The original phrasing is best, even though it is in the passive voice. The passive voice is required here so that the two clauses can logically coordinate. Choice B is incorrect because the subjunctive would have been dropped does not coordinate logically with the indicative clause that follows. Choices C and D are incorrect because the appositive pronoun who in the second clause would be taken to refer to the protests, which is illogical.

6/9

If the strong winds and rains would have continued for much longer, the small island town probably would have lost power completely.

NO CHANGE

had continued

continued

did continue

Explanation: Choice A is incorrect because the first clause is a past conditional counterfactual, and therefore should not include the subjunctive auxiliary would. The past conditional counterfactual requires the same form as the past consequential, had continued, as in choice B.

7/9

Our tour guide suggested that we explore the tiny hillside town, which is nearly 17 centuries old.

NO CHANGE

the tiny hillside town be explored by us

we should explore the tiny hillside town

we had explored the tiny hillside town

Explanation: The original phrasing is best. The verb suggested indicates the imperative mood in the clause that follows, so no imperative auxiliary (should or might) is required. Choice B is incorrect because the passive voice construction does not coordinate with the pronoun which in the second clause. Choice C is incorrect because the imperative auxiliary should is redundant. Choice D is incorrect because the past consequential had explored is illogical.

8/9

As Gina began climbing the long staircase, she wished that she would have wore her pumps instead of high heels.

NO CHANGE

had worn

would have worn

wore

Explanation: The verb wished indicates that the underlined verb is past wishful, and therefore it should take the past consequential form, had worn, without the subjunctive auxiliary. Choice A is incorrect because it uses that subjunctive auxiliary would and the past tense wore instead of the past participle worn. Choice C is incorrect because it uses the subjunctive auxiliary. Choice D is wrong because the simple past wore does not indicate the past wishful form of the verb.

9/9

Our financial advisor strongly suggested that we be more consistent with our investments and even automate monthly transfers from our checking to our retirement account.

NO CHANGE

we are more consistent with our investments

our investments should be more consistent

our investments be more consistent

Explanation: The original provides the correct imperative phrasing. Since the verb suggested already indicates a command or suggestion, no auxiliary is necessary and the verb indicating the suggestion should use the infinitive form. Choice B is incorrect because it uses the indicative mood rather than the imperative mood. Choice C is incorrect because the auxiliary should is redundant, and the subject does not align with the parallel predicate that follows the underlined portion. Choice D is incorrect because its subject does not align with the parallel predicate that follows the underlined portion: our investments should not automate monthly transfers, but rather we should.

Result:

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