Question

Complete the sentence using the verb in its correct form:
(Active / passive)
We were driving along quite fast but we _________ (overtake) by lots of other cars.
a) Are overtaken
b) Were overtaken
c) overtake
d) overtook

Answer 1

Hint: Passive is the voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is the recipient (not the source) of the action denoted by the verb. Active is the voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb.

Complete answer:
In the given question, we have to find out which of the options includes the answer which is in the past tense and also follows the rules of voice.
Let us thus analyze the options given to us in this question -
Option (a.), 'are overtaken', refers to ‘are’ which is in the present tense. Therefore, option (a.) is incorrect as the answer should be in the past tense.
Option (b.), ‘were overtaken', refers to ‘were’ which is in the past tense, and ‘overtaken’ which follows the rules of voice. Therefore, option (b.) is correct.
Option (c.), ‘overtake', refers to a simple present tense. Therefore, option (c.) is incorrect as the answer should be in the past tense.
Option (d.), ‘overtook', does not follow the rules of voice. Therefore, option (d.) is incorrect.

Note:
In this question, it will be helpful for the student to recall the concept of voice. Voice is (linguistics) the grammatical relation (active or passive) of the grammatical subject of a verb to the action that the verb denotes.