WASSCE English Language · Paper 1 style

Passive

One sample question with the full working. 1 more in the app, with instant feedback and repair sessions for the traps below.

Choose the passive form: 'The cat ate the fish.'

AThe fish eats the cat.
BThe fish was eaten by the cat.
CThe fish is eaten by the cat.
DThe fish was ate by the cat.

Show the answer and working

Answer: B

Was eaten.

Trap A Misinterprets sentence meaning: Paraphrase the sentence in your own words; identify negation, conditionals and figurative language before choosing.

Trap C Confuses tense/aspect forms: Present perfect links past to now (since 2019, already, yet, for three years); simple past goes with finished time (yesterday, in 2010, last week).

Trap D Uses the wrong form of the verb or word: Identify the structure the frame demands (past perfect after 'by the time … arrived'; passive 'will be + past participle'; 'refuse to + verb') and check the option fills it exactly.

Traps in Passive

Misinterprets sentence meaning
Paraphrase the sentence in your own words; identify negation, conditionals and figurative language before choosing.
Confuses tense/aspect forms
Present perfect links past to now (since 2019, already, yet, for three years); simple past goes with finished time (yesterday, in 2010, last week).
Uses the wrong form of the verb or word
Identify the structure the frame demands (past perfect after 'by the time … arrived'; passive 'will be + past participle'; 'refuse to + verb') and check the option fills it exactly.

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