Exercise – Unit 11: Voice – Chapter 1: Grammar Practice – Starter TOEIC – Third Edition – Building TOEIC Test-taking Skills – Anne Taylor – Casey Malarcher

A. Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. The mistake has already been ——- by him.
(A) correct
(B) correcting
(C) correction
(D) corrected

Answer: (D) corrected
In passive structures, the verb should be a past participle.
This is a passive voice sentence in the present perfect tense: has been + past participle (corrected)
Options (A), (B), and (C) are incorrect because they do not fit the form required for the passive voice.

2. The family has ——- from their vacation already.
(A) return
(B) returned
(C) been return
(D) been returned

Answer: (B) returned
The verb “return” is an intransitive verb.
(B) This is an active voice sentence in the present perfect tense: has + past participle (returned)
(A) “return” is incorrect because it is the base form.
(C) and (D) include “been,” which would indicate the passive voice. However, “returned” here is not used in the passive sense.

3. They were seen ——- kites in the park last weekend.
(A) fly
(B) flown
(C) flying
(D) to be flown

Answer: (C) flying
The action was in progress, so an -ing form is needed after the perceptual verb “see.”
After “were seen” (passive voice), we use either the to-infinitive (to fly) or the present participle (flying) depending on the context. Here, “flying” is correct because it describes an action in progress (continuous).
(A) “fly”; (B) “flown” and (D) “to be flown” is grammatically wrong in this sentence.

4. The manager was preoccupied ——- checking the reports.
(A) in
(B) at
(C) with
(D) from

Answer: (C) with
Preoccupied uses “with.”
The phrase “preoccupied with” is a fixed expression, meaning someone is deeply engaged or absorbed in something.
(A) “in,” (B) “at,” and (D) “from” are not correct prepositions to follow “preoccupied.”

B. Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

A survey of mobile phone use was conducted ——- the National Telecommunications Institute. They discovered that only five percent of people have downloaded a mobile phone game. The study found that many were confused about whether their handset could play games or how to download them. 2,500 phone users were ——- across the U.S. and several European countries.

1. (A) to
(B) of
(C) by
(D) from

2. (A) interviewed
(B) interview
(C) interviews
(D) interviewing

Answer:

1. (C) by
With the passive we use by + noun to say who did the action.
The sentence is in passive voice, indicated by “was conducted.”
In passive constructions, “by” is used to indicate the agent (the doer of the action), in this case, the National Telecommunications Institute.
Options (A) “to,” (B) “of,” and (D) “from” do not fit the grammatical or contextual requirements here.

2. (A) interviewed
In a passive sentence, the “be” verb is followed by the past participle.
After “were,” the past participle “interviewed” completes the passive structure correctly.
(B) “interview” is the base form, which is incorrect for passive voice.
(C) “interviews” is a noun, not appropriate here.
(D) “interviewing” is a present participle and does not fit the structure.

C. Fill the blank with the appropriate word.

1. He works in the ——- division of our company.
(A) personal
(B) individual
(C) personnel
(D) impersonal

Answer: (C) personnel
Personnel = regarding persons employed in an organization.
“Personnel” refers to the department in a company that handles employee-related matters like hiring, training, and management.
(A) “personal” relates to an individual’s private matters.
(B) “individual” refers to a single person and is not appropriate for a division.
(D) “impersonal” means lacking personal connection or warmth, which doesn’t describe a company division.

2. This is not ——- business; it can wait.
(A) urgent
(B) tiring
(C) taxing
(D) demanding

Answer: (A) urgent
Urgent = compelling immediate action; pressing.
“Urgent” means requiring immediate attention, and the context implies that the business can wait because it is not urgent.
(B) “tiring,” (C) “taxing,” and (D) “demanding” describe types of work but don’t fit the meaning of “it can wait.”

3. Our team is ——- to win this time.
(A) like
(B) alike
(C) likely
(D) probably

Answer: (C) likely
To be likely to ≈ to be very probable.
“Likely” means probable or expected, fitting the context of predicting a win.
(A) “like” means similar to and does not express probability.
(B) “alike” compares similarity and is grammatically incorrect here.
(D) “probably” is an adverb and cannot directly follow “is” in this structure.

4. They’ve arranged a ——- reception for us.
(A) warm
(B) heating
(C) hospital
(D) hospitably

Answer: (A) warm
Warm = showing friendliness or kindness.
“Warm reception” is a common phrase indicating a friendly and welcoming environment.
(B) “heating” refers to temperature regulation, which doesn’t fit the context.
(C) “hospital” is a noun and incorrect here.
(D) “hospitably” is an adverb and grammatically incorrect in this adjective-required position.