Changing an interrogative sentence into the passive
August 30th, 2010 in English Grammar
Read the following sentences:
Active: Do the children play football?
Passive: Is football played by the children? (NOT Do football played by the children?)
Active: Did Alice invite you?
Passive: Were you invited by Alice? (NOT Did you invited by Alice?)
Note:
As you may have noticed, the auxiliaries do, does and did are not used in the passive.
Active: Have you finished the work?
Passive: Has the work been finished by you?
Notes: The auxiliaries has, have and had are used in the passive, but they change their form according to the number and person of the passive subject.
Active: Can anyone cure it?
Passive: Can it be cured?
Active: Will he accept our invitation?
Passive: Will our invitation be accepted by him?
Note:
The auxiliaries can, may, will and shall do not change their beginning position when active voice is changed into the passive voice.
Active: Whom did you laugh at?
Passive: Who was laughed at by you?
Active: Who killed the snake?
Passive: By whom was the snake killed?
Note:
Who changes to by whom in the passive; (by) whom changes to who in the passive.
Active: Why did he punish you?
Passive: Why were you punished by him?
Notes:
The question words when, where, why, how and what do not change their beginning position when the sentence is changed from the active to the passive.