The question "How do you wash your clothes?" when converted to the passive voice becomes "How are your clothes washed?"
Understanding the Passive Voice
In English grammar, the passive voice is used when the focus is on the action and the object of the action, rather than the subject performing the action. As explained by a reference on passive voice, in this structure, "the object of the active sentence becomes the subject, and the original subject may be omitted or introduced with 'by.'"
For instance, the active command "Wash the clothes!" focuses on the person doing the washing. The passive version, given in the reference, is "Let the clothes be washed!" Here, the focus shifts to the clothes receiving the action.
Converting the Question to Passive Voice
Let's break down the active question "How do you wash your clothes?" to see how it transforms into the passive voice.
The Active Question
The active sentence is: How do you wash your clothes?
- Subject: you (the person doing the washing)
- Verb: wash
- Object: your clothes (the things being washed)
- Interrogative Word: How
The Passive Transformation
To convert this question into the passive voice, we apply the core principle: the object becomes the new subject.
- The object 'your clothes' becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
- The verb 'wash' is changed into its passive form, which uses a form of the verb 'to be' followed by the past participle ('washed'). Since 'your clothes' is plural and the original verb is in the present tense ('do wash'), the correct form is 'are washed'.
- The interrogative word 'How' remains at the beginning of the question.
- The original subject 'you' is typically omitted in passive constructions unless it's important to specify who performed the action (in which case it would be included with 'by', e.g., "by you").
Here's a simple comparison:
| Sentence Component | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Interrogative Word | How | How |
| Subject | you | your clothes |
| Verb (Form) | wash (do wash) | are washed |
| Original Subject (opt) | (implied) | (omitted or 'by you') |
| Full Sentence | How do you wash...? | How are...washed? |
The Final Answer
Following these steps, the passive voice version of "How do you wash your clothes?" is:
How are your clothes washed?
This sentence shifts the focus from the person doing the washing (you) to the process the clothes undergo (are washed).
