Changing an interrogative sentence into the passive voice involves converting the sentence's object into the subject, using the appropriate passive verb form, and often including the original subject (now the agent) introduced by "by," while maintaining the question structure.
Understanding the Structure
The basic idea behind the passive voice is shifting focus from the doer (subject) to the receiver of the action (object). When making this transformation for questions, you need to ensure the sentence remains a question.
Recall the core components of passive voice as mentioned in the reference (though applied here to different tenses/structures): it involves the verb "to be" (in the correct tense) + the past participle of the main verb, and optionally the original subject introduced by "by + agent." For interrogative sentences, the auxiliary verb (like "is," "are," "was," "were," "has," "have," "do," "does," "did," modals) often comes before the new subject.
Let's look at examples based on different types of interrogative sentences and tenses.
Yes/No Questions
These questions start with an auxiliary verb or modal verb.
Simple Present
- Active: Does he write the letter?
- Passive: Is the letter written by him?
- Structure: Is/Are + new subject + past participle (+ by + agent)?
Simple Past
- Active: Did she cook the food?
- Active structure as per reference example (declarative): She (subject) cook (verb). And the food (object).
- Reference Passive structure (declarative): was or were plus subject plus past participle plus by plus agent. (Applied to the question: Did she cook the food?)
- Passive: Was the food cooked by her?
- Structure: Was/Were + new subject + past participle (+ by + agent)?
- Relating to reference: "Was" (form of "be"), "the food" (new subject), "cooked" (past participle), "by her" (by + agent). This aligns with the passive components mentioned in the reference, adjusted for a question format.
Present Continuous
- Active: Are they building a house?
- Passive: Is a house being built by them?
- Structure: Is/Are + new subject + being + past participle (+ by + agent)?
Present Perfect
- Active: Has he finished the work?
- Passive: Has the work been finished by him?
- Structure: Has/Have + new subject + been + past participle (+ by + agent)?
Modals (Can, Will, Should, etc.)
- Active: Can you solve this problem?
- Passive: Can this problem be solved by you?
- Structure: Modal + new subject + be + past participle (+ by + agent)?
WH Questions
These questions start with words like Who, What, When, Where, Why, How.
What/When/Where/Why/How Questions
These often follow a similar structure to Yes/No questions after the WH word.
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Active: Why did she break the glass?
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Passive: Why was the glass broken by her?
- Structure: WH word + was/were + new subject + past participle (+ by + agent)?
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Active: How will they deliver the package?
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Passive: How will the package be delivered by them?
- Structure: WH word + modal + new subject + be + past participle (+ by + agent)?
Who/Whom Questions
These can be slightly different because "Who" is often the subject in the active voice, and it becomes the agent in the passive. "Whom" is often the object in the active and becomes the subject in the passive.
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Active (Who as subject): Who wrote this book?
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Passive (by Whom): By whom was this book written?
- Alternative Passive (more common in spoken English): Who was this book written by?
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Active (Whom as object - formal): Whom did they hire?
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Passive (Who as new subject): Who was hired by them?
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Active (Who as object - informal): Who did they hire?
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Passive: Who was hired by them?
Summary Table
| Active Question Example | Passive Question Example | Tense/Type | Key Passive Elements (referencing core idea) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does he write the letter? | Is the letter written by him? | Simple Present | Is + subject + past participle + by agent |
| Did she cook the food? | Was the food cooked by her? | Simple Past | Was + subject + past participle + by agent |
| Are they building a house? | Is a house being built by them? | Present Continuous | Is + subject + being + past participle + by agent |
| Has he finished the work? | Has the work been finished by him? | Present Perfect | Has + subject + been + past participle + by agent |
| Can you solve this problem? | Can this problem be solved by you? | Modal | Modal + subject + be + past participle + by agent |
| Why did she break the glass? | Why was the glass broken by her? | WH Simple Past | WH + was + subject + past participle + by agent |
| Who wrote this book? | By whom was this book written? | WH (Subject 'Who') | By whom + was + subject + past participle |
Remember, changing to passive voice often changes the focus of the sentence. It is used when the action or the receiver of the action is more important than the doer.
