Change the following sentence into Passive Voice.
The enemy has defeated our army.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Our army has been defeated
Active to passive voice (present perfect):
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | our army | Our army | “Our army” moves to the front. |
| Tense kept | has defeated | has been defeated | Has/have + been + past participle, in the same tense: “has defeated” becomes “has been defeated”. “Army” is singular, so it takes “has”. |
| Agent (by ...) | The enemy | – (left out) | “By the enemy” may be added or left out. The option leaves it out. |
| Full sentence | The enemy has defeated our army. | Our army has been defeated. |
Example: The workers have repaired the road. → The road has been repaired.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Our army had been defeated — Incorrect. "Had been" is the past perfect. The tense of the active sentence is the present perfect.
Option 3: Our army have been defeated — Incorrect. The singular subject "army" needs "has", not "have".
Option 4: Our army was defeated — Incorrect. "Was defeated" is the simple past, so the tense changes.