Select the correct Passive form of the given sentence.
My helper had cleared a spot under a walnut tree.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A spot under a walnut tree had been cleared by my helper.
Passive voice of the past perfect tense:
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | a spot | A spot (under a walnut tree) | The object “a spot” (under a walnut tree) becomes the subject. |
| Tense kept | had cleared | had been cleared | The past perfect “had cleared” becomes had been + past participle: “had been cleared”. |
| Agent (by ...) | My helper | by my helper | The doer goes into a by-phrase: “by my helper”. |
| Full sentence | My helper had cleared a spot under a walnut tree. | A spot under a walnut tree had been cleared by my helper. |
Example: They had painted the house. → The house had been painted by them.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: My helper under a walnut tree had cleared a spot. — Incorrect. It is still in the active voice. Only the words are moved, and the meaning changes (the helper is now under the tree).
Option 2: A spot was cleared under a walnut tree by my helper. — Incorrect. "Was cleared" is the passive of the simple past. The past perfect needs "had been cleared".
Option 4: Had a spot been cleared under a walnut tree by my helper. — Incorrect. The helping verb comes first, which is the word order of a question. The given sentence is a statement.