Choose the correct passive form of the given sentence:
Old coins from the Mughal period deeply interest my grandfather.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → My grandfather is deeply interested in old coins from the Mughal period.
Passive with “in” in place of “by”:
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | my grandfather | My grandfather | The coins interest “my grandfather”, so he receives the action and becomes the subject. |
| Tense kept | interest | is interested | “Interest” is in the simple present, so the passive stays in the simple present: is + past participle (V3). “Is” because the grandfather is one person. |
| “In” in place of “by” | Old coins from the Mughal period | in old coins from the Mughal period | “Interested” is followed by “in”, so the coins come after “in”, not “by”. |
| Full sentence | Old coins from the Mughal period deeply interest my grandfather. | My grandfather is deeply interested in old coins from the Mughal period. |
Some other V3 forms also take their own word in place of “by”: known to, covered with, surprised at. Example: Thick dust covered the old trunk. → The old trunk was covered with thick dust.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: My grandfather is deeply interested at old coins from the Mughal period. — Incorrect. “Interested at” is the wrong word. “Interested” is followed by “in”.
Option 3: My grandfather was deeply interested in old coins from the Mughal period. — Incorrect. “Was interested” is the simple past. The active “interest” is the simple present.
Option 4: Old coins from the Mughal period are deeply interested in my grandfather. — Incorrect. This turns the meaning around. Now the coins take an interest in the grandfather.