Select the correct active form of the given sentence:
Why was such a letter written by your brother?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Why did your brother write such a letter?
Passive to active (simple past question):
| Change | Passive | Active | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agent (by ...) becomes subject | by your brother | your brother | “By your brother” becomes “your brother”. |
| Tense kept | was written | did ... write | “Was written” is simple past passive and becomes simple past active. In a question this is did + base form (did ... write). |
| Subject becomes object | such a letter | such a letter (after the verb) | “Such a letter” goes after the verb. |
| Full sentence | Why was such a letter written by your brother? | Why did your brother write such a letter? |
Example: Why was the window broken by the boys? → Why did the boys break the window?
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Why your brother write such a letter? — Incorrect. The auxiliary did is missing, so it is not a proper question.
Option 3: Why was your brother wrote such a letter? — Incorrect. It mixes the passive helper was with the past form wrote. "Was wrote" is ungrammatical.
Option 4: Why did your brother wrote such a letter? — Incorrect. After did the base form is used: write, not wrote.