Choose the correct active form of the given sentence:
The lost puppy was found by them near the railway crossing.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → They found the lost puppy near the railway crossing.
Active form of a passive with “by” + a pronoun (simple past):
| Change | Passive | Active | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doer becomes subject | by them | They | The people meant by “them” found the puppy, so they become the subject. As a subject, “them” changes to “they”. |
| Subject becomes object | the lost puppy | the lost puppy (after the verb) | The puppy receives the action, so it goes after the verb. |
| Tense kept | was found | found | “Was found” is in the simple past, so the active stays in the simple past: “found”. |
| Full sentence | The lost puppy was found by them near the railway crossing. | They found the lost puppy near the railway crossing. |
Other pronouns change the same way: by me → I, by her → she, by him → he, by us → we. Example: The lamp was switched off by her. → She switched off the lamp.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Them found the lost puppy near the railway crossing. — Incorrect. “Them” is the object form. It cannot be the subject of “found”.
Option 2: They find the lost puppy near the railway crossing. — Incorrect. “Find” is the simple present. The passive “was found” is the simple past.
Option 4: They had found the lost puppy near the railway crossing. — Incorrect. “Had found” is the past perfect. Its passive would be “had been found”.