Choose the most appropriate passive construction for the sentence given below.
Everyone knows the facts of the case very well.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → The facts of the case are very well known.
Active to passive voice (simple present):
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | the facts of the case | The facts of the case | The object “the facts of the case” moves to the front of the sentence. |
| Tense kept | knows | are known | The simple present stays, as is/are + past participle. The new subject “facts” is plural, so “knows” becomes “are known”. |
| Agent (by ...) | Everyone | – (left out) | “Everyone” is a general doer that adds nothing, so it is usually left out. |
| Full sentence | Everyone knows the facts of the case very well. | The facts of the case are very well known. |
Example: People speak English all over the world. → English is spoken all over the world.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Everyone knows very well the facts of the case. — Incorrect. It is still in the active voice. Only the words have been moved around.
Option 3: Very well are known the facts of the case. — Incorrect. The verb comes before the subject. A passive statement keeps the normal order: subject + are known.
Option 4: The facts of the case is very well known by everyone. — Incorrect. The singular verb "is" does not agree with the plural subject "facts". It must be "are".