Select the correct Passive form of the given sentence.
She made the students laugh.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → The students were made to laugh.
Passive of "make + object + verb":
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | the students | The students | The students receive the action, so they become the subject. |
| Tense kept | made | were made | “Made” is in the simple past, so the passive stays in the simple past: was / were + past participle (V3). "Were" because "students" is plural. |
| To-infinitive | laugh | to laugh | In the passive, we add "to" before the verb. |
| Agent (by ...) | She | (by her) | The agent is the doer. It can be left out. We already know who did it. |
| Full sentence | She made the students laugh. | The students were made to laugh. |
Other passive forms: is/am/are + past participle (V3), was/were + V3, has been + V3. Example: The coach made us run. → We were made to run by the coach.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: The students were made laughing. — Incorrect. After "were made", we need "to" + verb ("to laugh"). The -ing form is never used here.
Option 3: She was making students laugh. — Incorrect. This is still in the active voice.
Option 4: She was made to laugh by students. — Incorrect. This changes the meaning. Now the students make her laugh.