Choose the correct passive form of the given sentence:
A stray dog bit the milkman near the temple yesterday.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → The milkman was bitten by a stray dog near the temple yesterday.
Passive of the simple past (irregular verb):
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | the milkman | The milkman | The milkman receives the action, so he becomes the subject. |
| Tense kept | bit | was bitten | “Bit” is in the simple past, so the passive stays in the simple past: was / were + past participle (V3). The V3 of “bite” is “bitten”. “Was” because the milkman is one person. |
| Agent (by ...) | A stray dog | by a stray dog | The dog is named, so the doer comes after “by”. |
| Full sentence | A stray dog bit the milkman near the temple yesterday. | The milkman was bitten by a stray dog near the temple yesterday. |
Other irregular verbs work the same way: tore → was torn, shook → was shaken, wove → was woven. Example: The strong wind tore the shop banner. → The shop banner was torn by the strong wind.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: The milkman was bit by a stray dog near the temple yesterday. — Incorrect. “Bit” is the simple past form, not the V3. The passive needs “bitten”.
Option 3: The milkman has been bitten by a stray dog near the temple yesterday. — Incorrect. “Has been bitten” is the present perfect. The active “bit” is the simple past, and “yesterday” needs the simple past.
Option 4: A stray dog was bitten by the milkman near the temple yesterday. — Incorrect. This turns the meaning around. Now the milkman bit the dog.