Choose the correct passive form of the given sentence:
In those days, the washerman used to iron our school uniforms on Sundays.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → In those days, our school uniforms used to be ironed by the washerman on Sundays.
Passive of “used to” + verb:
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | our school uniforms | Our school uniforms | The uniforms receive the action, so they become the subject. |
| “Used to” kept | used to iron | used to be ironed | “Used to iron” shows a past habit. In the passive it becomes used to be + past participle (V3). “Used to” does not change for one or many. |
| Agent (by ...) | the washerman | by the washerman | The washerman is named, so the doer comes after “by”. |
| Full sentence | In those days, the washerman used to iron our school uniforms on Sundays. | In those days, our school uniforms used to be ironed by the washerman on Sundays. |
Other past habits work the same way: used to + verb → used to be + V3. Example: The milkman used to ring the bell at six. → The bell used to be rung by the milkman at six.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: In those days, our school uniforms had been ironed by the washerman on Sundays. — Incorrect. “Had been ironed” is the past perfect. It does not show a habit like “used to”.
Option 2: In those days, our school uniforms used to iron by the washerman on Sundays. — Incorrect. “Be” is missing and “iron” is not the V3. The uniforms cannot iron anything.
Option 3: In those days, our school uniforms were used to being ironed by the washerman on Sundays. — Incorrect. “Were used to” means “were familiar with”. It changes the meaning and is not the passive of “used to iron”.