Choose the most appropriate option that converts the following sentence from Active to Passive voice:
Observe the bar graph to estimate the next stock market crash.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Let the bar graph be observed to estimate the next stock market crash.
Passive voice of an imperative sentence:
An imperative sentence gives an order or instruction. Its passive form follows the pattern Let + object + be + past participle.
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | the bar graph | Let the bar graph | The object the bar graph comes after “Let”. |
| Tense kept | Observe | be observed | The sentence stays an order. The verb “observe” becomes be observed. |
| Full sentence | Observe the bar graph to estimate the next stock market crash. | Let the bar graph be observed to estimate the next stock market crash. |
The doer is the listener, "you", who is understood, so no "by you" is added. The purpose phrase to estimate the next stock market crash stays as it is.
Example: Shut the gate. → Let the gate be shut.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Should you not observe the bar graph to estimate the next stock market crash? — Incorrect.
- It turns the instruction into a question.
- The verb "observe" is still in the active voice.
Option 3: The bar graph will be observed to estimate the next stock market crash. — Incorrect. It is passive, but it is a statement about the future, not an instruction. The sense of a command is lost.
Option 4: The next stock market crash will be observed in the bar graph. — Incorrect. It changes the meaning: in the given sentence the bar graph is observed, not the crash.