Convert the following sentence in Passive Voice by choosing the appropriate answer from the given list.
The soldiers promptly obeyed his command.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → The command was promptly obeyed by the soldiers.
Active to passive voice:
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | his command | The command | “His command” becomes “The command”. |
| Tense kept | promptly obeyed | was promptly obeyed | Simple past “obeyed” becomes was + past participle = “was obeyed”. The adverb “promptly” stays with the verb: “was promptly obeyed”. |
| Agent (by ...) | The soldiers | by the soldiers | The subject of the active sentence follows with by: “by the soldiers”. |
| Full sentence | The soldiers promptly obeyed his command. | The command was promptly obeyed by the soldiers. |
Example: The police caught the thief. → The thief was caught by the police.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The command should be obeyed might now, soldiers. — Incorrect. It brings in the modal "should" and the meaningless words "might now", and drops the doer. The sentence is not grammatical.
Option 3: Obey the command promptly soldiers! — Incorrect. This is an order (imperative sentence) addressed to the soldiers, not the passive form of a statement.
Option 4: The command is promptly obeyed by the soldiers. — Incorrect. "is obeyed" is the simple present. The active sentence is in the simple past, so the passive must be "was obeyed".