Change the following sentence from active to passive voice:
Careless driving causes many accidents.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Many accidents are caused by careless driving.
Active to passive voice (simple present):
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | many accidents | Many accidents | “Many accidents” becomes the subject. |
| Tense kept | causes | are caused | Be + past participle in the same tense. The new subject is plural, so “causes” becomes “are caused”. |
| Agent (by ...) | Careless driving | by careless driving | The doer goes to the end as “by careless driving”. |
| Full sentence | Careless driving causes many accidents. | Many accidents are caused by careless driving. |
Example: Floods destroy many crops. → Many crops are destroyed by floods.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Many accidents is caused by careless driving. — Incorrect. "Is" does not agree with the plural subject "many accidents".
Option 3: Many accidents causes careless driving. — Incorrect. It is still active and reverses the meaning: accidents now cause careless driving.
Option 4: Many accidents are causes by careless driving. — Incorrect. The passive needs the past participle "caused", not "causes".