Select the option that expresses the given sentence in passive voice.
The swollen river could have washed away the bamboo bridge near our village.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → The bamboo bridge near our village could have been washed away by the swollen river.
Passive of “could have” + past participle (V3):
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | the bamboo bridge near our village | The bamboo bridge near our village | The bridge receives the action, so it becomes the subject. |
| Modal and tense kept | could have washed away | could have been washed away | “Could have washed away” talks of something possible in the past. The passive keeps “could have” and adds “been”: could have been + past participle (V3). “Away” stays with “washed”. |
| Agent (by ...) | The swollen river | by the swollen river | The river is named, so the doer comes after “by”. |
| Full sentence | The swollen river could have washed away the bamboo bridge near our village. | The bamboo bridge near our village could have been washed away by the swollen river. |
“Might have” and “would have” work the same way: might have + V3 → might have been + V3. Example: The wind might have blown down the signboard. → The signboard might have been blown down by the wind.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The bamboo bridge near our village could be washed away by the swollen river. — Incorrect. “Could be washed away” talks of now or later. “Have” is dropped, so the past idea is lost.
Option 2: The bamboo bridge near our village could have washed away by the swollen river. — Incorrect. The word “been” is missing. Without it, the verb is not passive.
Option 4: The swollen river could have been washed away by the bamboo bridge near our village. — Incorrect. This turns the meaning around. Now the bridge washes away the river.