Choose the sentences with a passive voice construction from the given options:
A. By whom was French taught to you?
B. Admittance was refused to him by the guard.
C. He was refused admittance by the guard.
D. Who taught you French?
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → A, B and C only
Passive voice:
- In the passive voice the subject receives the action instead of doing it.
- Form: be + past participle (was taught, was refused). The doer may follow with "by".
- A verb with two objects (refuse him admittance) has two passive forms: either object can become the subject.
(A) By whom was French taught to you? — Passive.
- "was taught" is be + past participle.
- "French" receives the action and the doer is asked about with "by whom".
(B) Admittance was refused to him by the guard. — Passive.
- "was refused" is be + past participle.
- The thing refused, "admittance", is the subject and "by the guard" names the doer.
(C) He was refused admittance by the guard. — Passive.
- "was refused" is be + past participle.
- Here the person, "he", is the subject (the second passive form of the same active sentence).
(D) Who taught you French? — Active.
- The subject "who" does the action "taught".
- There is no be + past participle.
Contrast: in the active voice the subject does the action (Who taught you French?). In the passive it receives the action (be + past participle, often with "by").