Choose the option with the correct transformation of the following sentence from active voice to passive voice.
The gardener is watering the plants.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → The plants are being watered by the gardener.
Active to passive voice (present continuous):
| Change | Active | Passive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object becomes subject | the plants | The plants | “The plants” becomes the subject. |
| Tense kept | is watering | are being watered | The present continuous stays, as is/am/are + being + past participle. “Plants” is plural, so “is watering” becomes “are being watered”. |
| Agent (by ...) | The gardener | by the gardener | The doer goes to the end as “by the gardener”. |
| Full sentence | The gardener is watering the plants. | The plants are being watered by the gardener. |
Example: The boy is flying a kite. → A kite is being flown by the boy.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The plants were watered by the gardener. — Incorrect. "Were watered" is simple past. The present continuous of the active sentence is lost.
Option 3: The plants will be watered by the gardener. — Incorrect. "Will be watered" is simple future. The tense is changed.
Option 4: The plants are been watered by the gardener. — Incorrect. "Been" cannot follow "are". The continuous passive needs "being" ("are being watered").
Contrast: are being watered (continuous passive, with "being") but are been watered ("been" cannot follow "are").