Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: It is good that you can express your ideas with such clarity.
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question assesses your understanding of converting an awkward passive construction into a clear, natural active sentence. The original sentence is It is good that your ideas can be expressed with such clarity by you. Although grammatically correct, it is clumsy and overuses the passive structure by you. In good English style, we prefer a direct active sentence that keeps the same idea: you are the one clearly expressing your ideas.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
In many sentences, especially with can be expressed by you, the passive is grammatically correct but stylistically awkward. Active voice is usually clearer: you can express your ideas. In the clause your ideas can be expressed with such clarity by you, the object in the passive is your ideas, but in the natural active version we let you be the subject followed by can express your ideas. The introductory pattern It is good that can remain unchanged, because it simply comments on the situation and does not affect the voice transformation.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
If we compare the original and the chosen option, we see that both state that it is good that there is such clarity in how your ideas are expressed. The difference lies only in style: the passive version pushes ideas to the front and adds by you at the end, while the active version naturally places you as the subject. No information is lost: ideas, clarity, and the modal can all remain. This confirms that option A preserves the meaning while improving clarity.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B (It is good that such clarity can be expressed by you through your ideas.) is awkwardly phrased and suggests that clarity itself is being expressed, which is less natural. Option C (It is good that you could have expressed your ideas with such clarity.) changes the tense and meaning by using could have expressed, implying a possibility in the past that might not have occurred. Option D (It is good that you could express yourself with such clarity.) shifts from your ideas to yourself and changes can to could, altering both focus and tense. Option E (It is good that your ideas are expressing themselves with such clarity.) is illogical because ideas do not typically express themselves; people express ideas.
Common Pitfalls:
In voice questions that involve modal verbs like can, students sometimes change can to could or to other tenses without cause, which changes the meaning. Another pitfall is accepting unnatural or overly complicated alternatives just because they look formal. Good English is usually direct and clear. When you see by you at the end of a sentence, it is often a hint that an active version with you as the subject will be better. Always ensure that the active sentence keeps the same time reference, agent, and object as the original passive sentence.
Final Answer:
The correct active-voice version is It is good that you can express your ideas with such clarity.
Discussion & Comments