Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: The kite was caught by the girl.
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Voice transformation is a core area of English grammar tested in many competitive exams. The question asks the learner to convert an active sentence into its correct passive form. The original sentence is in the simple past tense: The girl caught the kite. We must keep the meaning and tense the same while switching focus from the subject to the object in the passive construction.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The basic rule for converting active to passive in simple past tense is:
object + was / were + past participle of main verb + by + subject.
Here, the object the kite will become the new subject in the passive sentence. The auxiliary verb was is used with a singular subject in simple past passive, and the main verb catch must be used in its past participle form caught. Finally, the original subject the girl is introduced after by to complete the passive structure.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the object in the active sentence, which is the kite.
Step 2: Bring the object to the front to serve as the new subject of the passive sentence: The kite.
Step 3: Determine the correct auxiliary verb for simple past passive with a singular subject. This is was.
Step 4: Use the past participle form of catch, which is caught, to build the passive verb phrase was caught.
Step 5: Add the agent phrase by the girl to show who performed the action.
Step 6: Combine all parts to get the passive sentence: The kite was caught by the girl.
Verification / Alternative check:
Check tense and meaning. The original simple past caught is reflected as was caught in the passive, which is correct. The doer of the action, the girl, remains present as the object of the preposition by. The sentence still describes the same event, only with the focus shifted to the kite. Hence, The kite was caught by the girl accurately mirrors the original sentence in passive voice.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The kite is caught by the girl uses present tense is caught instead of past tense, so it does not match the original time reference. The kite was catch by the girl is grammatically incorrect because catch is not in past participle form. The kite is catch by the girl is wrong both in tense and in verb form. Therefore, all three alternatives are ungrammatical or mismatched in tense when compared with the source sentence.
Common Pitfalls:
Learners frequently forget to maintain the original tense when changing voice, or they confuse past and past participle forms, particularly with irregular verbs like catch. Another mistake is leaving out the preposition by before the agent, or rearranging the words so that the sentence no longer reads naturally. Focusing on the formula for passive construction and carefully checking tense and verb form helps avoid these errors.
Final Answer:
The correct passive form is The kite was caught by the girl.
Discussion & Comments