Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: He was elected the chairman of PTA by parents as he was the only talented contestant.
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question checks whether you can correctly convert a simple past sentence with an object complement into passive voice. The active sentence is "Parents elected him the chairman of PTA as he was the only talented contestant." Here, "him" is the object and "the chairman of PTA" is the object complement, telling us what position he was given. The passive form must keep both the position and the reason clause while changing the focus to "he."
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
For simple past tense in active voice, the pattern is subject + past form of verb + object. In passive voice, the structure becomes: object + was or were + past participle + by + subject. In sentences with an object complement, the complement stays attached to the object even after conversion. So "him" becomes "he" in subject position, "elected" becomes "was elected," and "the chairman of PTA" stays after the verb phrase. The reason clause remains unchanged, as it is not affected by voice.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Turn the object "him" into the subject pronoun "he" for use in the passive sentence.Step 2: Use the simple past passive structure: was elected.Step 3: Keep the object complement "the chairman of PTA" directly after "was elected."Step 4: Add the agent phrase "by parents" to identify who did the electing.Step 5: Retain the reason clause "as he was the only talented contestant" exactly as it is.Step 6: The resulting passive sentence is: He was elected the chairman of PTA by parents as he was the only talented contestant.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, convert the passive sentence back into the active voice. Start with "parents" as the subject, use "elected" as the past tense verb, place "him" as the object, and keep "the chairman of PTA" as the object complement. Attach the same reason clause, and you get "Parents elected him the chairman of PTA as he was the only talented contestant," which matches the original sentence. This shows that the transformation is accurate.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B uses "had been elected," which is past perfect and not simple past; this changes the time relation. Option C has the incorrect auxiliary "have been" with singular subject "He" and also changes the reason clause to "as he is," which alters the time reference. Option D uses present simple passive "is elected," which does not match the original past tense. Option E uses the past continuous passive "was being elected," suggesting an ongoing action at a specific past time, which is not the case in the original sentence about a completed election.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the object complement with a second object and may incorrectly rearrange the phrase "the chairman of PTA." Another common mistake is to change the tense while concentrating on form. To avoid these issues, identify the tense clearly, keep the object complement with the new subject, and do not modify unchanged parts like reason clauses or time expressions unless necessary for grammar.
Final Answer:
He was elected the chairman of PTA by parents as he was the only talented contestant.
Discussion & Comments