Change the following passive sentence into a suitable active voice construction and select the correct option: The most useful gift of my wedding was given to me by my aunt.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: My aunt gave me the most useful gift of my wedding.

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Voice transformation, that is, converting sentences from passive to active voice or the reverse, is a frequently tested grammar skill. In this question, a sentence in the passive voice describing a wedding gift must be changed into a correct, natural sounding active voice sentence. The tense, meaning, and emphasis must all be preserved as far as possible.


Given Data / Assumptions:


    Passive sentence: The most useful gift of my wedding was given to me by my aunt.

    The doer of the action is "my aunt".

    The receiver of the action is "me".

    The object affected by the action is "the most useful gift of my wedding".


Concept / Approach:


    An active voice sentence makes the doer of the action the grammatical subject.

    In the passive sentence, the structure is "object + was given + to me + by my aunt".

    To convert to active voice, "my aunt" should become the subject, and "the most useful gift of my wedding" should remain the object.

    The verb phrase "was given" should change to the simple past "gave", preserving tense but shifting to active form.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the subject in the passive sentence. The agent is "my aunt", mentioned in the phrase "by my aunt". Step 2: Identify the object and indirect object. The direct object is "the most useful gift of my wedding". The indirect object is "me". Step 3: In active voice, place "my aunt" at the beginning as the subject. Step 4: Use the simple past tense active form of the verb: "gave". Step 5: Keep the indirect object "me" after the verb and follow it with the direct object: "my aunt gave me the most useful gift of my wedding". Step 6: Compare this structure with the given options to find the exact match.


Verification / Alternative check:
The passive sentence uses "was given", which is the simple past passive of "give". The correct active transformation must therefore use "gave", not a perfect tense form. Option a uses "gave", matches the subject, and retains the same object and meaning, so it is consistent with the original.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b uses "had given", which introduces the past perfect tense and changes the time reference compared to the simple past in the original. Option c remains in a type of passive form and also changes the structure, so it does not produce a straightforward active sentence. Option d uses "has given", which is present perfect, again conflicting with the original simple past time reference.


Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes change the tense when moving from passive to active, even though the question usually expects the same tense to be maintained. Another error is to omit the indirect object "me" or change the order of objects in a way that sounds unnatural. Candidates should practice identifying agent, verb, and object clearly before attempting such transformations.


Final Answer:
The correct answer is: My aunt gave me the most useful gift of my wedding.

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