In the following English grammar question on voice, choose the correct passive form of the sentence: Marketing professionals play a major role in the development of business sectors.

Introduction / Context:
This problem checks your ability to convert an active sentence in simple present tense into passive voice without disrupting its general truth meaning. The given sentence is Marketing professionals play a major role in the development of business sectors. In active voice, the sentence states a fact about what marketing professionals do. The passive version should highlight the role itself while keeping the statement as a general truth about business sectors.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Active sentence: Marketing professionals play a major role in the development of business sectors.
• Subject: marketing professionals.
• Verb: play (simple present).
• Object: a major role.
• Complement: in the development of business sectors.
• Task: Choose the passive-voice option that preserves the tense and general meaning.

Concept / Approach:
When changing from active to passive in simple present tense, the structure subject + play + object becomes object + is/are + played (by + subject). Here, the object is a major role, which is singular and therefore requires is in passive voice. The agent phrase by the marketing professionals may be included to keep the doer visible. The rest of the information, in the development of business sectors, remains as a prepositional phrase describing where the role is important. Thus the passive sentence A major role is played by the marketing professionals in the development of business sectors correctly reflects the original statement.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Check by re-converting the passive sentence back into active voice: From A major role is played by the marketing professionals in the development of business sectors you can derive Marketing professionals play a major role in the development of business sectors. The tense remains simple present and the meaning about who plays the role and in what context is fully preserved. This confirms that option A is the correct passive form.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B (A major role is being played by the marketing professionals...) uses present continuous is being played, which suggests an ongoing temporary process rather than a timeless general truth. Option C (...a major role was played...) shifts the statement into simple past, implying that this role existed only in the past. Option D (...has been played...) introduces present perfect, again changing the time reference and aspect. Option E (...would be played...) makes the sentence hypothetical or conditional, which is different from the factual statement in the original.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners change tense unconsciously when they see passive forms, especially by adding being or using perfect tenses. However, in general truth statements and definitions, simple present is usually the most appropriate tense. Another pitfall is incorrect subject–verb agreement in the passive sentence; here, the singular subject a major role must be followed by is played, not are played. Always confirm that the passive sentence can be converted back to the original active sentence with no loss of meaning.

Final Answer:
The correct passive-voice version is A major role is played by the marketing professionals in the development of business sectors.