In this English grammar question on voice, a sentence in the active voice is given about auctioneers conducting an auction. Out of the four alternatives, select the option that best expresses the same idea in the passive voice: The auctioneers are conducting the auction.

Introduction / Context:
This question again concerns the conversion of a present continuous active sentence into a passive sentence. The original statement "The auctioneers are conducting the auction" shows that an auction is in progress. In the passive form, the emphasis moves from the auctioneers to the auction itself, which becomes the subject. You need to choose the option that correctly uses the continuous passive structure without introducing unnecessary complexity.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The verb phrase "are conducting" is present continuous.
• The subject is "The auctioneers".
• The object is "the auction".
• The sentence describes an action currently in progress.
• The passive form should keep the present continuous sense and mention the auctioneers as agents.

Concept / Approach:
For present continuous sentences, the passive voice uses the structure "am / is / are being + past participle". The object "the auction" becomes the subject of the passive sentence, so we use "is being conducted". The original subject "the auctioneers" is added at the end with "by". This preserves both the ongoing nature of the activity and the identification of who is carrying it out. The result is a clear statement that an auction is taking place under the control of specific auctioneers.

Step-by-Step Solution:
First, identify "the auction" as the object that will serve as the subject in the passive sentence. Second, note that the tense is present continuous, so the passive auxiliary for the singular subject "auction" is "is being". Third, form the passive verb phrase "is being conducted" using the past participle of "conduct". Fourth, add the agent phrase "by the auctioneers" after the verb phrase to show who is conducting the auction. Fifth, write the full sentence: "The auction is being conducted by the auctioneers".

Verification / Alternative check:
"The auction is being conducted by the auctioneers" clearly indicates an ongoing event and correctly shifts the focus from the doers to the event itself. The presence of "is being conducted" mirrors "are conducting" in meaning and maintains the continuous aspect. The phrase "by the auctioneers" identifies the same agents mentioned in the original sentence. When read, the sentence sounds natural and fits the pattern of present continuous passive voice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Options B and C use awkward nominal phrases "Conducting of the auction" and "Conduction of the auctioning" combined with perfect tense, which changes the tense and style and is not the simple passive transformation requested. Option D still uses a nominalised subject "Conduction of the auctioning" instead of directly making "the auction" the subject, and the phrase sounds very unnatural in normal English. Only option A uses the straightforward present continuous passive structure "The auction is being conducted by the auctioneers" and retains the original meaning in a clear form.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes feel that they must use heavy nominal expressions when converting such sentences to passive, which often leads to unnatural or incorrect grammar. Another common mistake is to shift to present perfect passive or to drop the word "being", thereby losing the continuous aspect. Some students also wrongly assume that changing the voice requires changing the basic sentence pattern entirely. Remember that the simplest and most direct passive usually takes the object as the new subject and uses "be + being + past participle" for continuous tenses.

Final Answer:
The option that correctly expresses the sentence in the passive voice is: The auction is being conducted by the auctioneers.