Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: The story was read by me in one night.
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question checks your ability to convert an active sentence into passive voice while preserving tense and meaning. The given sentence is I read the story in one night. You have to choose the passive form that correctly reflects a completed action in the past and keeps the idea that the entire story was finished within one night.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
To convert a simple past active sentence to passive, we follow the structure: object + was or were + past participle of the verb + by + subject. Because the object the story is singular, we use was. The past participle of read is spelled read and pronounced red. The time phrase in one night should remain intact in the sentence. The correct passive form is therefore The story was read by me in one night.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify object and subject: object is the story, subject is I.Step 2: Move the object to subject position: The story.Step 3: Add the auxiliary verb for simple past passive: was.Step 4: Use the past participle read after was: was read.Step 5: Add the agent phrase by me and keep the time expression in one night, giving The story was read by me in one night.
Verification / Alternative check:
Check that the passive sentence still describes a completed action within a single night and that the tense has not changed. The phrase was read confirms simple past. If you choose had been read or has been read, you move into past perfect or present perfect, which do not directly match the original simple past. Therefore, The story was read by me in one night is the only accurate passive transformation.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes rely only on the presence of been and by to identify passive voice, forgetting to check tense and exact structure. Always first identify the tense of the active verb and then apply the appropriate be form (was or were for simple past), followed by the past participle. Also, make sure that the new sentence is actually passive and not just a different active construction.
Final Answer:
The correct passive form of the sentence is The story was read by me in one night.
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