In the following question, a sentence has been given in the Active voice. Out of the four alternatives, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in the Passive voice. Sentence: Varun ate six rotis at dinner.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: At dinner, six rotis were eaten by Varun.

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of transformation between Active and Passive voice. The given sentence is in the Active voice, where the subject Varun performs the action of eating six rotis. To change it to the Passive voice, the object six rotis must become the subject of the new sentence, while keeping the meaning and tense intact.



Given Data / Assumptions:


    • Active sentence: Varun ate six rotis at dinner.
    • Tense: Simple past (ate).
    • Subject: Varun.
    • Object: six rotis.
    • Adverbial phrase: at dinner.
    • We must convert it to Passive voice while preserving the simple past tense and sense.


Concept / Approach:
The general rule for converting a simple past tense Active sentence to Passive is: object + was/were + past participle of the verb + by + subject. Since six rotis is plural, we must use were, and the past participle of eat is eaten. The phrase at dinner can be placed at the beginning for emphasis: At dinner, six rotis were eaten by Varun. This structure follows all necessary voice change rules.



Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the object of the Active sentence: six rotis. Step 2: Move this object to the subject position in the Passive sentence: Six rotis ... Step 3: Maintain the simple past tense using were + eaten for a plural subject: were eaten. Step 4: Introduce the agent with by + Varun to indicate who performed the action. Step 5: Preserve the adverbial phrase at dinner and position it naturally, for example, at the beginning: At dinner, six rotis were eaten by Varun. Step 6: Confirm that this matches option b exactly.


Verification / Alternative check:
Compare the Active and Passive sentences in meaning: Active: Varun ate six rotis at dinner. Passive: At dinner, six rotis were eaten by Varun. Both sentences state that during dinner, Varun consumed six rotis. The tense, number, and participants remain the same. Option a uses was ate, which is incorrect because the plural subject requires were and the main verb must be in past participle form, eaten. Options c and d are not in the Passive voice; they change the tense or structure entirely.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option a, At dinner, six rotis was ate by Varun, is grammatically wrong because the plural subject six rotis requires were, and the form ate is not the past participle. Option c, At dinner, Varun had eaten six rotis, is still in Active voice and also changes the tense to past perfect. Option d, At dinner, had Varun eaten six rotis, is an interrogative form in the past perfect tense, again not Passive. None of these correctly follow the Active to Passive transformation rule for the simple past.



Common Pitfalls:
Learners often forget to use the correct auxiliary verb for plural subjects or confuse the simple past form with the past participle. Another common mistake is to change the tense unnecessarily while transforming the voice. Always follow the pattern: object + was/were + past participle + by + subject, and check that the tense and number agree with the original sentence.



Final Answer:
The correct Passive voice sentence is: At dinner, six rotis were eaten by Varun.

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