Examkin

Active and Passive Voice Transformation

35 questions

All types35Multiple choice18Fill in the blank17
Question 1Question →

Complete the passive voice transformation of the sentence below by supplying the correct verb phrase in the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

Active: The regulatory body has clamped down on unauthorized financial institutions across the country.
Passive: Unauthorized financial institutions across the country on by the regulatory body.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

have been clamped down
The correct response 'have been clamped down' accurately converts the active present perfect verb 'has clamped down' into its passive counterpart. Because the new subject ('Unauthorized financial institutions across the country') is plural, the auxiliary verb must be 'have', followed by the passive marker 'been', the past participle 'clamped', and the phrasal particle 'down'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense, verb form, and subject of the active sentence.
The active sentence uses the present perfect tense ('has clamped down') with the phrasal verb 'clamp down on'. The new subject in the passive construction is 'Unauthorized financial institutions across the country', which is plural.
Correct passive transformation requires matching the auxiliary verb to the new plural subject while maintaining the present perfect aspect.
2
Apply the present perfect passive structure to the plural subject.
Present perfect passive structure = have/has + been + past participle. For a plural subject ('institutions'), 'have been clamped' is required.
Singular agreement ('has been') would create a subject-verb agreement error with the plural subject.
3
Retain the particle of the phrasal verb.
The particle 'down' must remain immediately following the past participle verb 'clamped' to preserve the phrasal verb meaning before the preposition 'on'.
Dropping the adverbial particle 'down' alters the meaning and produces a syntactic particle mismatch error.

Key Concept

Passive voice transformation of phrasal verbs in the present perfect tense with plural subjects
Question 2Question →

Which verb phrase correctly completes the passive voice transformation of the active sentence provided below?

Active Sentence: "By the time the arbitration tribunal adjourns next month, the panel will have dealt with all disputed claims."

Fill in the blanks below

By the time the arbitration tribunal adjourns next month, all disputed claims by the panel.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

will have been dealt with
The active sentence uses the future perfect tense ('will have dealt') of the phrasal verb 'deal with'. Converting a future perfect verb phrase into the passive voice requires inserting the passive auxiliary 'been' directly after 'have' and retaining the phrasal particle 'with', producing 'will have been dealt with'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense and verb structure of the active sentence.
The active verb phrase is "will have dealt with", which represents the future perfect tense of a phrasal verb ("deal with").
Accurate voice transformation requires determining the precise auxiliary chain and main verb tense.
2
Apply the future perfect passive transformation rule.
The future perfect passive structure requires [will + have + been + past participle + preposition/particle].
The passive auxiliary "been" must be inserted into the modal perfect verb phrase to shift focus from the agent to the receiver of the action.
3
Preserve the phrasal verb particle and complete the verb phrase.
Combining "will have been" with "dealt with" yields "will have been dealt with".
Omitting the prepositional particle "with" alters the meaning of the phrasal verb and renders the construction ungrammatical.

Key Concept

Passive Transformation of Future Perfect Tense with Phrasal Verbs
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 3Question →

Complete the sentence below by providing the correct passive verb phrase that completes the transformation of the active sentence into the passive voice.

Fill in the blanks below

Active: The newly appointed committee is currently investigating the financial discrepancies.
Passive: The financial discrepancies by the newly appointed committee.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

are currently being investigated (or are being investigated)
The active sentence uses the present continuous tense ('is currently investigating'). To transform this into the passive voice while maintaining tense, aspect, and correct subject-verb concord with the plural noun 'discrepancies', the verb phrase must take the form 'are (currently) being investigated'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense and aspect of the main verb in the active sentence.
The active verb 'is investigating' is in the present continuous tense.
Passive transformation requires maintaining the exact tense and aspect of the original active sentence.
2
Identify the new subject in the passive sentence and establish subject-verb concord.
The new subject is 'The financial discrepancies', which is plural.
The auxiliary verb must agree in number with the new passive subject, requiring 'are' instead of 'is'.
3
Form the present continuous passive verb phrase structure (am/is/are + being + past participle).
The passive verb phrase becomes 'are currently being investigated'.
The progressive marker 'being' is required for continuous aspect, followed by the past participle form 'investigated'.

Key Concept

Active to Passive Voice Transformation in Present Continuous Tense
Question 4Question →

Which of the following options represents the correct passive form of the active sentence below?

"The manager of the newly established branches has called off the emergency meeting."

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The emergency meeting has been called off by the manager of the newly established branches.

Answer

The emergency meeting has been called off by the manager of the newly established branches.
The correct answer accurately shifts the direct object ('the emergency meeting') to the subject position and converts the active present perfect phrasal verb ('has called off') into its passive form ('has been called off'). It maintains subject-verb concord with the singular noun 'meeting' and preserves the exact phrasal particle 'off'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the core grammatical elements of the active sentence.
Subject: 'The manager of the newly established branches'; Verb: 'has called off' (Present Perfect); Direct Object: 'the emergency meeting'.
Determining the subject, tense, and object is required to reorder the components into passive structure.
2
Promote the direct object to the subject position of the passive sentence.
New Subject: 'The emergency meeting' (Singular noun phrase).
In passive voice, the target of the action becomes the subject.
3
Transform the active present perfect verb phrase 'has called off' into its passive counterpart, ensuring correct subject-verb concord and phrasal particle retention.
Passive Verb Phrase: 'has been called off'.
Present perfect passive structure requires 'has/have + been + past participle'. Since 'meeting' is singular, 'has' must be used, and the particle 'off' must be retained.

Key Concept

Passive Voice Transformation of Present Perfect Phrasal Verbs
Question 5Question →

Which of the following options correctly transforms the active sentence below into the passive voice?

'The chief security officer should have clamped down on the illegal bunkering activities long ago.'

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The illegal bunkering activities should have been clamped down on by the chief security officer long ago.

Answer

The illegal bunkering activities should have been clamped down on by the chief security officer long ago.
The correct option properly changes the active object ('the illegal bunkering activities') into the passive subject, applies the accurate passive modal perfect structure ('should have been clamped'), retains the phrasal verb particle ('on'), and correctly attributes the agent ('by the chief security officer').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the active subject, verb phrase, prepositional particle, and direct object.
Subject: 'The chief security officer'; Verb phrase: 'should have clamped'; Particle: 'down on'; Object: 'the illegal bunkering activities'.
Converting an active sentence to passive requires making the active object the passive subject.
2
Shift the direct object to the sentence initial position and convert the modal perfect verb phrase to passive.
'should have clamped' becomes 'should have been clamped'.
The passive form of a modal perfect construction ('modal + have + past participle') is 'modal + have + been + past participle'.
3
Retain the phrasal verb particles and attach the agentive prepositional phrase.
'clamped down on by the chief security officer'.
Phrasal verbs must retain their attached particles ('down on') when converted into the passive voice.

Key Concept

Active to Passive Transformation with Modal Perfects and Phrasal Verbs
Question 6Question →

In standard English grammar, how is the active sentence below correctly expressed in the passive voice?

'The senate committee has handed down a stern query to the permanent secretary regarding the unbudgeted expenditure.'

Show answer & explanation

Answer: A stern query has been handed down to the permanent secretary by the senate committee regarding the unbudgeted expenditure.

Answer

The correct passive transformation is 'A stern query has been handed down to the permanent secretary by the senate committee regarding the unbudgeted expenditure.'
The sentence starting with 'A stern query has been handed down...' accurately shifts the direct object to the subject position, correctly uses the present perfect passive auxiliary structure ('has been'), retains the subject-verb concord with the singular noun 'query', and preserves the complete phrasal verb particle 'down'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject, active verb phrase, direct object, and prepositional particle of the active sentence.
Subject = 'The senate committee', Active Verb Phrase = 'has handed down', Direct Object = 'a stern query'.
The direct object of the active sentence must become the grammatical subject of the passive sentence.
2
Form the passive verb construction matching the tense and aspect of the original sentence.
Present perfect active ('has handed down') becomes present perfect passive ('has been handed down').
Tense, aspect, and phrasal particles must remain invariant during passive voice transformation.
3
Verify subject-verb agreement (concord) between the new subject and auxiliary verb.
The singular subject 'A stern query' agrees with the singular auxiliary 'has'.
The verb must agree in number with the actual head noun of the subject phrase.

Key Concept

Passive Voice Transformation of Phrasal Verbs in Present Perfect Tense
Question 7Question →

Complete the passive sentence below by providing the exact passive verb phrase that correctly transforms the given active sentence while preserving its original tense and aspect.

Fill in the blanks below

Active: The regulatory committee is auditing the financial statements of the firm.
Passive: The financial statements of the firm by the regulatory committee.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

are being audited
The active sentence uses the present continuous tense ('is auditing'). When converting to passive voice, the object 'The financial statements of the firm' becomes the new subject. Since 'statements' is plural, it requires the plural auxiliary 'are', followed by 'being' to express continuous aspect, and the past participle 'audited'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense and aspect of the active verb phrase.
The active verb phrase 'is auditing' is in the present continuous (progressive) tense.
Maintaining exact tense and aspect is mandatory in active-to-passive voice transformation.
2
Determine the subject of the passive sentence and check subject-verb agreement.
The new subject is 'The financial statements of the firm', which is plural ('statements').
The auxiliary verb must agree in number with the new passive subject, requiring 'are' instead of 'is'.
3
Form the present continuous passive verb structure.
Present continuous passive formula: auxiliary 'be' (are) + being + past participle (audited) = 'are being audited'.
The continuous aspect is retained using 'being' followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Key Concept

Present Continuous Passive Transformation
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 8Question →

Which of the following options represents the correct passive form of the active sentence below?

"The regulatory commission ought to have taken over the distressed bank much earlier."

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The distressed bank ought to have been taken over by the regulatory commission much earlier.

Answer

The distressed bank ought to have been taken over by the regulatory commission much earlier.
The correct answer properly converts the active modal perfect verb phrase 'ought to have taken over' into its corresponding passive form 'ought to have been taken over'. It retains the subject-object shift, the passive marker 'been', and the prepositional particle 'over' without introducing grammatical errors.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the object of the active sentence
The direct object is 'the distressed bank', which becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
In passive transformation, the receiver of the action is shifted to the subject position.
2
Transform the modal perfect verb phrase while retaining the phrasal particle
'ought to have taken over' becomes 'ought to have been taken over'.
The passive form of a modal perfect construction (modal + have + past participle) requires inserting 'been' before the past participle verb and keeping the prepositional particle intact.
3
Add the agent clause
'by the regulatory commission' is appended following the passive verb phrase.
The original subject 'the regulatory commission' acts as the agent of the passive clause.

Key Concept

Active to Passive Transformation with Modal Perfects and Phrasal Verbs
Question 9Question →

Complete the sentence by supplying the correct passive verb form corresponding to the active sentence provided.

Fill in the blanks below

Active sentence: The board of directors approved the new policy yesterday.
Passive sentence: The new policy by the board of directors yesterday.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

was approved
In converting a simple past active sentence with a singular object into the passive voice, the active verb ('approved') transforms into the simple past passive verb phrase consisting of the singular past auxiliary verb 'was' and the past participle 'approved'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense and object of the active sentence.
The main verb 'approved' is in the simple past tense, and the singular object is 'the new policy'.
The tense of the main verb in the active sentence determines the tense of the auxiliary verb 'be' in the passive sentence.
2
Determine the appropriate passive verb structure for simple past tense.
The passive form requires 'was/were' + past participle of the main verb.
Because the new subject 'The new policy' is singular, the auxiliary verb 'was' must be used.
3
Combine the auxiliary verb with the past participle of 'approve'.
'was approved'
'Approved' is the past participle of 'approve'.

Key Concept

Active and Passive Voice Transformation (Simple Past Tense)
Question 10Question →

Which of the following options represents the correct passive voice transformation of the sentence: 'The committee called off the meeting'?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The meeting was called off by the committee.

Answer

The meeting was called off by the committee.
The sentence 'The meeting was called off by the committee' correctly transforms the active simple past tense verb 'called off' into 'was called off', keeping the singular subject-verb agreement with 'meeting' and retaining the phrasal particle 'off'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the object, principal verb, tense, and subject of the active sentence.
Subject = 'The committee', Verb = 'called off' (Simple Past), Object = 'the meeting'.
Converting to passive requires shifting the object of the active sentence into the subject position.
2
Form the passive verb phrase corresponding to the simple past tense.
Passive verb form = 'was called off' (was + past participle + particle).
The singular subject 'The meeting' requires singular agreement ('was') and must retain the phrasal particle 'off'.
3
Reconstruct the passive sentence with the agent clause.
'The meeting was called off by the committee.'
This completes the passive transformation without altering tense, mood, or meaning.

Key Concept

Active to Passive Voice Transformation of Phrasal Verbs in Simple Past Tense
Estimated Time:45s
Question 11Question →

Complete the following sentence by supplying the correct passive verb form that preserves the tense of the active sentence.

Fill in the blanks below

Active sentence: The security officers inspect all vehicles at the border checkpoint.
Passive sentence: All vehicles by the security officers at the border checkpoint.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

are inspected
The correct passive construction requires the simple present plural auxiliary verb 'are' combined with the past participle 'inspected' to agree with the new plural subject 'All vehicles' while preserving the simple present tense of the active verb ('inspect').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense and main verb of the active sentence.
The verb 'inspect' is in the Simple Present tense, and the subject performing the action is 'the security officers'.
Transforming from active to passive voice requires retaining the original tense of the active sentence.
2
Determine the new subject and select the corresponding simple present auxiliary verb and past participle.
The new subject is 'All vehicles' (plural), requiring the present tense plural auxiliary 'are' plus the past participle 'inspected'.
Subject-verb agreement must be maintained between the new plural subject ('All vehicles') and the auxiliary verb.

Key Concept

Simple Present Active to Passive Voice Transformation
Question 12Question →

Select the option that correctly converts the following sentence into the passive voice: 'The senior surgeon carried out the delicate operation successfully.'

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The delicate operation was carried out successfully by the senior surgeon.

Answer

The delicate operation was carried out successfully by the senior surgeon.
The correct answer accurately converts the active simple past tense verb 'carried out' into its passive counterpart 'was carried out' while maintaining correct singular subject-verb concord with 'the delicate operation' and preserving the complete phrasal verb particle.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject, verb phrase, object, and tense of the active sentence.
Subject = 'The senior surgeon', Verb = simple past phrasal verb 'carried out', Object = 'the delicate operation'.
The object of the active sentence must become the subject of the passive sentence.
2
Select the appropriate passive auxiliary verb for the simple past singular noun phrase.
The singular past auxiliary is 'was', giving 'was carried out'.
Passive voice in the simple past requires 'was' or 'were' + past participle, matching the singular subject 'operation'.
3
Retain all particles of the phrasal verb and include the original agent in a prepositional phrase.
'The delicate operation was carried out successfully by the senior surgeon.'
Phrasal verbs must retain their prepositional particles to preserve meaning.

Key Concept

Passive voice transformation for simple past tense phrasal verbs
Estimated Time:45s
Question 13Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct passive verb form that preserves the tense of the active sentence.

Active: The lead auditor reviewed all financial records before the annual meeting.
Passive: All financial records {{blank_1}} by the lead auditor before the annual meeting.

Fill in the blanks below

All financial records by the lead auditor before the annual meeting.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

were reviewed
The active sentence is in the simple past tense ('reviewed'). When transformed into the passive voice, the plural object 'all financial records' becomes the subject of the passive verb, requiring the plural simple past passive structure 'were reviewed'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense and object of the active sentence.
The active verb 'reviewed' is in the simple past tense, and its direct object is the plural noun phrase 'all financial records'.
When converting to passive voice, the original object becomes the new subject, and the tense must be strictly preserved.
2
Form the passive construction using the appropriate auxiliary verb and past participle.
The plural subject 'all financial records' combined with simple past passive yields 'were reviewed'.
The simple past passive is formed using 'was/were' + past participle. Because the new subject is plural, 'were' must be used.

Key Concept

Active to Passive Voice Transformation (Simple Past Tense)
Estimated Time:45s
Question 14Question →

Consider the active sentence below:
'The managing director has approved the new budget proposal.'
What is the correct passive form of this sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The new budget proposal has been approved by the managing director.

Answer

The correct passive form is 'The new budget proposal has been approved by the managing director.'
The correct option places the direct object 'the new budget proposal' in the subject position and accurately transforms the active present perfect verb 'has approved' into its passive counterpart 'has been approved', preserving both tense and singular subject-verb concord.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the object of the active sentence to serve as the subject of the passive sentence.
'The new budget proposal' becomes the passive subject.
Passive voice shifts the receiver of the action to the subject position.
2
Identify the tense and aspect of the main verb phrase in the active sentence.
'has approved' is in the present perfect tense.
Voice transformation requires strict preservation of tense, aspect, and mood.
3
Form the passive verb construction using 'has/have + been + past participle' matching singular agreement.
'has been approved' is formed.
Because 'proposal' is a singular noun phrase, the auxiliary 'has' is required together with 'been' and the past participle 'approved'.

Key Concept

Passive Voice Transformation in the Present Perfect Tense
Question 15Question →

Complete the passive version of the active sentence below by writing the correct passive verb phrase in the blank provided.

Fill in the blanks below

Active sentence: The audit committee is currently examining the quarterly financial statements.
Passive sentence: The quarterly financial statements by the audit committee.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

are currently being examined
The active sentence uses the present continuous tense ('is currently examining') with a plural direct object ('quarterly financial statements'). In the passive form, the plural noun phrase becomes the subject, requiring the plural continuous passive verb structure 'are currently being examined' (or 'are being examined').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense and aspect of the main verb phrase in the active sentence.
The phrase 'is currently examining' uses the present continuous tense.
The auxiliary verb 'is' combined with the present participle 'examining' indicates an ongoing action in the present.
2
Identify the object of the active sentence and convert it to the subject of the passive sentence.
The active object 'the quarterly financial statements' becomes the subject of the passive construction.
In passive transformations, the direct object takes the subject position.
3
Form the present continuous passive verb structure matching the new plural subject.
Plural subject 'statements' requires plural auxiliary 'are' + continuous passive marker 'being' + past participle 'examined'.
Present continuous passive constructions follow the formula: [am/is/are] + being + past participle.

Key Concept

Passive Transformation of Present Continuous Tense with Plural Subject Agreement
Question 16Question →

Fill in the blank to complete the passive voice equivalent of the active sentence: 'The heavy rain destroyed the crops.'

Fill in the blanks below

The crops by the heavy rain.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

were destroyed
The active sentence is in the simple past tense and features the plural object 'the crops'. To transform it into passive voice, 'the crops' becomes the subject and requires the plural simple past auxiliary verb 'were' followed by the past participle 'destroyed', forming 'were destroyed'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense of the main verb in the active sentence.
The verb 'destroyed' is in the simple past tense.
Passive voice transformations must maintain the same tense as the active sentence.
2
Identify the new subject and select the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb 'to be'.
The plural noun phrase 'The crops' becomes the subject, requiring the plural simple past auxiliary verb 'were'.
The auxiliary verb must agree in number with the new subject.
3
Combine the auxiliary verb with the past participle form of the main verb.
Combining 'were' with 'destroyed' produces 'were destroyed'.
Passive voice structures consist of an appropriate form of 'be' followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Key Concept

Passive voice transformation in the simple past tense
Question 17Question →

Which of the following options correctly transforms the sentence below into the passive voice?

'Ought the lead investigator to have turned over the crucial evidence to the prosecuting counsel before trial?'

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Ought the crucial evidence to have been turned over to the prosecuting counsel by the lead investigator before trial?

Answer

Ought the crucial evidence to have been turned over to the prosecuting counsel by the lead investigator before trial?
The correct passive sentence maintains exact structural alignment with the active question: the interrogative modal 'Ought' leads the sentence, followed by the new subject ('the crucial evidence'), the passive modal perfect auxiliary sequence ('to have been turned over'), the prepositional complement, the agent ('by the lead investigator'), and the temporal modifier. Crucially, the phrasal particle 'over' is preserved.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the active subject, verb phrase, direct object, and auxiliary structure.
Subject: 'the lead investigator'; Verb phrase: 'ought to have turned over' (modal verb 'ought' + perfect infinitive 'to have turned' + phrasal particle 'over'); Direct object: 'the crucial evidence'.
Accurate grammatical identification is required before re-ordering clause elements.
2
Promote the active direct object to the passive subject position following the interrogative modal.
The structure becomes 'Ought the crucial evidence...'
In passive interrogatives, the primary auxiliary verb remains at the front while the new subject follows it immediately.
3
Convert the active perfect verb phrase into its corresponding passive perfect form while retaining phrasal verb particles.
'to have turned over' becomes 'to have been turned over'.
The passive form of a modal perfect infinitive requires 'to have been' + past participle, and phrasal verb particles must be strictly retained.
4
Attach the agent prepositional phrase and remaining adjuncts.
'...to the prosecuting counsel by the lead investigator before trial?'
Preserves complete semantic information and thematic roles of the original sentence.

Key Concept

Passive Transformation of Interrogative Sentences with Modal Perfects and Phrasal Verbs
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 18Question →

Read the active sentence provided below and complete the corresponding passive sentence by filling in the blank with the appropriate verb phrase that preserves the exact tense, aspect, and modal meaning of the original statement. What is the correct passive verb sequence to complete the sentence?

Active: The defense ministry must have passed on the classified coordinates to the ground commanders.

Passive: The classified coordinates must {{blank_1}} on to the ground commanders by the defense ministry.

Fill in the blanks below

The classified coordinates must on to the ground commanders by the defense ministry.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

have been passed
The active sentence employs a modal perfect construction ('must have passed') followed by the phrasal verb particle 'on'. In transforming a modal perfect verb into the passive voice, the passive marker 'been' must be inserted between the auxiliary 'have' and the past participle 'passed', producing 'must have been passed on'. Because the modal 'must' and particle 'on' are already provided in the frame surrounding the blank, the exact missing verb sequence is 'have been passed'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the active verb structure and identify its constituent parts.
The active verb phrase is 'must have passed on', composed of the modal auxiliary 'must', the perfect infinitive 'have passed', and the phrasal verb prepositional particle 'on'.
Identifying the active verb structure is necessary to determine how to build the corresponding passive auxiliary chain without altering mood or tense.
2
Derive the passive construction for a modal perfect verb sequence.
The passive form of 'modal + have + past participle' is 'modal + have + been + past participle'. Applying this rule yields 'must have been passed'.
Converting an active modal perfect verb to passive voice requires introducing the passive auxiliary 'been' immediately before the main verb's past participle.
3
Match the derived passive verb sequence against the pre-filled template.
Since 'must' and 'on' are already present in the prompt frame, supplying 'have been passed' completes the passive sentence correctly as 'must have been passed on'.
Ensures no required auxiliary is omitted and no extraneous particles are duplicated.

Key Concept

Active and Passive Voice Transformation of Modal Perfect Phrasal Verbs
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 19Question →

Which of the following options represents the correct passive voice transformation of the active sentence: 'Should the parliamentary committee not have handed down a harsher verdict on the fraudulent board members?'

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Should a harsher verdict not have been handed down on the fraudulent board members by the parliamentary committee?

Answer

Should a harsher verdict not have been handed down on the fraudulent board members by the parliamentary committee?
The correct answer accurately converts the active sentence into the passive voice by placing the object 'a harsher verdict' after the inverted modal auxiliary 'Should', maintaining the exact modal perfect passive structure ('not have been handed down'), retaining the particle 'down', and keeping the original past aspect intact.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the core grammatical elements of the active sentence
Subject = 'the parliamentary committee'; Verb Phrase = 'should... not have handed down' (modal perfect interrogative + phrasal verb); Direct Object = 'a harsher verdict'; Prepositional Complement = 'on the fraudulent board members'.
Accurate breakdown of clause elements is essential before syntactically re-ordering into passive structure.
2
Promote the direct object to subject position while maintaining interrogative word order
The direct object 'a harsher verdict' immediately follows the auxiliary verb 'Should' to form the passive subject position.
In passive interrogatives, the initial auxiliary remains inverted before the new passive subject.
3
Transform the active modal perfect verb phrase into its corresponding passive form
'should not have handed down' becomes 'should [subject] not have been handed down'.
Modal perfect passive requires 'modal + have + been + past participle', preserving the complete phrasal particle 'down'.
4
Attach the agentive by-phrase and verify feature preservation
'by the parliamentary committee' is added at the end, yielding: 'Should a harsher verdict not have been handed down on the fraudulent board members by the parliamentary committee?'
Ensures that tense, aspect, mood, negativity, and full phrasal verb particles are strictly preserved.

Key Concept

Passive Transformation of Modal Perfect Interrogatives with Phrasal Verbs
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 20Question →

Select the option that correctly expresses the passive form of the sentence below:

'The investigative panel should have dispensed with the tedious questioning of the chief witness.'

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The tedious questioning of the chief witness should have been dispensed with by the investigative panel.

Answer

The tedious questioning of the chief witness should have been dispensed with by the investigative panel.
The sentence correctly converts the active modal perfect verb phrase 'should have dispensed with' to its passive counterpart 'should have been dispensed with' while maintaining the original tense, aspect, and prepositional particle 'with'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical components of the active sentence
Subject = 'The investigative panel', Verb phrase = 'should have dispensed with' (modal perfect + prepositional verb), Direct Object = 'the tedious questioning of the chief witness'.
Establishing the functional elements of the sentence is required before performing voice transformation.
2
Make the active object the subject of the passive sentence and convert the verb phrase
New subject = 'The tedious questioning of the chief witness'; Passive verb = 'should have been dispensed with'.
Modal perfect active forms ('modal + have + past participle') transform into passive by inserting 'been' ('modal + have + been + past participle'). Prepositional particles like 'with' must be retained.
3
Attach the agent prepositional phrase
'by the investigative panel' complete passive structure.
The original active subject becomes the agent preceded by 'by'.

Key Concept

Passive Voice Transformation of Modal Perfect Verbs with Dependent Prepositions
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