Passive Voice: Essential Rules for CMAT Verbal Ability
Understanding Passive Voice for CMAT Verbal Ability
In the Verbal Ability section of the CMAT, voice transformation and error detection are highly tested concepts. Recognizing when and how to shift from Active Voice to Passive Voice is essential for scoring well.
In an active sentence, the subject performs the action. In a passive sentence, the focus shifts to the receiver of the action (the object). The basic structural shift is:
- Active: $\text{Subject (Doer)} + \text{Verb} + \text{Object (Receiver)}$
- Passive: $\text{Object} + \text{Auxiliary Verb (be)} + \text{Past Participle } (V_3) + [\text{by} + \text{Subject}]$
Core Tense Transformation Formulas
To quickly identify the correct passive structure in multiple-choice questions (MCQs), memorize this tense-wise guide. Let $S$ represent the grammatical subject and $O$ represent the grammatical object in their respective positions.
| Tense | Active Structure | Passive Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | $S + V_1/V_5 + O$ | $O + \text{is/am/are} + V_3 + [\text{by } S]$ |
| Present Continuous | $S + \text{is/am/are} + V_4 + O$ | $O + \text{is/am/are} + \text{being} + V_3 + [\text{by } S]$ |
| Present Perfect | $S + \text{has/have} + V_3 + O$ | $O + \text{has/have} + \text{been} + V_3 + [\text{by } S]$ |
| Simple Past | $S + V_2 + O$ | $O + \text{was/were} + V_3 + [\text{by } S]$ |
| Past Continuous | $S + \text{was/were} + V_4 + O$ | $O + \text{was/were} + \text{being} + V_3 + [\text{by } S]$ |
| Past Perfect | $S + \text{had} + V_3 + O$ | $O + \text{had} + \text{been} + V_3 + [\text{by } S]$ |
| Simple Future | $S + \text{will} + V_1 + O$ | $O + \text{will be} + V_3 + [\text{by } S]$ |
| Modals | $S + \text{modal} + V_1 + O$ | $O + \text{modal} + \text{be} + V_3 + [\text{by } S]$ |
Special Case Transformations
CMAT examiners love to test edge cases that do not follow standard patterns. Make sure you memorize these special structures:
1. Imperative Sentences (Orders, Requests, Advice)
- Command: $V_1 + O$ (e.g., "Close the door.")
- Passive: $\text{Let} + O + \text{be} + V_3$ (e.g., "Let the door be closed.")
- Advice: $V_1 + O$ (e.g., "Help the poor.")
- Passive: $O + \text{should be} + V_3$ (e.g., "The poor should be helped.")
- Request: "Please" + command (e.g., "Please sit down.")
- Passive: $\text{You are requested to} + V_1 + \dots$ (e.g., "You are requested to sit down.")
2. Infinitive Constructions
- Active: $S + \text{is/am/are/have/has/had} + \text{to} + V_1 + O$
- Passive: $O + \text{is/am/are/have/has/had} + \text{to be} + V_3 + [\text{by } S]$
- Example: "I have to write an essay." $\rightarrow$ "An essay has to be written by me."
3. Double Objects
When an active sentence has both a Direct Object (DO) and an Indirect Object (IO), you can create two correct passive versions.
- Active: "The manager gave him (IO) a bonus (DO)."
- Passive 1: "A bonus was given to him by the manager."
- Passive 2: "He was given a bonus by the manager."
Worked Examples with CMAT Explanations
Example 1: Simple Past Conversion
Question: Choose the correct passive form of: "The earthquake damaged several buildings in Kathmandu."
- A) Several buildings in Kathmandu are damaged by the earthquake.
- B) Several buildings in Kathmandu were damaged by the earthquake.
- C) Several buildings in Kathmandu had been damaged by the earthquake.
- D) Several buildings in Kathmandu were being damaged by the earthquake.
Answer: B Explanation: The active verb "damaged" is in the Simple Past ($V_2$). The passive rule requires $O + \text{was/were} + V_3$. Since "several buildings" is plural, we use "were damaged".
Example 2: Modal Passive
Question: Choose the correct passive form of: "You must submit the report by Friday."
- A) The report must be submitted by Friday.
- B) The report must have been submitted by Friday.
- C) The report was must to be submitted by Friday.
- D) The report is to be submitted by Friday.
Answer: A Explanation: For modal verbs, the passive structure is $\text{modal} + \text{be} + V_3$. Thus, "must submit" becomes "must be submitted".
Common Traps to Avoid
- The Intransitive Verb Trap: Intransitive verbs (verbs that do not take an object, such as sleep, run, sit, go, arrive) cannot be converted into passive voice. For example, "He went to Pokhara" cannot be made passive.
- Unnecessary "By-Agent": In English, when the subject is vague, general, or obvious (such as someone, people, police, they), the "by-agent" phrase is omitted in the passive form.
- Active: "Someone stole my wallet."
- Passive: "My wallet was stolen." (NOT: "My wallet was stolen by someone.")
- Confusing "Being" and "Been": Use "being" only for Continuous tenses. Use "been" only for Perfect tenses.
Quick Revision Checklist
- Did you locate the true object of the active sentence?
- Is the auxiliary "be" verb matching the tense of the active sentence?
- Have you converted the main verb to its $V_3$ (past participle) form?
- Did you eliminate choices containing intransitive verbs in the passive voice?
Practise these as timed MCQs to lock the pattern in.