Question

Change the following statement into passive voice:

The boys killed the snake with a stick.

• A. The snake was killed by the boys with a stick.
• B. A stick was killed by the boys with a snake.
• C. A snake with a stick was killed by the boys.
• D. A snake is killed by the boys with a stick.

Answer 1

The correct option is A The snake was killed by the boys with a stick.

The given sentence is in the active voice, as the subject 'Julia' performs an action 'rescued' against the object 'three cats'.

If this sentence is changed to passive voice, then the subject is also changed, in order to retain the meaning of the sentence.

So, the object takes the place of the subject and vice versa and the word 'by' is introduced as now the subject receives the action by the object. The verb form of the sentence is also changed from active form to passive.

'Subject (The boys) + verb (killed) + object (the snake) + prepositional phrase (with a stick)' changes to:

'New subject (The snake) + verb (was killed) + by + new object (the boys) + prepositional phrase (with a stick)'

The passive form of 'killed' in the simple past tense is 'was killed'.

This can be seen in option A, hence it's the right answer.

Option B: The sentence has changed in meaning. The boys killed the snake and not the stick.

Option C: This sentence too has changed in meaning. The phrase 'with the stick' is the tool used by the boys to kill the snake. The snake was not with the stick.

Option D: The passive verb form of 'killed' is 'was killed', and not 'is killed'.

Hence options B, C and D are incorrect.