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Passive of Wh-Questions

Introduction

பல competitive exams இல், Wh-questions (who, what, when, where, why, how) ஐ Passive Voice ஆக மாற்ற சொல்லப்படும். இந்த pattern, sentence structure, verb inversion, மற்றும் tense adjustment பற்றிய உங்கள் புரிதலை சோதிக்கிறது.

இந்த pattern ஐ நன்றாக கற்றுக்கொண்டால், grammatical accuracy காக்கப்பட்டபடி கேள்வி வாக்கியங்களை சரியாக மாற்ற முடியும்.

Pattern: Passive of Wh-Questions

Pattern

Wh-word + appropriate “be” verb + past participle + (by + agent)

Wh-word எப்போதும் தொடக்கத்தில் இருக்கும். Active sentence இன் object, passive form இல் subject ஆக மாறும்; அதன்படி verb இன் tense சரிசெய்யப்படும்.

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Convert into passive voice:
Who wrote this letter?

A. Who this letter was written?

B. By whom was this letter written?

C. Whom was this letter written?

D. By who was this letter written?

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify components.

    Subject: Who; Verb: wrote; Object: this letter.

  2. Step 2: Change the object into the subject position.

    This letter new subject ஆக மாறுகிறது.

  3. Step 3: Replace “who” with “by whom”.

    Passive questions இல் “who” → “by whom”.

  4. Step 4: Convert the verb to passive form.

    ‘wrote’ (simple past) → ‘was written’.

  5. Step 5: Form the passive question.

    → By whom was this letter written?

  6. Final Answer:

    By whom was this letter written? → Option B.

  7. Quick Check:

    Wh-word முதலில் உள்ளது; tense (past) பாதுகாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது; ‘who’ → ‘by whom’ ஆக மாற்றப்பட்டுள்ளது. ✅

Quick Variations

  • 1. When: When did they build the bridge? → When was the bridge built?
  • 2. Where: Where did they hold the meeting? → Where was the meeting held?
  • 3. What: What did he say? → What was said by him?

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1: Wh-word (Who, What, When, etc.) ஐ தொடக்கத்தில் வைத்திருங்கள்.
  • Step 2: Object ஐ தொடக்கத்துக்கு கொண்டு வந்து, tense க்கு ஏற்ற “be” verb ஐ மாற்றுங்கள்.
  • Step 3: “who” ஐ “by whom” ஆக மாற்றுங்கள்.
  • Step 4: Verb ஐ past participle (V₃) form ஆக மாற்றுங்கள்.

Summary

Summary

  • Wh-word எப்போதும் வாக்கியத்தின் தொடக்கத்தில் இருக்க வேண்டும்.
  • Tense க்கு ஏற்ப சரியான “be” verb பயன்படுத்துங்கள்.
  • Passive form இல் “Who” → “By whom”.
  • Subject மற்றும் verb number & tense agreement சரியாக இருக்க வேண்டும்.

Example recap: “Who broke the window?” → “By whom was the window broken?” ✅

Practice

(1/5)
1. Convert into passive voice:<br>Who painted this picture?
easy
A. By whom was this picture painted?
B. Who was this picture painted by?
C. By whom this picture was painted?
D. Who painted this picture by?

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the structure.

    Question word ‘Who’ → indicates a person performing the action.

  2. Step 2: Replace ‘Who’ with ‘By whom’.

    In passive voice, ‘Who’ changes to ‘By whom’.

  3. Step 3: Identify tense and convert verb.

    ‘Painted’ → simple past → passive form ‘was painted’.

  4. Step 4: Arrange in question form.

    → By whom was this picture painted?

  5. Final Answer:

    By whom was this picture painted? → Option A.

  6. Quick Check:

    ‘Who’ → ‘By whom’; tense past → ‘was painted’. ✅
Hint: ‘Who’ in active → ‘By whom’ in passive.
Common Mistakes: Forgetting to invert ‘was’ and subject in the question form.
2. Change into passive voice:<br>When did they complete the project?
easy
A. When did the project be completed?
B. When was the project completed?
C. When had the project completed?
D. When has the project been completed?

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the question word.

    ‘When’ stays at the beginning.

  2. Step 2: Find tense and convert verb.

    ‘Did complete’ → simple past → ‘was completed’ in passive.

  3. Step 3: Replace subject and object.

    ‘The project’ becomes the new subject.

  4. Step 4: Frame final question.

    → When was the project completed?

  5. Final Answer:

    When was the project completed? → Option B.

  6. Quick Check:

    Past tense → ‘was’ + V₃ (‘completed’). ✅
Hint: Keep Wh-word same; convert main verb to ‘was/were + V₃’.
Common Mistakes: Using ‘did’ instead of changing to ‘was’.
3. Transform into passive voice:<br>Who broke the window?
easy
A. By who was the window broken?
B. Who was the window broken by?
C. By whom was the window broken?
D. Whom was the window broken?

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify components.

    Subject ‘Who’, verb ‘broke’, object ‘the window’.

  2. Step 2: Change ‘Who’ to ‘By whom’.

    In passive questions, ‘Who’ → ‘By whom’.

  3. Step 3: Change verb form.

    ‘Broke’ (past) → ‘was broken’ (passive).

  4. Step 4: Frame full question.

    → By whom was the window broken?

  5. Final Answer:

    By whom was the window broken? → Option C.

  6. Quick Check:

    ‘Who’ → ‘By whom’, verb → ‘was broken’. ✅
Hint: ‘Who broke’ → ‘By whom was ... broken’.
Common Mistakes: Using ‘by who’ instead of ‘by whom’.
4. Convert into passive voice:<br>Where did they hold the meeting?
medium
A. Where was the meeting held?
B. Where did the meeting be held?
C. Where the meeting was held?
D. Where had the meeting been held?

Solution

  1. Step 1: Keep the Wh-word same.

    ‘Where’ remains at the start.

  2. Step 2: Identify tense and convert verb.

    ‘Did hold’ → simple past → passive ‘was held’.

  3. Step 3: Make object the subject.

    ‘The meeting’ becomes the new subject.

  4. Step 4: Form the sentence.

    → Where was the meeting held?

  5. Final Answer:

    Where was the meeting held? → Option A.

  6. Quick Check:

    Simple past passive → ‘was + V₃’. ✅
Hint: Keep ‘Wh’ word same; replace ‘did’ with ‘was/were’.
Common Mistakes: Keeping ‘did’ in the passive question.
5. Change into passive voice:<br>Why did he tell you the secret?
medium
A. Why was you told the secret by him?
B. Why were you told the secret by him?
C. Why did the secret be told by him?
D. Why were you told the secret?

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify question word.

    ‘Why’ remains at the start.

  2. Step 2: Find tense and convert verb.

    ‘Did tell’ → simple past → passive ‘were told’.

  3. Step 3: Change object to subject.

    ‘You’ → new subject → ‘were told’ (as ‘you’ uses were).

  4. Step 4: Frame question (agent optional).

    → Why were you told the secret?

  5. Final Answer:

    Why were you told the secret? → Option D.

  6. Quick Check:

    ‘Why’ same, verb → past passive ‘were told’. ✅
Hint: Keep Wh-word same, use correct form of ‘was/were + V₃’.
Common Mistakes: Using ‘was’ with ‘you’ instead of ‘were’.

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