The passive voice form of 'Why did she slap the child on his face?' is: Why was the child slapped on his face by her?
Understanding Passive Voice Transformation
Transforming a sentence from active to passive voice involves shifting the focus from the doer of the action to the receiver of the action. This grammatical change is particularly common in English to emphasize the action or the object, rather than the subject performing the action.
Active vs. Passive Voice Fundamentals
- Active Voice: The subject performs the action. It's direct and usually more straightforward.
- Example: She slapped the child. (She is the doer.)
- Passive Voice: The subject receives the action. The doer (agent) may be mentioned using "by" or might be omitted if unknown or unimportant.
- Example: The child was slapped by her. (The child is the receiver.)
Key Elements of Passive Voice Construction
To form the passive voice, remember these core components:
- Object becomes Subject: The object of the active sentence becomes the new subject of the passive sentence.
- Form of 'to be': An appropriate form of the auxiliary verb "to be" (e.g., is, am, are, was, were, been, being) is used, matching the tense of the original active verb.
- Past Participle: The main verb of the active sentence is changed into its past participle form.
- Agent (Optional): The original subject of the active sentence, if important to mention, is introduced with "by" and placed at the end of the sentence.
Transforming Interrogative Sentences (Questions) to Passive Voice
Converting questions to passive voice requires careful attention to word order, especially with question words like 'Why,' 'What,' 'Who,' or 'How.' The fundamental rules of passive voice apply, but the interrogative structure must be maintained.
Let's break down the transformation for "Why did she slap the child on his face?":
-
Identify Active Components:
- Question Word: Why
- Auxiliary Verb: did (indicates simple past tense)
- Subject: she
- Main Verb: slap
- Object: the child
- Prepositional Phrase: on his face
-
Form the Passive Structure (Mental Steps):
- Keep the question word at the beginning: Why...
- The object (the child) becomes the new subject.
- The tense is simple past (from "did slap"), so the "to be" verb will be "was" (because "child" is singular).
- The past participle of "slap" is "slapped."
- The original subject "she" becomes the agent "by her."
-
Construct the Passive Interrogative Sentence:
- Combine these elements, ensuring the auxiliary verb ("was") comes before the new subject ("the child") to maintain the question format.
- Why was the child slapped on his face by her?
Comparative Analysis: Active vs. Passive Questions
| Feature | Active Voice Question | Passive Voice Question |
|---|---|---|
| Emphasis | On the doer (she) and the action | On the receiver (the child) and the action |
| Structure | Question Word + Auxiliary + Subject + Main Verb + Object...? | Question Word + Auxiliary (to be) + New Subject + Past Participle (+ by Agent)...? |
| Example | Why did she slap the child? | Why was the child slapped by her? |
| Original Sentence | Why did she slap the child on his face? | Why was the child slapped on his face by her? |
Practical Tips for Sentence Transformation
- Identify the Object: This is the most crucial step, as the object will become your new subject.
- Determine the Tense: The tense of the "to be" verb in the passive voice must match the tense of the main verb in the active voice.
- Use the Correct Past Participle: Always use the third form of the verb.
- Maintain Question Structure: For interrogative sentences, ensure the auxiliary verb precedes the new subject.
- Consider the Agent: Decide if the "by [doer]" phrase is necessary. In many passive constructions, the agent is omitted if it's unknown or unimportant, but in questions like the example, including it clarifies who performed the action.
- Practice with Resources: Utilize reputable grammar resources such as the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) or British Council LearnEnglish for further practice and understanding.
When to Use Passive Voice
While active voice is generally preferred for clarity and directness, passive voice has its specific uses:
- When the doer is unknown: "The window was broken last night."
- When the doer is unimportant: "The reports were submitted on time."
- To emphasize the action or the receiver: "The decision was made after careful consideration."
- In scientific or technical writing: To maintain objectivity, often focusing on processes or results rather than human agents.
By understanding these principles, you can effectively transform active voice sentences into their passive counterparts, including complex interrogative structures.
