Select the option that expresses the following sentence in active voice. The novels of Dickens are being read by Mayank.
- (a)Mayank had been reading the novels of Dickens.
- (b)Mayank is reading the novels of Dickens.
- (c)Mayank was reading the novels of Dickens.
- (d)Mayank has been reading the novels of Dickens.
Answer
Why
Correct — B. The passive verb is are being read, and is or are + being + past participle is the present continuous passive.
So the active must also be present continuous: is or are + the -ing form.
The agent behind by, Mayank, becomes the subject, and he is singular → is.
Read in its -ing form = reading.
The old subject becomes the object: the novels of Dickens.
Mayank is reading the novels of Dickens → option (b).
Why the others are wrong
- (a)Mayank had been reading the novels of Dickens. — Had been reading is past perfect continuous. The stem is marked present by are being, so this pushes the sentence into a time the original never states.
- (c)Mayank was reading the novels of Dickens. — Was reading is past continuous. It keeps the continuous aspect but loses the present tense that are being fixes.
- (d)Mayank has been reading the novels of Dickens. — Has been reading is present perfect continuous, which reports a stretch of time up to now rather than an action in progress at this moment.
Concept
Passive to active reverses the same three moves. The agent after by becomes the subject, the passive subject becomes the object, and the verb keeps its tense.
Strip be + past participle off the passive and put the ordinary active form of that tense in its place. Present continuous passive is being read gives present continuous active is reading.
The auxiliary then re-agrees with the new subject. The novels are being read, plural, but Mayank is reading, singular — the number travels with the subject, not with the verb.
All four options keep the verb read and change only the tense, so the item is decided entirely by reading are being as present continuous.
Key facts
- Present continuous passive: is or are being + past participle.
- Present continuous active: is or are + the -ing form of the verb.
- When the voice changes, the auxiliary agrees with the new subject, not the old one.
Study next
Common traps
- Carrying the plural are across from the novels and writing Mayank are reading.
- Reaching for a perfect tense because are being read has two auxiliaries.
- Keeping the passive word order and answering The novels Mayank is reading.
SSC prints the passive and lists four actives that share the verb and differ in tense. The same present continuous passive to active change is asked at 19 Sep 2024, 09:00, English Q.12, where Data is being collected by the researcher becomes The researcher is collecting data.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.