Select the option that expresses the given sentence in passive voice. The research team is conducting experiments on a new drug that could revolutionise the treatment of the disease.
- (a)Experiments are conducted on a new drug that could revolutionise the treatment of
- (b)Experiments were being conducted on a new drug that could revolutionise the
- (c)Experiments have been conducted on a new drug that could have revolutionised the
- (d)Experiments are being conducted on a new drug that could revolutionise the
Answer
Why
Correct — D. The given sentence is The research team is conducting experiments — is plus the -ing form, which is the present continuous.
The passive of the present continuous is is or are being plus the past participle. The new subject is experiments, which is plural, so the auxiliary is are: are being conducted.
The relative clause that could revolutionise the treatment of the disease belongs to a new drug, not to experiments, so it is carried over untouched.
That gives: Experiments are being conducted on a new drug… — option (d).
Why the others are wrong
- (a)Experiments are conducted on a new drug that could revolutionise the treatment of — are conducted is simple present passive. It reports a habit or a standing practice, while the original says the work is going on at this moment.
- (b)Experiments were being conducted on a new drug that could revolutionise the — were being conducted is past continuous passive. It moves the work into the past, and a change of voice must leave the tense where the active sentence put it.
- (c)Experiments have been conducted on a new drug that could have revolutionised the — have been conducted is present perfect passive, which reports the experiments as finished. It also rewrites the relative clause as could have revolutionised, turning a live prospect into a lost one.
Concept
Every passive is be plus the past participle, and the form of be carries the tense of the active verb it replaces.
Active present continuous is is or are plus the -ing form, so its passive is is or are being plus V3. Drop being and the sentence collapses into the simple present, which is what option (a) does.
Agreement is decided by the new subject, not the old one. The active subject is the research team, singular, but the passive subject is experiments, plural, so are being replaces is being.
All four options are printed cut off at the same point, with the tail of the sentence missing, so the item is decided on the auxiliary and, for option (c), on the modal that follows it.
Key facts
- The passive of the present continuous is is or are, plus being, plus the past participle.
- In a passive sentence the auxiliary agrees with the new subject, which was the object of the active sentence.
- A change of voice preserves the tense of the original sentence.
Study next
Common traps
- Dropping being and settling for are conducted, which reads smoothly but loses the continuous aspect.
- Making the auxiliary agree with the research team rather than with experiments.
This item has a near-twin at 12 Sep 2024, 12:30, English Q.18, which gives Scientists were conducting experiments on the newly discovered species and keys Experiments were being conducted on the newly discovered species by scientists — the same frame one tense back.
Continuous passives also come the other way round, as at 11 Sep 2024, 16:00, English Q.15, where The letter was being typed by the secretary has to be made active.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.