Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence. Choose the correct options.
Some boys were helping the wounded man. (Begin: The wounded.............)
Topic: Active and passive voice
Try it
Pick an option and check your answer. The full worked answer is below either way.
Answer
(c) The wounded man was being helped by some boys..
The instruction tells you the object becomes the subject, so this is a PASSIVE conversion. The original is in the PAST CONTINUOUS ("were helping"), and the past continuous passive is formed as was/were + BEING + past participle.
Active: Some boys WERE HELPING the wounded man. Passive: The wounded man WAS BEING HELPED by some boys. Note "was", singular, because the new subject "the wounded man" is singular.
Options (a) and (b) simply swap the two nouns without changing the voice, so the man is now doing the helping — the meaning is reversed. Option (b) also has a plural verb with a singular subject. Option (d) invents wounded boys.
THE FORM TO LEARN: continuous tenses keep BEING in the passive. Present continuous: is being done. Past continuous: was being done.
The wounded man was being helped by some boys..