Change the following sentence from passive to active:
By whom were the candidates shortlisted for the interview?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer
Who shortlisted the candidates for the interview?
Explanation
Core Meaning: The original passive sentence is an interrogative sentence in the simple past tense (were... shortlisted), asking about the identity of the person who performed the action. To convert it into the active voice, the passive agent introduced by "By whom" must be transformed into the interrogative subject Who, followed directly by the simple past form of the main verb (shortlisted) and the object ("the candidates"). This transition successfully restores the sentence to a direct, active question while maintaining the exact original tense and meaning.
Key Points
Core Definition: Converting a passive interrogative sentence beginning with "By whom" requires replacing it with "Who" as the active subject, while adjusting the verb phrase to match the original tense.
Grammatical Role: Transitioning a simple past passive question into a simple past active question using the appropriate interrogative pronoun.