Convert the sentence provided below from its passive voice structure to an active voice structure:
The documents have been signed by the director.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer
The director has signed the documents.
Explanation
To convert a sentence from passive voice to active voice, you need to rearrange the sentence structure while preserving the original tense:
Identify the Components:
Passive Subject: The documents
Passive Verb: have been signed (Present Perfect Passive)
Agent (Doer): the director
Shift to Active Voice: Bring the agent ("the director") to the front as the new subject. Because "the director" is singular, the helper verb changes from have to has.
Maintain the Tense: The original sentence is in the Present Perfect Tense (have/has + been + V3). To keep the exact same tense in the active voice, use the active present perfect formula: Subject + has + V3 (past participle). This gives us: "The director has signed..."
Key Points
Formula Conversion: Object + have/has + been + V3 → Subject + have/has + V3.
Exam Shortcut: Eliminate options that change the tense aspect. "has been signing" changes it to present perfect continuous, "is signing" changes it to present continuous, and "signed" changes it to simple past. Only the correct option retains the true present perfect meaning.