How to convert interrogative sentences into passive voice

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In this lesson we shall teach you about how to convert interrogative sentences into passive voice.

Interrogative sentences are those in which we inquire about something, because we ask question and that is why it ends on sign of interrogation or question mark.

There can be various interrogative types. See the following examples;

Interrogative sentences examples

• Did you take English class yesterday?
• Can you understand me?
• He is here?

Now if you examine the above examples you have seen that the first interrogative sentence starts with auxiliary (did) and the second sentence uses modal operator (can) in order to make a question.

But if you see the third example you cannot say it is interrogative because it is not the structure of a question in which we use either auxiliary or modal operator at the beginning.

This is the question which we do not normally use in writing rather. So it is mostly used in spoken language.

It is because of that, in this lesson, we shall focus on the first two examples. .

Convert two kinds of interrogative sentences into passive voice;

Firstly, there are Interrogatives that start with auxiliary verbs or modal operators (do, be-form have, shall, will and their inflectional forms).

Secondly, we have interrogatives starting with relative pronouns or wh– question (who, when, where, how, what, why).

The method of converting them into passive voice is quite simple.

All the changes as explained in introductory chapter are applied with slight awareness of the fact how to make interrogatives.

It is quite like as you make interrogatives in tenses.

So now if you know tenses’ method of making any sentence into question simply apply the same method in passive construction.

Active and passive voice interrogative sentences exercise with answers

When are you giving us the party?
When the party is being given to us by you?

Where had he taken you?
Where you had been taken by him?

Are you speaking to me?
Am I being spoken to by you?

What did he say?
What was said by him?

Passive voice of negative plus interrogative sentences

Some sentences are negative as well as interrogative because they as question with the use of “not” Negative sentences are those in which we use “not” that means we say that something is not done.

You can convert any negative interrogative sentence into passive voice quite as you do with the simple affirmative sentences.

In above cases you were given an exercise with answers on affirmative sentences.

So here you will have a same exercise with answers on how to convert negative interrogative sentences into passive voice.

Exercise with answers on negative plus interrogative sentences

Is he not treating you well?
Are you not being treated well by him?

Why is he not giving us his address?
Why his address is not being given to us by him?

How to make passive voice of interrogative sentence with “who”

This is the question regarding active and passive voice of wh-questions.

Because wh-question stands for all those questions which are formed by “why”, “when”, “where”, “how”, “who” and “what”.

So if you concentrate on these words you will know that they have two things in common.

All of them start the “wh” that is why they are called wh-questions, but at the same time all of them are inquire about something.

It is important to know that the questions starting with “who” is a different matter than all the other wh-words.

In order to convert any interrogative sentence with “who” into passive voice you have to do the following.

1. Use “by whom” at the beginning of the sentence.
2. Object shall be used after “by whom”.
3. Past Participle form shall be used quite like other passive sentences.

Convert sentences with “who” into passive voice exercise with answers

Who knocks at the door? (Present Indefinite tense)
By whom the door is knocked at?

Who wrote this letter? (Past Indefinite tense)
By whom this letter was written?

Who will call him? (Future Indefinite tense)
By whom he will be called?

Who is doing this? (Present Continuous tense)
By whom this is being done?

Who was delivering messages? (Past Continuous tense)
By whom messages were being delivered?

Who will have worn this dress? (Future Perfect tense)
By whom this dress will have been worn?

Who has opened the door? (Present Perfect tense)
By whom the door has been opened?

Who had driven the car? (Past Perfect tense)
By whom the car had been driven?

Who will have served the purpose? (Future Perfect tense)
By whom the purpose will have been served?

Quite similarly you can combine negative with interrogative. Here are some examples.

Convert interrogative sentences with “who” combined with “not” (negative)

Who was not answering this very simple question?
By whom this very simple question was not being answered?

Who hasn’t understood my lecture?
By whom my lecture hasn’t been understood?

Who will not complete the task?
By whom the task will not be completed?

Who didn’t arrange the expenses?
By whom the expenses were not arranged?

Who was not enjoying the school trip?
By whom the school trip was not being enjoyed?

Voices of interrogative sentences with auxiliary verb

There are interrogative sentences in which you see the question is made with auxiliary verbs.

As you have read in tenses that auxiliary verb is also called helping verb or operator.

But case of will and shall they can also be called as modal operators.

Now you know what do we mean by auxiliary verbs because we already have seen them in detail in the previous chapters.

If the sentence is indefinite, so use the auxiliaries of continuous tense in order to make passive voice, like;

is, am, or are in present indefinite tense.
was or were in past indefinite tense.
will be or shall be in future indefinite tense.

If the sentence is continuous use “being” after auxiliary in order to make passive voice, like;
is being, am being, or are being in present continuous tense.
was being, or were being in past continuous tense.

If the sentence is perfect use “been” after auxiliary in order to make passive voice, like;
have been, or has been in present perfect tense.
had been in past perfect tense.
will have been or shall have been in future perfect tense.