Transformation of Interrogative sentences into Passive voice

There are three categories of interrogative sentences from active-passive perspective:

• Type 1: interrogative sentence of ‘wh family’ - ‘why’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘how’ and ‘what’

• Type 2: interrogative sentence of ‘wh family’ – ‘who’, ‘whom’ and ‘whose’.

• Type 3: interrogative sentence of ‘non-wh family’

Type 1 ‘wh family’

Concept 1

To make passive of an interrogative sentence of ‘wh family’ - ‘why’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘how’ and ‘what’ :

Active voice: Question word + Helping verb + Doer + Main verb + Object + ……..?
Passive voice: Question word + Helping verb + Passive subject + (some form of be) + $V_3$ + Preposition + Doer + ………. ?

Just add the ‘wh’ word at the start.

Active voice: Why have you injured this puppy?
Passive voice: Why has the puppy been injured by you?

Active voice: How can he love you?
Passive voice: How can you be loved by him?

Concept 2

We follow the following structure in case of active voice interrogative sentences that start with Question word + do/does/did:

Active voice: Question word + do/does/did (Helping verb) + Doer + $V_1$ (Main verb) + Noun/Pronoun + ……..?
Passive voice: Question word + is/am/are/was/were (Helping verb) + Noun/Pronoun + $V_3$ + Preposition + Doer + ………. ?

That is, when the helping verb in active voice is do/does/did, we use is/am/are/was/were as helping verb in passive voice (and not do/does/did).

Active voice: Why did you hit her?
Passive voice: Why was she hit by you?

Type 2 ‘wh family’

To make passive of an interrogative sentence of ‘wh family’ – ‘who’, ‘whom’ and ‘whose’, we follow different rules, because in these cases question word is the subject of active voice.

In case of ‘Who’

In case there is a helping verb in the active voice:

Active voice: Who + Helping verb + Main verb + Noun/Pronoun …….. ?
Passive voice I: Preposition + whom + Helping verb + Noun/Pronoun + (some form of be) + $V_3$ + ……..?
Passive voice II: Who + Helping verb + Noun/Pronoun + (some form of be) + $V_3$ + Preposition + ………………. ?

Active voice: Who has beaten you?
Passive voice I: By whom have you been beaten?
Passive voice II: Who have you been beaten by?

In case there is no helping verb in the active voice:

Active voice: Who + Main verb ($V_1/V_2$) + Noun/Pronoun …….. ?
Passive voice I: Preposition + whom + is/am/are/was/were + Noun/Pronoun + $V_3$ + ……..?
Passive voice II: Who + is/am/are/was/were + Noun/Pronoun + $V_3$ + Preposition + ………………. ?

Active voice: Who knows Mr. Costanza?
Passive voice I: To whom is Mr. Costanza known?
Passive voice II: Who is Mr. Costanza known to?

Type 3: ‘non-wh family’

Concept 1

In the passive voice of ‘non-wh family’ interrogative sentences, we start the sentence with the helping verb that goes with the passive subject.

Active voice: Helping verb + Doer + Main verb + Noun/Pronoun + …….. ?
Passive voice: Helping verb + Noun/Pronoun + (some form of be) + $V_3$ + Preposition + Doer …… ?

Active voice: Have you stolen the diamond?
Passive voice: Has the diamond been stolen by you?

Active voice: Are you repairing the car?
Passive voice: Is the car being repaired by you ?

Active voice: Will you post this letter?
Passive voice: Will this letter be posted by you?

Concept 2

We follow the following structure in case of active voice interrogative sentences that start with do/does/did:

Active voice: Do/Does/Did + Doer + $V_1$ + Noun/Pronoun + …… ?
Passive voice: Is/Am/Are/Was/Were + Noun/Pronoun + $V_3$ + Preposition + Doer ……. ?

Active voice: Do they beat you everyday?
Passive voice: Are you beaten by them everyday?

Active voice: Did she abuse you?
Passive voice: Were you abused by her?

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