Question

From the below-mentioned options, identify the sentence which is in active voice:

• A. A stone struck the child on her right eye.
• B. I was caught unaware by his naughty tricks.
• C. The ball was caught by the child.
• D. He was cheated by his own wife.

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

A sentence is in active or passive voice depending on whether its verb is in active or passive voice.

A verb is in active voice when its form shows that the subject does something/some action.

A verb is in passive voice when something is done to the subject. In passive voice, the doer of the action may appear in the phrase, "by .....". This could be one easy way of identifying a sentence in passive voice.

In option A, "A stone" is the subject, which performed the action -"struck". AS the subject did the action, this sentence is in active voice.

In option B, the "The ball" is the subject. Here, the subject does not perform the action. It is the receiver of the action. It "was caught" by the child. i.e An action was performed on the subject -"the ball". Hence, this sentence is in passive voice and not the correct answer.

In option C, "I" is the subject. Here, the subject does not perform the action. It is the receiver of the action. We know this because of the words, "I was caught unaware". i.e An action was performed on the subject -"I". Hence, this sentence is in passive voice and not the correct answer.

In option D, the word, "he" is the subject. Here, the subject does not perform any action. The sentence says-He "was cheated" by his own wife i.e "He", the subject is the receiver of the action. Hence, this sentence is in passive voice and is not the correct answer.