He knocked at the door continuously.' Choose the option in which VOICE in the above sentence has been correctly changed into Passive voice.

Appeared in: HPSSC - 2015

Explanation

The original sentence is in the Simple Past tense ('knocked'). The correct passive form for this tense is 'was/were + past participle'.
The verb in the sentence is a prepositional verb, 'knocked at'. In passive voice, the preposition 'at' must be retained to keep the original meaning.
The object of the active sentence ('the door') correctly becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
The subject of the active sentence ('He') correctly becomes the agent in the passive sentence, introduced by 'by' ('by him').

Option B: This option incorrectly omits the preposition 'at'. The verb is 'knocked at', not just 'knocked'. Removing the preposition changes the meaning.
Option C: This option incorrectly changes the tense from Simple Past to Past Perfect ('had been knocked'). The tense of the original sentence must be maintained in the passive transformation.
Option D: This option incorrectly changes the tense from Simple Past to Present Perfect ('has been knocked'). It also omits the adverb 'continuously' and the agent 'by him'.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Active and Passive Voice Transformation as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This question tests foundational English grammar, which is not directly related to clinical nursing tasks.
However, strong communication skills, including correct grammar, are essential for nurses for clear and accurate documentation, effective patient education, and professional interdisciplinary communication.
What if the sentence was for a medical chart, like 'The nurse administered the medication'? The passive form, 'The medication was administered by the nurse,' correctly shifts focus to the medication while retaining the agent, which is crucial for accurate record-keeping.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the subject, verb, and object of the active sentence: 'He' (Subject), 'knocked at' (Verb + Preposition), 'the door' (Object).
Determine the tense of the verb. 'Knocked' is in the Simple Past tense.
Recall the rule for changing Simple Past to passive voice: Object + was/were + Past Participle (V3) + by + Subject.
Apply the rule: The object 'the door' becomes the new subject. The verb becomes 'was knocked'.
Crucially, check if the verb has an essential preposition. Here, 'at' is part of the verb phrase 'knocked at'. This preposition must be retained in the passive voice. So, the verb becomes 'was knocked at'.
Place the original subject 'He' as the agent at the end, preceded by 'by': 'by him'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full HPSSC - 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.