Indira Gandhi was...by her security staff.

Appeared in: MNS 2015

Explanation

The sentence structure 'Subject + was + ___ + by + Agent' indicates a passive voice construction in the simple past tense.
In the passive voice, the verb form required after 'was' or 'were' is the past participle (also known as the V3 form).
The verb is 'assassinate'. Its base form is 'assassinate', its simple past is 'assassinated', and its past participle is also 'assassinated'.
Therefore, 'Assassinated' is the grammatically correct word to complete the sentence.

Option A: This is the base form (V1) of the verb. It cannot follow 'was' in a simple past passive sentence.
Option B: This is a noun, which refers to the act of killing a prominent person. The sentence requires a verb to describe the action performed.
Option D: This is the third-person singular, simple present tense form of the verb. It does not fit the past tense context indicated by 'was'.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain This question tests the knowledge of English grammar, specifically the use of the correct verb form in a passive voice sentence in the simple past tense as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While not a clinical question, a strong command of grammar is essential for all professionals, including nurses, for clear and accurate documentation, reporting, and communication with colleagues and patients.
Mistakes in verb tense or voice can lead to ambiguity or misinterpretation of critical information in patient charts or incident reports.
What if the sentence was in the active voice? It would be written as: 'Her security staff assassinated Indira Gandhi.' This structure places the focus on the performer of the action (the staff) rather than the recipient (Indira Gandhi).

How to Approach the Question

First, read the sentence and identify its key components: Subject ('Indira Gandhi'), auxiliary verb ('was'), and the agent phrase ('by her security staff').
Recognize the 'was... by' structure, which is a clear indicator of the passive voice.
Determine the tense of the sentence. The auxiliary verb 'was' places the action in the simple past tense.
Recall the grammatical rule for the simple past passive voice: Subject + was/were + Past Participle (V3).
Consider the root verb needed for the blank, which is 'assassinate'.
Identify the past participle (V3) form of 'assassinate', which is 'assassinated'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: This question tests the knowledge of English grammar, specifically the use of the correct verb form in a passive voice sentence in the simple past tense.
Stem keywords: Indira Gandhi, was, by her security staff
Lead-in keywords: fill in the blank

QdNDbgcMXItmQiWiDhau5-

Practise the full MNS 2015

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