Select the correct passive form of the following sentence. They say that elephants have good memories

Appeared in: OSSSC Nursing Officer-2023

Explanation

The question asks for the correct passive form of the sentence "They say that elephants have good memories.".
This type of sentence uses a reporting verb ('say') followed by a 'that' clause.
One correct passive structure is to make the subject of the clause ('elephants') the new subject of the sentence.
The structure becomes: Subject + is/are + past participle (said) + to-infinitive (to have).
Applying this rule gives: "Elephants are said to have good memories.".

Option A: This option incorrectly keeps 'They' as the subject. In the passive form 'They are said to...', 'They' refers to the people doing the saying, not the elephants. This changes the focus from the original sentence.
Option B: This sentence, "They have said that elephants have good memories," is still in the active voice. It simply changes the tense from Simple Present ('say') to Present Perfect ('have said').
Option D: This option is incorrect because a correct passive form exists in Option C.

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 assesses general English grammar, a non-clinical subject area that is part of nursing entrance examinations.
Strong communication skills, including correct grammar, are essential for nurses for accurate documentation, clear patient education, and effective collaboration with the healthcare team.
What if the sentence was 'The doctor reported that the patient's condition was improving'? The passive forms would be 'It was reported that the patient's condition was improving' or 'The patient's condition was reported to be improving'. This structure is common in medical notes.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the structure of the original sentence: It has a main clause ('They say') and a subordinate clause ('that elephants have good memories'). The main verb 'say' is a reporting verb.
Recall the rules for converting sentences with reporting verbs to the passive voice.
Recognize that there are two possible passive structures: one starting with 'It' and one starting with the subject of the subordinate clause.
Examine the options to see which one matches one of these correct passive structures.
Option C matches the structure where the subject of the clause ('elephants') becomes the new subject.
Eliminate the other options: Option A has an incorrect subject, Option B is still in the active voice, and Option D is incorrect because a valid answer exists.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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