0
JesterLegacy Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Active passive question
What is the passive form of this sentence? 'people believed that pelicans were slow'
1. Pelicans were believed to be slow by the people.
2. Pelicans were believed to have been slow by the people.
3. Pelicans were believed to had been slow by the people.
1. Pelicans were believed to be slow by the people.
2. Pelicans were believed to have been slow by the people.
3. Pelicans were believed to had been slow by the people.
Top answer
1. Pelicans were believed to be slow by the people.
- 1.
- Pelicans were believed to be slow by the people.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
0
Mister Micawber1. Pelicans were believed to be slow by the people.Why are number 2 and 3 incorrect? Because it is 'were' right? Isn't number 1 the passive form for: ' people believed that the pelicans ARE slow'?
00
"Pelicans were slow" is the reported simple past, indicating a general statement of fact. Transposition into the passive requires an infinitive that keeps the same sense. That's "to be slow." Using the perfect form "to have been slow" indicates a completed action, so it would mean it was believed that pelicans once were slow but they're not anymore.
There is no infinitive "to had been.
There is no infinitive "to had been.
00
Pelicans were believed to be slow by the people.
As a general statement, this would often be written as
Pelicans were believed to be slow.
Clive
As a general statement, this would often be written as
Pelicans were believed to be slow.
Clive
0
Related Questions