Which sentence is written in passive voice?

Which sentence is written in passive voice?

• A. The ball was thrown by Maya.
• B. Maya threw the ball.
• C. The ball throws Maya.
• D. Maya is throwing the ball.

Answer: (A)

The sentence uses passive voice. In passive constructions, the thing that receives the action becomes the subject, and the doer of the action can appear after the word by. Here, the ball is the subject and receives the action of throwing, while Maya is the one who performs the action, shown with by Maya. The verb phrase was thrown uses a form of to be (was) plus the past participle (thrown), signaling that the action is being described from the point of view of the receiver rather than the doer. The other sentences are in active voice: Maya threw the ball has Maya as the subject doing the action; Maya is throwing the ball is also active, just in the present continuous; The ball throws Maya is not the passive structure and is not standard usage for conveying that the ball is being acted upon.

The sentence uses passive voice. In passive constructions, the thing that receives the action becomes the subject, and the doer of the action can appear after the word by. Here, the ball is the subject and receives the action of throwing, while Maya is the one who performs the action, shown with by Maya. The verb phrase was thrown uses a form of to be (was) plus the past participle (thrown), signaling that the action is being described from the point of view of the receiver rather than the doer.

The other sentences are in active voice: Maya threw the ball has Maya as the subject doing the action; Maya is throwing the ball is also active, just in the present continuous; The ball throws Maya is not the passive structure and is not standard usage for conveying that the ball is being acted upon.