Understanding the Question: Active to Passive Voice Transformation

The question asks us to convert a given sentence from active voice to passive voice. The original sentence is: "The teacher started a new game to keep the class engaged." We need to identify the correct passive form among the provided options.

Analyzing the Active Sentence

Let's break down the original sentence to understand its structure:

• Subject: The teacher
• Verb: started
• Object: a new game
• Adverbial Phrase/Complement: to keep the class engaged (This phrase describes the purpose or intention behind starting the game).

The verb "started" is in the Past Simple tense (active voice).

Converting to Passive Voice (Past Simple)

To change a sentence from active voice to passive voice in the Past Simple tense, we follow these steps:

1. Identify the object of the active sentence ("a new game"). This becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
2. Use the past tense of the auxiliary verb "be" (was or were) that agrees with the new subject. Since "a new game" is singular, we use "was".
3. Use the past participle of the main verb ("started"). The past participle of "start" is "started".
4. Include the original subject ("the teacher") in a "by" phrase ("by the teacher"), which is optional but usually included when the agent is important.
5. Place any remaining parts of the sentence (like the phrase "to keep the class engaged") appropriately, usually after the main part of the passive verb structure or the "by" phrase.

Applying these steps:

• New Subject: A new game
• Passive Verb: was started
• Agent: by the teacher
• Remaining phrase: to keep the class engaged

Putting it together, the passive sentence is: "A new game was started by the teacher to keep the class engaged."

Evaluating the Options

Let's examine each option based on our understanding of the passive voice transformation for the Past Simple tense.

Option 1: A new game to keep the class engaged was being started by the teacher.

• This option uses "was being started". This is the passive form of the Past Continuous tense (e.g., "The teacher was starting a new game...").
• The original sentence uses the Past Simple tense ("started"), not Past Continuous.
• Therefore, this option is incorrect.

Option 2: A new game was started by the teacher to keep the class engaged.

• This option uses "was started". This is the correct passive form for the Past Simple tense.
• "A new game" is the subject, "was started" is the passive verb, and "by the teacher" is the agent.
• The phrase "to keep the class engaged" is correctly placed.
• This option matches the passive sentence we constructed.
• Therefore, this option is correct.

Option 3: A new game to keep the teacher engaged is started by the class.

• This option changes the agent ("by the class" instead of "by the teacher").
• It also changes the purpose phrase ("to keep the teacher engaged" instead of "to keep the class engaged").
• Furthermore, it uses "is started", which is the passive form of the Present Simple tense, not Past Simple.
• Therefore, this option is incorrect.

Option 4: A new game to keep the class engaged has been started by the teacher.

• This option uses "has been started". This is the passive form of the Present Perfect tense (e.g., "The teacher has started a new game...").
• The original sentence uses the Past Simple tense ("started"), not Present Perfect.
• Therefore, this option is incorrect.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of the original sentence and the rules for converting active voice to passive voice in the Past Simple tense, Option 2 correctly represents the passive voice of the given sentence.

Revision Table: Active vs. Passive Voice (Past Simple)

Additional Information: Why Use Passive Voice?

Passive voice is used when:

• The doer of the action is unknown or unimportant.
• The focus is on the action itself or the object receiving the action.
• We want to make a statement sound more formal or objective.
• We want to avoid mentioning the person who did something potentially negative.

In the given sentence, converting to passive voice shifts the focus from "The teacher" (the doer) to "A new game" (what was started).