Question

which sentence is in active voice?

the bike was bought by jacob.
the bike was dismantled by jacob.
the bike was washed by jacob.
jacob bought the bike.

Explanation:

Define active and passive voice

In English grammar, a sentence is in the active voice when the subject performs the action of the verb. Conversely, a sentence is in the passive voice when the subject receives the action, typically characterized by a form of the auxiliary verb "to be" followed by a past participle (e.g., "was bought").

Analyze the first three options

The first three options share a similar grammatical structure:

• "The bike was bought by Jacob."
• "The bike was dismantled by Jacob."
• "The bike was washed by Jacob."

In each of these sentences, the subject is "The bike," which is receiving the action of the verb. The actual doer of the action ("Jacob") is placed at the end of the sentence after the preposition "by." Because the subject receives the action, these sentences are in the passive voice.

Analyze the fourth option

Let's examine the final option:

• "Jacob bought the bike."

In this sentence, the subject is "Jacob." Jacob is actively performing the action of the verb ("bought") upon the direct object ("the bike"). Because the subject is the doer of the action, this sentence is in the active voice.

Answer:

• (A) The bike was bought by Jacob.
• (B) The bike was dismantled by Jacob.
• (C) The bike was washed by Jacob.
• (D) Jacob bought the bike. (Correct answer)