Question

Convert this into a passive voice.
 She kept us waiting.

Answer 1

Hint: Voice in English determines the relationship between the subject and object in a sentence. There are two types of voices
- Active voice
- Passive voice
In the question, we are given a sentence in the active voice and we have to convert it into the passive voice.

Complete answer:
In the passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb whereas in the active voice verb receives the action of the subject. The construction of sentences in active and passive voice is given as follows:
i) active voice - subject + verb + object
ii) Passive voice - object + past participle form of the verb + preposition + subject.

Some rules to remember while converting active voice to passive voice;
1)Passive infinitives have ‘be verb’ as well as past participle form of the verb.
2) Only transitive verbs are used in indirect speech. Therefore, a sentence in active voice having an intransitive verb cannot be converted to passive voice.
3)Subject of the active voice will become the object of the passive voice.
4)Sentences in present/ past/ future perfect continuous and future continuous do not have passive forms.
5)Generally ‘by’ is used as the preposition in passive voice sentences.

Since ‘She’ is the subject in the active voice, it will become the object of the passive voice. Therefore the correct sentence is, We were kept waiting by her.

Note: Transitive verbs are the verbs that always need an object to act upon. Only these verbs can be used in indirect speech. While intransitive verbs are only used in active voice.