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April 24, 2026

QUESTION WORDS IN PASSIVE VOICE – BASIC RULES WITH EXAMPLES

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Table of Contents

QUESTION WORDS IN PASSIVE VOICE – BASIC RULES
1. SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE (Passive Wh-Questions)
2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
3. PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
4. SIMPLE PAST TENSE
5. PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
6. PAST PERFECT TENSE
7. SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE
8. FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
Special Cases & Notes
Master Rule Summary Table

QUESTION WORDS IN PASSIVE VOICE – BASIC RULES

When the active voice has a question word, the passive version follows one of two main patterns:

Pattern A: Question word is the object in active — becomes subject in passive.
→ Structure: Question Word + helping verb + (being/been) + V3 + (by + doer)?

Pattern B: Question word is who/whom (person) in active — in passive we use By whom …? or Who … by?
→ Structure: By whom + helping verb + subject + (being/been) + V3? or Who + helping verb + subject + (being/been) + V3 + by?

Pattern C: Question word like where, when, why, how — they stay at the beginning, followed by the usual passive structure.
→ Structure: Wh-word + helping verb + object + (being/been) + V3 + (by doer)?

In all cases, the helping verb changes according to the tense and number of the new passive subject.

1. SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE (Passive Wh-Questions)

Active (Wh): What does he write?
Passive: What + is/am/are + object + V3 + (by subject)?

English (Passive)	Hindi Translation
What is written by him?	उसके द्वारा क्या लिखा जाता है?
Which book is read by you?	तुम्हारे द्वारा कौन-सी किताब पढ़ी जाती है?
Where are these toys made?	ये खिलौने कहाँ बनाए जाते हैं?
When is the meeting held?	बैठक कब आयोजित की जाती है?
Why is English taught here?	यहाँ अंग्रेज़ी क्यों पढ़ाई जाती है?
How is this dish prepared?	यह व्यंजन कैसे तैयार किया जाता है?
By whom is the bill paid?	बिल किसके द्वारा भरा जाता है?
Who is the mail sent by?	मेल किसके द्वारा भेजी जाती है?

2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Active: What is she cooking?
Passive Formula: Wh-word + is/am/are + object + being + V3 + (by subject)?

English (Passive)	Hindi Translation
What is being cooked by her?	उसके द्वारा क्या पकाया जा रहा है?
Where is the bridge being built?	पुल कहाँ बनाया जा रहा है?
Why are the students being scolded?	छात्रों को क्यों डाँटा जा रहा है?
How is the wall being painted?	दीवार कैसे रंगी जा रही है?
Which song is being sung now?	अभी कौन-सा गाना गाया जा रहा है?
By whom is the room being cleaned?	कमरा किसके द्वारा साफ़ किया जा रहा है?

3. PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

Active: What has he eaten?
Passive Formula: Wh-word + has/have + object + been + V3 + (by subject)?

English (Passive)	Hindi Translation
What has been eaten by him?	उसके द्वारा क्या खाया जा चुका है?
Why have the papers been torn?	कागज़ क्यों फाड़े जा चुके हैं?
Where has the money been kept?	पैसा कहाँ रखा जा चुका है?
How has the problem been solved?	समस्या कैसे हल की जा चुकी है?
By whom has the window been broken?	खिड़की किसके द्वारा तोड़ी जा चुकी है?
Who has the email been sent by?	ईमेल किसके द्वारा भेजी जा चुकी है?

4. SIMPLE PAST TENSE

Active: What did he write?
Passive Formula: Wh-word + was/were + object + V3 + (by subject)?

English (Passive)	Hindi Translation
What was written by him?	उसके द्वारा क्या लिखा गया?
When were the tickets booked?	टिकटें कब बुक की गईं?
Where was the car parked?	गाड़ी कहाँ खड़ी की गई थी?
Why was the door left open?	दरवाज़ा खुला क्यों छोड़ दिया गया?
How was the bag found?	बैग कैसे मिला? (पाया गया)
By whom was the letter posted?	पत्र किसके द्वारा पोस्ट किया गया?

5. PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

Active: What was she singing?
Passive Formula: Wh-word + was/were + object + being + V3 + (by subject)?

English (Passive)	Hindi Translation
What was being sung by her?	उसके द्वारा क्या गाया जा रहा था?
Why were the roads being repaired?	सड़कों की मरम्मत क्यों की जा रही थी?
Where was the meeting being held?	बैठक कहाँ आयोजित की जा रही थी?
How was the food being served?	खाना कैसे परोसा जा रहा था?
By whom was the thief being chased?	चोर का पीछा किसके द्वारा किया जा रहा था?

6. PAST PERFECT TENSE

Active: What had he done?
Passive Formula: Wh-word + had + object + been + V3 + (by subject)?

English (Passive)	Hindi Translation
What had been done by him?	उसके द्वारा क्या किया जा चुका था?
Where had the keys been kept?	चाबियाँ कहाँ रखी गई थीं?
Why had the complaint been ignored?	शिकायत को क्यों अनदेखा किया गया था?
How had the news been spread?	खबर कैसे फैलाई गई थी?
By whom had the plan been changed?	योजना किसके द्वारा बदली गई थी?

7. SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE

Active: What will he do?
Passive Formula: Wh-word + will/shall + object + be + V3 + (by subject)?

English (Passive)	Hindi Translation
What will be done by him?	उसके द्वारा क्या किया जाएगा?
When will the result be declared?	परिणाम कब घोषित किया जाएगा?
Where will the party be organised?	पार्टी कहाँ आयोजित की जाएगी?
How will the money be transferred?	पैसा कैसे स्थानांतरित किया जाएगा?
By whom will the speech be given?	भाषण किसके द्वारा दिया जाएगा?

8. FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

Active: What will they have completed by then?
Passive Formula: Wh-word + will/shall + object + have been + V3 + (by subject)?

English (Passive)	Hindi Translation
What will have been completed by then?	तब तक क्या पूरा कर लिया गया होगा?
By when will the report have been submitted?	रिपोर्ट कब तक जमा कर दी गई होगी?
How will the arrangements have been made?	व्यवस्थाएँ कैसे कर ली गई होंगी?
By whom will the letter have been written?	पत्र किसके द्वारा लिखा जा चुका होगा?
Where will the treasure have been hidden?	खज़ाना कहाँ छुपा दिया गया होगा?

Special Cases & Notes

Tenses without passive: Present/Past/Future Perfect Continuous tenses have no passive form because “been being” is unnatural.
‘Who’ in active voice:
Active: Who taught you?
Passive: By whom were you taught? / Who were you taught by?
(Always use “by whom” in formal writing; “who…by” is informal.)
‘Whom’ in formal passive:
Active: Whom did you invite?
Passive: Who was invited (by you)?
Negative Wh-passive: Add “not” after the first helping verb.
- Why was the work not finished? (काम पूरा क्यों नहीं किया गया?)
- What has not been told to me? (मुझे क्या नहीं बताया गया है?)
‘How many / How much’ etc.: Start with the full phrase.
- How many books were stolen? (कितनी किताबें चुराई गईं?)
- How much milk is drunk daily? (प्रतिदिन कितना दूध पिया जाता है?)

Master Rule Summary Table

Tense	Passive Wh-Formula	Example
Simple Present	Wh + am/is/are + Obj + V3?	What is taught?
Present Continuous	Wh + am/is/are + Obj + being + V3?	What is being taught?
Present Perfect	Wh + has/have + Obj + been + V3?	What has been taught?
Simple Past	Wh + was/were + Obj + V3?	What was taught?
Past Continuous	Wh + was/were + Obj + being + V3?	What was being taught?
Past Perfect	Wh + had + Obj + been + V3?	What had been taught?
Simple Future	Wh + will/shall + Obj + be + V3?	What will be taught?
Future Perfect	Wh + will/shall + Obj + have been + V3?	What will have been taught?