Which sentence is in the passive voice?

• A. The Boy Scouts raised the flag.
• B. The flag was raised by the Boy Scouts.
• C. Boy Scouts raise the flag.
• D. Raising the flag is done by the Boy Scouts.

Answer: (B)

Passive voice shows the thing receiving the action as the subject, with a form of “to be” plus a past participle, often followed by the doer introduced by “by.” In this sentence, “The flag” is the one that receives the action, and “was raised” is the form of “raise” in the passive. The phrase “by the Boy Scouts” tells who did the action, which is exactly how passive constructions add the agent.

The other sentences use the active voice, where the subject performs the action: “The Boy Scouts raised the flag” and “Boy Scouts raise the flag.” The remaining option has a passive feel through “is done by,” but the main focus is on a gerund phrase (“Raising the flag”) acted upon, which isn’t the straightforward finite passive form the question highlights.