Forming La Voix Passive with simple tenses (passive voice)

Bonjour Skylar,
I am in agreement with you on the voix passive form for this phrase. It does not define precisely whose cat it is. Perhaps something like:
Le chat de Marie or something similar since in the original locution, it clearly is Marie's cat that she is caressing.
However, I am uncertain exactly how to express that in French that Marie was caressing her own cat. Perhaps Aurélie or Laura can help out here.

Bonjour Nancy,
First let's look at the notes in the lesson:
In order to turn a sentence from active to passive voice, the tense of the auxiliary être must be the same as the tense of the main verb of the active sentence. For example:
Mes amis regardent les oiseaux. -> Les oiseaux sont regardés par mes amis.
Présent Présent
Mon chien regardait les voitures. -> Les voitures étaient regardées par mon chien.
Imparfait Imparfait
Les enfants suivront le guide. -> Le guide sera suivi par les enfants.
Futur Futur
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As can bee seen from the lesson and the examples, the tense of the verb will be the same in the passive voice phrase as in the original phrase.
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Now let's look at forming the passive voice with compound tenses:
*In order to turn a sentence from active to passive voice, the tense of the auxiliary être must be the same as the tense of the main verb of the active sentence.
For example:
Mes amis ont regardé les oiseaux. -> Les oiseaux ont été regardés par mes amis.
Passé Composé Passé Composé
Mon chien avait regardé les voitures. -> Les voitures avaient été regardées par mon chien.
Plus-que-Parfait Plus-que-Parfait
Les enfants auront suivi le guide. -> Le guide aura été suivi par les enfants.
Futur Antérieur Futur Antérieur
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Again the same rule as above applies, that is, the tense or mood of the original phrase is kept
in the passive voice phrase. So, to say this another way, no matter the tense or mood in the primary phrase, it dictates the tense or mood in the second, the passive voice phrase.
I hope this clarifies this somewhat for you
Bonne chance et j'espère que cela vous aidera.

Bonjour Tom,
That is correct in the use of the passive voice suivi de would change to suivi par.
Sylvie a été suivi par un chien.
Bonne chance,

I am confused.
I've been studying la voix passive, however, I encountered something that I do not understand. Please explain.
On the lesson for la voix passive with simple tenses, there is a sample: The students were welcomed by the headteacher every year. In French, les étudiants étaient accueillis par le directeur tous les ans.
And the quiz I did, there is a sentence: The students were welcomed by the headteacher this morning. Because there was no "étaient", I chose "Les étudiants ont été accueillis par le directeur ce matin.
Which is correct? les étudiants étaient accueills OR les étudiants ont été accueillis??
Merci beaucoup.
umi

I'll give it a try at explaining it:

In the sentence, where the students were welcomed every year, this relates to a repeated action in the past and therefore merits the imparfait tense. Hence, étaient accueillis.

In the quiz, where the students were only welcomed once this morning, the use of the perfect tense is indicated since it is only a one-time occurence. Hence, ont été accueillis.

-- Chris.

Dear Chris,

Thank you very much for your input! Yes, what you wrote makes sense!!!!