Passive Voice in Different Tenses helps you communicate about actions viewed through time while keeping focus on the receiver. Start with the meaning, notice the pattern, and then use it in complete sentences.
By the end of this lesson, you can
- I can form the passive accurately across different tenses and aspects.
- Recognise and build the form: tense of be + past participle; perfect passive = have been + participle.
- Use the pattern accurately in a meaningful sentence.
Meaning and use
Use Passive Voice in Different Tenses for actions viewed through time while keeping focus on the receiver. Always read the whole situation before choosing the form: grammar expresses a meaning, not only a pattern.
The road is being repaired at the moment.
The present-continuous passive is 'is being + past participle'.
The results will be announced next Monday.
The future passive uses 'will be + past participle'.
Three people have been interviewed since the investigation began.
The present-perfect passive is 'have been + past participle'.
tense of be + past participle; perfect passive = have been + participleKeep this pattern visible while you study the examples. Then cover it and rebuild one example from memory.
Key rules to notice
These rules explain why the form is correct. Focus on the subject, auxiliary, verb form, word order and time or meaning clues.
- The present-continuous passive is 'is being + past participle'.
- The future passive uses 'will be + past participle'.
- The present-perfect passive is 'have been + past participle'.
- Use the past-continuous passive for work in progress at a past time.
- The past-perfect passive describes completion before a later past point.
Common mistakes
Not:The road is repaired at the moment.
Use:The road is being repaired at the moment.
The present-continuous passive is 'is being + past participle'.
Not:The results will announce next Monday.
Use:The results will be announced next Monday.
The future passive uses 'will be + past participle'.
Not:Three people have interviewed since the investigation began.
Use:Three people have been interviewed since the investigation began.
The present-perfect passive is 'have been + past participle'.
Check before you practise
Complete each sentence mentally, then reveal the answer.
The building ____ when the storm started.
was being renovated
Use the past-continuous passive for work in progress at a past time.
All the tickets ____ before noon.
had been sold
The past-perfect passive describes completion before a later past point.
By 2030, the system ____ completely.
will have been replaced
The future-perfect passive is 'will have been + past participle'.