Passive Voice Rules for All Tenses | Examples of Active & Passive Voice

The passive voice is formed with the appropriate tense of the verb to be + past participle. In this lesson, you will Learn how and when to use it with examples.

When to Use the Passive Voice?

The passive is used:

• When the agent (= the person who does the action) is unknown, unimportant or obvious from the context.

Examples:

Jane was shot. (We don’t know who shot her.)

This house was built in 1815. (unimportant agent).

• To make more polite or formal statements.

Examples:

The trees haven’t been watered. (more polite)

You haven’t watered the trees. (less polite)

• When the action is more important than the agent, as in processes, instructions, events, reports, headlines, news items, and advertisements.

Example:

60 people were killed in shootings across Chicago between Friday and Monday morning.

• To put emphasis on the agent.

Example:

The new bar will be opened by Sean.

Passive Constructions and Examples of Active and Passive Voice

Present Simple Tense

Active Voice:

S + V1

Passive voice:

S + am/ is/ are + V3

Example:

I make a cake. (Active)

A cake is made by me. (Passive)

Present Continuous Tense

Active voice:

S + am/is/are + V-ing

Passive voice:

S + am/ is/ are + being + V3

Example:

They are planting some trees. (Active)

Some trees are being planted. (Passive)

Present Perfect Tense

Active voice:

S + have/ has + V3

Passive voice:

S + have/ has + been + V3

Example:

Someone has eaten my muffin. (Active)

My muffin has been eaten. (Passive)

Present Perfect Continuous

Active Voice:

S + have/ has + been + V-ing

Passive voice:

S + have/ has + been + being + V3

Example:

Lisa has not been practicing English. (Active)

English has not been being practiced by Lisa. (Passive)

Future with WILL

Active voice:

S + will/ shall + V1

Passive voice:

S + will be + V3

Example:

My parents will take us to the park. (Active)

We will be taken to the park by our parents. (Passive)

Future with BE GOING TO

Active voice:

S + am/ is/ are + going to + V1

Passive voice:

S + am/ is/ are going to be + V3

Example:

I am going to read the book. (Active)

The book is going to be read by me. (Passive)

Future Continuous with WILL

Active Voice:

S + will/ shall + be + V-ing

Passive voice:

S + will/ shall + be + being + V3

Example:

She will be taking care of her children at this time tomorrow. (Active)

Her children will be being taken care of at this time tomorrow. (Passive)

Future Continuous with BE GOING TO

Active voice:

S + am/ is/ are + going to + be + V-ing.

Passive voice:

S + am/ is/ are + going to + be + being + V3.

Example:

Linda is going to be preparing dinner. (Active)

Dinner is going to be being prepared by Linda. (Passive)

Future Perfect with WILL

Active voice:

S + will + have + V3

Passive voice:

S + will have been + V3

Example:

I will have finished my report by the end of this month. (Active)

My report will have been finished by the end of this month.. (Passive)

Future Perfect with BE GOING TO

Active voice:

S + am/ is/ are + going to + have + V3

Passive voice:

S + am/ is/ are + going to + have + been + V3

Example:

I am going to have finished my report by the end of this month. (Active)

My report is going to have been finished by the end of this month. (Passive)

Future Perfect Continuous with WILL

Active voice:

S + will + have + been + V-ing

Passive voice:

S + will + have + been + being + V3

Example:

I will have been teaching English for 5 years by next week. (Active)

English will have been being taught by me for 5 years by next week. (Passive)

Future Perfect Continuous with BE GOING TO

Active voice:

S + am/ is/ are + going to + have + been + V-ing.

Passive voice:

S + am/ is/ are + going to + have + been + being + V3.

Example:

He is going to have been watching TV. (Active)

TV is going to have been being watched by him. (Passive)

Past Simple

Active voice:

S + V2

Passive voice:

S + was/ were + V3

Example:

I visited my uncle last week. (Active)

My uncle was visited by me last week. (Passive)

Past Continuous

Active voice:

S + was/ were + V-ing

Passive voice:

S + was/ were + being + V3

Example:

Sam was delivering the letters to the department. (Active)

The letters were being delivered to the department by Sam. (Passive)

Past Perfect

Active voice:

S + had + V3

Passive voice:

S + had been + V3

Example:

He had read the book before Nick came. (Active)

The book had been read before Nick came. (Passive)

Past Perfect Continuous

Active voice:

S + had + been + V-ing

Passive voice:

S + had + been + being + V3

Example:

I had been typing the essay for 3 hours before you came yesterday. (Active)

The essay had been being typed for 3 hours before you came yesterday. (Passive)

Future in the Past (would)

Active voice:

S + would + V1

Passive voice:

S + would + be + V3

Example:

She would type the letters. (Active)

The letters would be typed by her. (Passive)

Causative Form

Active voice:

S + have/ has somebody + V1 + something

S + get(s) somebody + to + V1 + something

Passive voice:

S+ have/ has/ get(s) something + V3 + (by + someone).

Example:

My father had Tom wash his car. (Active)

My father had his car washed by Tom. (Passive)

Modal Verbs (present)

Active voice:

S + modal verb + V1

Passive voice:

S + modal verb+ be + V3

Example:

You can solve the problem. (Active)

The problem can be solved. (Passive)

Modal Verbs (present perfect)

Active voice:

S + modal verb + have + V3

Passive voice:

S + modal verb + have + been + V3

Example:

The snake might have killed him. (Active)

He might have been killed by the snake. (Passive)