Grammar › Passive Voice › The Passive in All Tenses
The Passive in All Tenses
Every passive is be + past participle. Change only the 'be' part:
- Simple tenses — is done / was done / will be done.
- Perfect tenses — has been done / had been done.
- Continuous — is being done / was being done.
- Modals — must be done / can be done.
The past participle stays the same in every case. Only 'be' carries the tense or modal.
The passive in every tense
Keep the pattern be + past participle and just change be.
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | They make it. | It is made. |
| Past simple | They made it. | It was made. |
| Present continuous | They are making it. | It is being made. |
| Past continuous | They were making it. | It was being made. |
| Present perfect | They have made it. | It has been made. |
| Past perfect | They had made it. | It had been made. |
| Future (will) | They will make it. | It will be made. |
| Modal | They must make it. | It must be made. |
The main verb stays as a past participle every time; only be moves.
When and how to change things
1. Perfect passives — has/had been
- The bridge has been closed for repairs.
- By 6 p.m. the work had been finished.
2. Continuous passives — being
- Your order is being processed right now.
- The stadium was being cleaned when we arrived.
3. Modal passives — modal + be
- All bottles can be recycled.
- The form must be signed in ink.
⚠️ Avoid the ugly ones: will be being done / has been being done are technically possible but almost never used — rephrase (e.g. is going to be done).
Common mistakes
1. Dropping ‘been’ in perfect passives. It has made (passive meaning) → It has been made.
2. Forgetting ‘being’ in continuous passives. The house is painted right now → The house is being painted right now.
3. Adding a participle after a modal + be wrongly. It must be make → It must be made. Pro tip: first choose the tense of ‘be’, then add the fixed past participle.
✏️ Practice: The Passive in All Tenses
1. Present continuous: The bridge ___ at the moment.
2. Present perfect: The parcels ___ already.
3. Modal: This bottle ___ .
4. Past perfect: By the time we arrived, the room ___ .
5. Past continuous: When I called, my car ___ .
6. Future: The results ___ next week.
7. Correct this: 'The report must completed by Friday.'
8. Present simple: Millions of emails ___ every second.
9. Present perfect (singular): The decision ___ .
10. Which passive form is best avoided as too clumsy?
Frequently asked questions
How do I make the present perfect passive?
Use has/have been + past participle: The work has been finished; The letters have been sent.
How do I make a continuous passive?
Use the correct tense of 'be' + being + past participle: The house is being painted; The road was being repaired.
How do I make a modal passive?
Use modal + be + past participle: It must be done today; This can be recycled; The form should be signed.
Which tenses avoid the passive?
Future continuous and perfect continuous passives (will be being done, has been being done) are clumsy and rarely used — rephrase instead.
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “The Passive in All Tenses”:
- Can form the passive in simple, perfect, continuous and modal structures (CEFR B2).
- Can keep the past participle constant while changing only 'be'.
- Can avoid the awkward continuous-perfect passives.
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