Passive: forms
Be + -ed
The most common passive structure is be + -ed form: Five million people watch the show every week. (active present simple of watch)
The show is watched by five million people every week. (passive present simple of be + -ed form of watch)
The table gives examples of the most common forms in the passive.
tense | be form | | examples | present simple | am are is | + -ed form | Am I invited too?
One or two new types of insect arefound in Britain each year.
It’s not made in China.
| present continuous | am are is | being | Am I beingrecorded?
We’re already beingserved, thanks.
That computer isn’t beingused any more.
| past simple | was were | The story wasreported in yesterday’s paper.
We didn’t know what was in the boxes. They weren’tlabelled.
| past continuous | was were | being | Was he beingexamined?
They werebeingwatched carefully.
| present perfect simple | have has | been | Haven’t they beenasked to the wedding?
He’sbeenhurt.
| past perfect simple | had | been | An important discovery had been made.
Had he beeninjured in the war?
| modal simple | can will might | be | Reservations can be accepted up to 24 hours before arrival.
I don’t think I’ll ever be paid.
Might we not beallowed to go in?
| modal continuous | could may must | be being | She couldn’t still bebeinginterviewed.
The photocopier maybe being repaired.
It must be being done now.
| modal perfect simple | could must | havebeen | Do you think we could have been heard?
The document must have been written when they sold the house.
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Tenses and the passive
We use passive forms of tenses in the same way as we use their active equivalents. For example, we use the present simple in the passive to talk about general or permanent states, or general facts we think are true at the present time: Mr Lloyd and Mrs James teach Geography. (present simple active)
Geography is taught by Mr Lloyd and Mrs James. (present simple passive)
We don’t often use perfect continuous forms (have/has been being + -ed form) in a passive structure. We usually find a way to reword sentences like this.
Compare
The house has been being renovated for almost a year.
| not common, we usually avoid this form | They have been renovating the house for almost a year.
| preferred form |
See also:
They
Verbs and the passive
We can form passive structures with verbs that are followed by an object (transitive verbs) and some clauses where the verb is followed by a preposition: My favourite mug was broken. (Someone broke my favourite mug.)
Their car was broken into and the radio was taken. (Someone broke into their car and took their radio.)
The holiday hasn’t been paidfor yet. (No one has paid for the holiday yet.)
We can’t make passive forms from verbs which do not have objects (intransitive verbs): The parcel arrived in the post this morning.
Not: The parcel was arrived …
We don’t usually use the passive with some verbs that describe a state or situation (state verbs): They were having lunch.
Not: Lunch was being had.
Some verbs are more common in the passive than the active voice. These include be born, be populated, be stranded, be taken aback: Where were you born?
Thousands of passengers have been stranded at airports all over Europe after heavy snowfalls.
Verbs with two objects
When verbs have two objects, either object can be the theme or subject of the passive structure, depending on what we want to focus on: Her mother gave each child a present. (active)
A present was given to each child (by her mother). (passive)
Each child was given a present (by her mother). (passive)
Linking verbs
We don’t form passive structures with verbs like be, become, seem where the complement of the verb refers back to the subject (linking verbs): After six years of training she has finally become a doctor.
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