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English often lets you choose what comes first: the person doing an action or the thing affected by it. Passive voice puts the receiver in the spotlight. So instead of "The manager approved the request," you can write "The request was approved." The structure depends on a form of be plus a past participle, and that pattern works across present, past, future, perfect, and continuous forms. Use this page as a tense-by-tense reference for building passive sentences correctly.
Contents at a Glance
How Passive Voice Works
In an active sentence, the subject does the action. In a passive sentence, the subject is affected by the action. This change moves attention away from the actor and toward the event, result, or person or thing receiving the action.
Active: The gardener (subject) planted the roses (object).
Passive: The roses (subject) were planted by the gardener.
Good Times to Use Passive Voice
The passive is useful when:
- You want the receiver to stand out: "The award was given to a first-year student."
- The person who did the action is not known: "The laptop was taken from the library."
- The actor is clear from context: "The driver was fined." (by officials or police)
- The actor does not matter much: "The stadium was opened in 1988."
- You are writing in a formal or academic style: "The samples were tested under controlled conditions."
Basic Passive Structure
The passive always uses this pattern: form of "be" + past participle
The verb be changes to match the tense. The past participle form does not change for tense.
Passive Forms Across Tenses
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | They deliver parcels daily. | Parcels are delivered daily. |
| Present Continuous | They are preparing dinner. | Dinner is being prepared. |
| Past Simple | They repaired the roof. | The roof was repaired. |
| Past Continuous | They were checking the tickets. | The tickets were being checked. |
| Present Perfect | They have approved the plan. | The plan has been approved. |
| Past Perfect | They had locked the gate. | The gate had been locked. |
| Future Simple | They will announce the results. | The results will be announced. |
| Future Perfect | They will have finished it. | It will have been finished. |
| Going to | They are going to replace it. | It is going to be replaced. |
Passive in the Present Simple
am/is/are + past participle
Fresh bread is baked every morning.
These tablets are produced in Canada.
The classroom is locked after the last lesson.
Passive in the Present Continuous
am/is/are + being + past participle
The old theater is being renovated this week.
Several new apps are being tested by the team.
Passive in the Past Simple
was/were + past participle
The invitation was sent on Monday.
The chairs were moved before the meeting.
Passive in the Past Continuous
was/were + being + past participle
The road was being widened when the storm started.
The documents were being copied when the machine stopped.
Passive in the Present Perfect
has/have + been + past participle
The schedule has been changed.
All the rooms have been booked.
Passive in the Past Perfect
had + been + past participle
The kitchen had been cleaned before the guests arrived.
The password had been reset before I opened the app.
Passive in the Future Simple
will + be + past participle
The winner will be announced tomorrow.
Your receipt will be sent by text message.
Passive in the Future Perfect
will + have + been + past participle
By noon, the forms will have been processed.
By the end of June, the bridge will have been inspected.
Using the "By" Phrase
A phrase with by tells us who or what did the action. You can include it when the actor matters, but you can leave it out when the actor is unknown, already clear, or not relevant.
The song was recorded by a local band. (agent included — important)
My backpack was taken. (agent omitted — unknown)
The shoplifter was arrested. (agent omitted — obviously police)
Passive Forms with Modals
modal + be + past participle
| Modal | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| can | The technician can repair it. | It can be repaired. |
| could | Visitors could hear the music. | The music could be heard. |
| should | We should update the file. | The file should be updated. |
| must | You must sign the contract. | The contract must be signed. |
| may | The school may postpone the trip. | The trip may be postponed. |
| might | They might select your design. | Your design might be selected. |
| have to | We have to finish the task. | The task has to be finished. |
Passive Sentences with "Get"
In casual English, get can replace be in some passive sentences. This is especially common when something sudden, accidental, negative, or personally significant happens.
He got promoted after the review. (= was promoted)
Our flight got delayed by fog. (= was delayed)
My jacket got torn on the fence. (= was torn)
They got engaged in December. (= were engaged)
Errors Learners Often Make
Error 1: Leaving Out "Be"
❌ The museum opened by the mayor in 2010. → ✅ The museum was opened by the mayor in 2010.
Error 2: Using the Base Verb Instead of the Past Participle
❌ The message is send automatically. → ✅ The message is sent automatically.
Error 3: Trying to Make Intransitive Verbs Passive
❌ The train was arrived late. → ✅ The train arrived late.
Intransitive verbs such as happen, arrive, die, and sleep do not take objects, so they cannot be turned into passive forms.
Try It Yourself
Change each sentence into the passive voice.
1. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.
Answer: Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.
2. Workers are installing a new elevator.
Answer: A new elevator is being installed.
3. Someone has damaged the fence.
Answer: The fence has been damaged.
4. The studio will release the film next summer.
Answer: The film will be released next summer.
5. You must show your ticket at the door.
Answer: Your ticket must be shown at the door.
6. They had packed the boxes before noon.
Answer: The boxes had been packed before noon.
7. People speak Portuguese in Brazil.
Answer: Portuguese is spoken in Brazil.
8. The chef was preparing the meal.
Answer: The meal was being prepared by the chef.
Passive voice gives you another way to control emphasis. Once you know the be + past participle pattern, you can form passive sentences in many tenses and with modal verbs too. Use it when the action or receiver matters more than the doer, and your English will sound more flexible, precise, and natural.
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