2. Passive - Present and Past Tenses

PASSIVE (2) (PRESENT AND PAST TENSES)

These are the passive forms of the present and past tenses:

1.     Present simple – am/is/are + done/cleaned etc.

Active: Somebody cleans this room every day.

Passive: This room is cleaned every day.

Many accidents are caused by dangerous driving.

I’m not often invited to parties.

How many people are injured in road accidents every day?

2.     Past simple – was/were + done/cleaned etc.

Active: Somebody cleaned this room yesterday.

Passive: This room was cleaned yesterday.

During the night we were all woken up by a loud explosion.

When was that castle built?

The house wasn’t damaged in the storm but a tree was blown down.

3.     Present continuous – am/is/are being + done/cleaned etc.

Active: Somebody is cleaning the room at the moment.

Passive: The room is being cleaned at the moment.

Look at those old houses! They are being knocked down.

(shop assistant to customer) Are you being served, madam?

4.     Past continuous – was/were being + done/cleaned etc.

Active: Somebody was cleaning the room when I arrived.

Passive: The room was being cleaned when I arrived.

Suddenly I heard footsteps behind me. We were being followed.

5.     Present perfect – have/has been + done/cleaned etc.

Active: The room looks nice. Somebody has cleaned it.

Passive: The room looks nice. It has been cleaned.

Have you heard the news? The president has been shot.

Have you ever been bitten by a dog?

I’m not going to the party. I haven’t been invited.

6.     Past perfect – had been + done/cleaned etc.

Active: The room looked much better. Somebody had cleaned it.

Passive: The room looked much better. It had been cleaned.

Jim didn’t know about the change of plans. He hadn’t been told.