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English grammar

The passive across every tense

B2 · Upper intermediate Verbs and time Questions 10

The rule

The passive exists so that the sentence can start with what matters. The roof was repaired last week puts the roof first because the builder is not the news. Every tense has a passive: is done, is being done, was done, was being done, has been done, had been done, will be done, will have been done, is going to be done — and modals take be plus the participle: must be done, should have been done. Use by only when the agent is genuinely informative, and with for the instrument. Overusing the passive is a style fault; avoiding it entirely is a different one.

Pattern

be (in any tense) + past participle · modal + be + past participle · modal + have been + past participle

Examples

  1. The forms are being processed in the order they arrived.

  2. Nothing had been said about the change before the meeting.

  3. The results will have been published by the end of term.

  4. This should have been checked before it went out.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: The letter was send yesterday.

    Right: The letter was sent yesterday.

    The passive takes the past participle, not the base form.

  • Wrong: The report must be finish by Friday.

    Right: The report must be finished by Friday.

    After a modal the passive is be + past participle.

  • Wrong: The window was broken by a hammer.

    Right: The window was broken with a hammer.

    by names the agent; with names the instrument.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    1. The invoice being checked at the moment.
    2. The invoice is being checked at the moment.
    3. The invoice is checking at the moment.
    4. The invoice is been checked at the moment.
    Show answer

    Answer: B The invoice is being checked at the moment.

    Present continuous passive: is being + participle.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Nothing has been decided yet.
    2. Nothing is been decided yet.
    3. Nothing have been decided yet.
    4. Nothing has decided yet.
    Show answer

    Answer: A Nothing has been decided yet.

    Present perfect passive: has been + participle.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    1. The road had being closed before we set off.
    2. The road had closed by the council before we set off.
    3. The road had been closed before we set off.
    4. The road was been closed before we set off.
    Show answer

    Answer: C The road had been closed before we set off.

    Past perfect passive: had been + participle.

  4. 4Fill in the gap.

    The whole street _____ next summer.

    1. will be resurface
    2. is resurfacing
    3. will resurface
    4. will be resurfaced
    Show answer

    Answer: D The whole street will be resurfaced next summer.

    Future passive: will be + participle.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    These files _____ for seven years by law.

    1. must keep
    2. must be keeping
    3. must been kept
    4. must be kept
    Show answer

    Answer: D These files must be kept for seven years by law.

    Modal passive: modal + be + participle.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    The bridge _____ while we were on holiday.

    1. was being rebuilt
    2. was rebuilt being
    3. is being rebuilt
    4. had being rebuilt
    Show answer

    Answer: A The bridge was being rebuilt while we were on holiday.

    Past continuous passive for an action in progress then.

  7. 7Fill in the gap.

    By the time you get there the stall _____ .

    1. will have been cleared
    2. will be cleared away being
    3. will have cleared
    4. has been clearing
    Show answer

    Answer: A By the time you get there the stall will have been cleared .

    Future perfect passive.

  8. 8Fill in the gap.

    The email _____ to the wrong address, apparently.

    1. is sending
    2. was sent
    3. has sending
    4. was send
    Show answer

    Answer: B The email was sent to the wrong address, apparently.

    Simple past passive.

  9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. The decision has been taken.
    2. They took the decision last week.
    3. The decision was took last week.
    4. The decision was taken last week.
    Show answer

    Answer: C The decision was took last week.

    The participle of take is taken.

  10. 10This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. It was written in pencil.
    2. It was written by a pencil.
    3. It was written by the previous tenant.
    4. It was written with a blunt pencil.
    Show answer

    Answer: B It was written by a pencil.

    by does not introduce an instrument.

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