B1 · Intermediate

The passive in many tenses and with modal verbs

In the passive, the object of the verb becomes the subject. The passive works in many tenses, and the rule is always the same: use the right form of be for the tense, then the past participle.

The rule

Passive
Subjectbe (in the tense you need)past participle

Only the form of be changes with the tense. The main verb is always the past participle.

The forms

FormActivePassive
Present simpleThey make the shoes here.The shoes are made here.
Past simpleThey made the shoes here.The shoes were made here.
Present continuousThey are making the shoes.The shoes are being made.
Past continuousThey were making the shoes.The shoes were being made.
Present perfectThey have made the shoes.The shoes have been made.
Past perfectThey had made the shoes.The shoes had been made.
Future with willThey will make the shoes.The shoes will be made.
InfinitiveThey need to make the shoes.The shoes need to be made.

A past participle is the third form of the verb: made, written, seen. See The present perfect: form and uses.

Negatives and questions

Put not after the first helper. For a question, put the first helper before the subject.

  • The shoes haven't been made yet.
  • Are the shoes being made now?
  • Will the shoes be made by Friday?

Modal verbs

For a modal verb, use modal + be + past participle.

  • The form must be signed today.
  • The report can be read online.
  • The window should have been closed. past: modal + have been + past participle

Two objects

Some verbs have two objects (give, send, show, offer). Either object can become the subject of a passive.

  • He was given a book. active: They gave him a book.
  • A book was given to him.

Phrasal verbs

Keep the particle after the passive verb.

  • The meeting was called off.
  • The room has been cleaned up.

Levels

For other forms, see Advanced passives: get-passive, be supposed to and more. The passive is also used to summarise and evaluate,.

Watch out

✗The shoes are making here.

✓The shoes are made here.

The shoes are the things affected, so the verb is the past participle, not -ing.

✗The shoes has been made.

✓The shoes have been made.

The helper agrees with the subject: shoes is plural.

✗The house is being build.

✓The house is being built.

After being, use the past participle.

✗The form must signed.

✓The form must be signed.

A modal passive needs be before the past participle.

What comes next

Begin with The passive: be + past participle. For get-passives and be supposed to, see Advanced passives: get-passive, be supposed to and more. For reporting verbs, see Reporting passives: it is said that, he is said to.

Practice

Eight questions. Choose one answer for each.