Passive Verb Forms

Study the following table carefully and note how the verb write changes its form when it is changed to the passive.

 

Tense Active Verb Passive Verb
Simple Present write/writes is/am/are written
Present continuous is/am/are writing is/are/am being written
Present perfect has/have written has/have been written
Simple past wrote was/were written
Past continuous was/were writing was/were being written
Past perfect had written had been written
Simple future will/shall write will/shall be written
Future continuous will/shall be writing ————-
Future perfect will/shall have written will/shall have been written

Perfect continuous forms of all three tenses are not used in the passive. Similarly future continuous tense is also not used in the passive.

Tense Active Voice Passive Voice
Simple Present John writes a letter. A letter is written by John.
Present continuous John is writing a letter . A letter is being written by John.
Present perfect John has written a letter. A letter has been written by John.
Simple Past John wrote a letter. A letter was written by John.
Past continuous John was writing a letter. A letter was being written by John.
Past perfect John had written a letter. A letter had been written by John.
Simple future John will write a letter. A letter will be written by John.
Future perfect John will have written a letter. A letter will have been written by John.

 

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I am Manjusha. This is my blog where I give English grammar lessons and worksheets.

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