Active / Passive Verb Forms

Sentences can be active or passive. Therefore, tenses also have "active forms" and
"passive forms." You must learn to recognize the difference to successfully speak
English.

Active Form

In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the
thing receiving the action is the object. Most sentences are active.

[Thing doing action] + [verb] + [thing receiving action]

Examples:

Passive Form

In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and
the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence. You can
use the passive form if you think that the thing receiving the action is more important
or should be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not know who
is doing the action or if you do not want to mention who is doing the action.

[Thing receiving action] + [be] + [past participle of verb] + [by] + [thing doing action]

Examples:

Active / Passive Overview

Active Passive

Once a week, Tom cleans the Once a week, the house is

Simple Present
house. cleaned by Tom.

Present Right now, Sarah is writing the Right now, the letter is being
Continuous letter. written by Sarah.
Simple Past Sam repaired the car. The car was repaired by Sam.

The salesman was helping the The customer was being helped
Past
customer when the thief came by the salesman when the thief
Continuous
into the store. came into the store.

Many tourists have visited that That castle has been visited by
Present Perfect
castle. many tourists.

Present Perfect Recently, John has been doing Recently, the work has been
Continuous the work. being done by John.

George had repaired many Many cars had been repaired by

Past Perfect cars before he received his George before he received his
mechanic's license. mechanic's license.

Chef Jones had been The restaurant's fantastic dinners

Past Perfect preparing the restaurant's had been being prepared by
Continuous fantastic dinners for two years Chef Jones for two years before
before he moved to Paris. he moved to Paris.

Simple Future Someone will finish the work The work will be finished by
will by 5:00 PM. 5:00 PM.

Simple Future Sally is going to make a A beautiful dinner is going to be

be going to beautiful dinner tonight. made by Sally tonight.

Future
At 8:00 PM tonight, John will At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes
Continuous
be washing the dishes. will be being washed by John.
will

Future At 8:00 PM tonight, John is At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes

Continuous going to be washing the are going to be being washed by
be going to dishes. John.

Future Perfect They will have completed the The project will have been
will project before the deadline. completed before the deadline.

They are going to have

Future Perfect The project is going to have been
completed the project before
be going to completed before the deadline.
the deadline.

The famous artist will have The mural will have been being
Future Perfect
been painting the mural for painted by the famous artist for
Continuous
over six months by the time it over six months by the time it is
will
is finished. finished.

The famous artist is going to The mural is going to have been

Future Perfect
have been painting the mural being painted by the famous
Continuous
for over six months by the time artist for over six months by the
be going to
it is finished. time it is finished.
 The bills used to be paid by
Used to Jerry used to pay the bills.
Jerry.

My mother would always The pies would always be made

Would Always
make the pies. by my mother.

Future in the
I knew John would finish the I knew the work would be
Past
work by 5:00 PM. finished by 5:00 PM.
Would

Future in the I thought Sally was going to I thought a beautiful dinner was
Past make a beautiful dinner going to be made by Sally
Was Going to tonight. tonight.