Passive (2) (present and past tenses)

UNIT 40   Passive (2) (present and past tenses)

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

 
Simple present         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 car accidents every day?

 
 Simple past        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.

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

Active: Somebody is cleaning the room right now.

Passive: The room is being cleaned right now.

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

• (shop assistant to customer) Are you being helped, ma'am?                         

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.

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.

 
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.