Mastering English grammar can significantly improve your writing clarity. One essential concept to learn is the passive voice. Writers use it to change the focus of a sentence from the person doing the action to the person or thing receiving it.

If you want to know how to form the passive voice in all tenses, this comprehensive guide breaks down the rules, structures, and formulas clearly.

What is the Passive Voice?

Every English sentence has a voice: active or passive.

In an active sentence, the subject performs the action. For example: “The chef cooked the meal.”

In a passive sentence, the subject receives the action. For example: “The meal was cooked by the chef.”

Knowing how to form the passive voice in all tenses allows you to choose the right focus for your sentences. It is particularly useful in business writing, scientific reports, and journalism, where the action or the receiver of the action matters more than the agent.

The Golden Formula for Passive Voice

Before looking at specific tenses, you need to understand the foundational formula. To turn an active sentence into a passive one, follow these three steps:

1. Move the object of the active sentence to the subject position.
2. Conjugate the verb “to be” into the exact same tense as the active sentence.
3. Add the past participle (the third form) of the main verb.

Base Passive Formula: Subject + Form of “To Be” + Past Participle

How to Form the Passive Voice in All Tenses

Here is the step-by-step breakdown of how to construct the passive voice across every major English tense.

1. Present Simple Passive

Use this tense for facts, habits, or regular truths.

• Passive Structure: am / is / are + past participle
• Active: The company hires new graduates.
• Passive: New graduates are hired by the company.

2. Past Simple Passive

Use this tense for completed actions in the past.

• Passive Structure: was / were + past participle
• Active: The architect designed the building.
• Passive: The building was designed by the architect.

3. Future Simple Passive

Use this tense for actions that will happen later.

• Passive Structure: will be + past participle
• Active: The committee will make the decision tomorrow.
• Passive: The decision will be made by the committee tomorrow.

4. Present Continuous Passive

Use this tense for actions happening right now.

• Passive Structure: am / is / are + being + past participle
• Active: The mechanic is repairing the car.
• Passive: The car is being repaired by the mechanic.

5. Past Continuous Passive

Use this tense for ongoing actions in the past that were interrupted.

• Passive Structure: was / were + being + past participle
• Active: The team was updating the software when the power went out.
• Passive: The software was being updated by the team when the power went out.

6. Present Perfect Passive

Use this tense for life experiences or actions with a direct link to the present.

• Passive Structure: has / have + been + past participle
• Active: The author has published three books.
• Passive: Three books have been published by the author.

7. Past Perfect Passive

Use this tense for an action that happened before another action in the past.

• Passive Structure: had + been + past participle
• Active: The chef had prepared the food before the guests arrived.
• Passive: The food had been prepared by the chef before the guests arrived.

8. Future Perfect Passive

Use this tense for actions that will be finished by a specific point in the future.

• Passive Structure: will have + been + past participle
• Active: The construction crew will have completed the road by Friday.
• Passive: The road will have been completed by the construction crew by Friday.

Summary Table: Passive Voice Structures

100 Example Sentences in the Passive Voice

To help you fully understand how to form the passive voice in all tenses, here are 100 practical, real-world examples divided by tense.

Present Simple Passive (1–12)

1. Coffee is grown in Brazil.
2. The mail is delivered every morning.
3. English is spoken all over the world.
4. Website traffic is monitored daily.
5. The office is cleaned every evening.
6. Tax reports are filed annually.
7. Millions of emails are sent every second.
8. The parameters are defined by the user.
9. Fresh bread is baked here daily.
10. The museum is visited by thousands of tourists.
11. New inventory is recorded automatically.
12. Organic waste is recycled on the property.

Past Simple Passive (13–25)

13. The lightbulb was invented by Edison.
14. The contract was signed yesterday morning.
15. The lost keys were found under the couch.
16. The house was built in 1995.
17. The novel was written in three months.
18. The package was shipped via express mail.
19. Mistakes were made during the launch.
20. The meeting was postponed due to weather.
21. The stolen vehicle was recovered quickly.
22. Dinner was served at eight o’clock.
23. The law was passed by parliament.
24. The data was leaked online last week.
25. The window was broken by a rogue baseball.

Future Simple Passive (26–37)

26. The results will be published tomorrow.
27. The project will be finished next week.
28. New staff will be trained on Monday.
29. The bills will be paid on time.
30. Your order will be processed shortly.
31. The building will be demolished next month.
32. The winners will be announced at midnight.
33. A new system will be implemented soon.
34. The text will be translated into German.
35. The event will be live-streamed online.
36. Your account will be activated within an hour.
37. The issue will be resolved by the team.

Present Continuous Passive (38–50)

38. The house is being painted this week.
39. The issue is being investigated right now.
40. New roads are being constructed downtown.
41. Dinner is being prepared at the moment.
42. The application is being reviewed by HR.
43. The suspect is being questioned by police.
44. The servers are being upgraded tonight.
45. A new strategy is being developed.
46. The patient is being treated by a specialist.
47. The contract is being drafted as we speak.
48. The budget is being discussed upstairs.
49. The lawn is being mowed by the gardener.
50. Data is being collected for the study.

Past Continuous Passive (51–62)

51. The car was being repaired when it rained.
52. The video was being edited all afternoon.
53. The temple was being restored last year.
54. The files were being copied during the crash.
55. The report was being typed when the power cut out.
56. The house was being watched by investigators.
57. The packages were being loaded onto the truck.
58. The presentation was being rehearsed at noon.
59. The bridge was being built during the war.
60. The classroom was being cleaned during recess.
61. The code was being audited by the developer.
62. The luggage was being scanned at security.

Present Perfect Passive (63–75)

63. The match has been canceled.
64. The missing cat has been found safely.
65. All tickets have been sold out.
66. The kitchen has been deep cleaned today.
67. The software has been updated successfully.
68. The building has been declared safe.
69. Your subscription has been renewed.
70. Several complaints have been received this week.
71. The manuscript has been approved for print.
72. The law has been amended by the council.
73. The target has been achieved ahead of schedule.
74. The suspect has been arrested by detectives.
75. The ancient ruins have been uncovered.

Past Perfect Passive (76–87)

76. The work had been finished before sunset.
77. The town had been destroyed by the storm.
78. The decision had been made weeks earlier.
79. The email had been sent to the wrong address.
80. The money had been deposited before noon.
81. The house had been sold before the listing grew old.
82. The truth had been hidden for decades.
83. The dynamic had been altered by the news.
84. The crops had been harvested before the frost.
85. The system had been hacked twice before.
86. The fire had been extinguished by neighbors.
87. The parameters had been set incorrectly.

Future Perfect Passive (88–100)

88. The bridge will have been built by January.
89. The budget will have been approved by then.
90. The book will have been translated by spring.
91. The degree will have been earned by next summer.
92. The goal will have been reached by tomorrow.
93. The files will have been archived by Friday.
94. The structure will have been inspected by noon.
95. The loan will have been repaid by next year.
96. The report will have been submitted by five.
97. The room will have been cleaned before you return.
98. The software will have been deployed by midnight.
99. The package will have been delivered by dusk.
100. The entire city will have been mapped by autumn.

Conclusion on How to Form the Passive Voice in All Tenses

Understanding how to form the passive voice in all tenses gives you more control over your writing. By focusing on the receiver of an action rather than the doer, you can vary your sentence structures and match the specific style requirements of professional and academic settings. Use the formulas provided above, keep an eye on your past participles, and practice with the example sentences to make the passive voice a natural part of your writing toolkit.

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⚠️ DISCLAIMER on How to Form the Passive Voice in All Tenses

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the grammatical rules and examples provided, language use can vary by region and context. Always consult specific style guides for professional or academic writing requirements.

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