7.3: Verb Tenses: Passive Voice
- Page ID
- 5825
SIMPLE TENSES
SIMPLE PRESENT
\[\text{General facts or habitual repetitive actions} = \text{am, is, are} + \text{past participle}\]
- Lunch is served at noon.
- The locks are checked every night.
SIMPLE PAST
\[\text{Completed past actions} = \text{was, were} + \text{past participle}\]
She was rewarded for her information.
SIMPLE FUTURE
\[\text{Future promises, predictions, or actions} = \text{will be} + \text{past participle}\]
I will be there on Saturday.
SIMPLE PROGRESSIVE
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
\[\text{Future actions (paired with go, leave, move, etc.) or actions that are currently in progress} = \text{am, is, are} + \text{being} + \text{past participle}\]
- The votes are being counted by impartial volunteers.
- Joe is being crowned king of the dance.
PAST PROGRESSIVE
\[\text{Actions that were in progress at a specific time past} = \text{was, were} + \text{being} + \text{past participle}\]
They thought they were being careful.
PERFECT TENSES
PRESENT PERFECT
\[\text{Actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past or that begin in the past but are still currently occurring} = \text{has, have} + \text{been} + \text{past participle}\]
- The boat has been delayed because of the hurricane in the Atlantic.
- Tests have been proctored by teachers for many years.
PAST PERFECT
\[\text{Actions that began or occurred before something else in the past} = \text{had} + \text{been} + \text{past participle}\]
She had been searching for clues for hours before bedtime.
Future progressive, future perfect, & perfect progressive are not used in passive voice.