The Master Passive Tense Guide
In my 25 years of teaching, I always tell students: The verb 'to be' is the secret. Change the verb 'to be' to the tense you need, then add the Past Participle (V3).
Already familiar with these rules?
Jump straight to the Interactive Exercises ↓
| Tense | Formula & Example |
|---|---|
| Present Simple | am/is/are + V3 The shoplifter is caught by security. |
| Present Continuous | am/is/are + being + V3 The burglary is being investigated right now. |
| Past Simple | was/were + V3 The vandal was arrested yesterday. |
| Past Continuous | was/were + being + V3 The money was being hidden when police arrived. |
| Present Perfect | has/have + been + V3 The drug trafficker has been sentenced. |
| Past Perfect | had + been + V3 The house had been robbed before they got home. |
| Future (Will) | will + be + V3 The hacker will be caught eventually. |
| Be Going To | am/is/are + going to be + V3 He is going to be kicked out of school. |
| Must (Modal) | must + be + V3 Criminals must be punished. |
| Should (Modal) | should + be + V3 Justice should be served fairly. |
Teacher's Tip: If you are unsure of the Past Participle (V3), remember that most are regular (-ed), but the irregular ones (e.g., written, seen, broken) must be memorized!