Active and passive voice: overview chart

Here is a quick overview of the active and passive voice verb forms.

Tense Active voice Passive voice

Simple present Verb form: first form of the verb Verb form: is / am / are + past participle

tense Examples form of the verb

They speak English here. Examples

He speaks English. English is spoken here.

English is spoken by him.

Present Verb form: is/am/are + -ing form Verb form: is/am/are + being + past

continuous tense of the verb participle form of the verb

Examples Examples

She is writing a letter. A letter is being written by her.

I am learning my lessons. My lessons are being learnt by me.

You are making a cake. A cake is being made by you.

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Active and passive voice: overview chart

resent perfect Verb form: has/have + past Verb form: has/have + been + past

tense participle form of the verb participle form of the verb

Examples: Examples:

I have written a novel. A novel has been written by me.

She has finished the job. The job has been finished by her.

You have written letters. Letters have been written by you.

Simple past Verb form: past tense form of the Verb form: was/were + past participle

verb form of the verb

Examples: Examples:

I wrote a letter. A letter was written by me.

Ram broke a glass. A glass was broken by Ram.

You missed the chance. The chance was missed by you.

Past continuous Verb form: was/were + -ing form Verb form: was/were + being + past

tense of the verb participle form of the verb

Examples Examples

I was learning my lessons. My lessons were being learnt by me.

She was writing a report. A report was being written by her.

They were making toys. Toys were being made by them.

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Active and passive voice: overview chart

Past perfect Verb form: had + past participle Verb form: had + been + past participle

tense form of the verb form of the verb

Examples Examples:

I had finished the project. The project had been finished by me.

She had learned her lessons. Her lessons had been learned by her.

Simple future Verb form: will/shall + first form Verb form: will/shall + be + past

tense of the verb participle form of the verb

Examples Examples:

I will finish the job. The job will be finished by me.

She will solve the problem. The problem will be solved by her.

Future perfect Verb form: will/shall + have + Verb form: will/shall + have + been +

past participle form of the verb past participle form of the verb

Examples Examples

I will have finished the job. The job will have been finished by me.

She will have solved the The problem will have been solved by

problem. her.

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