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Learn the Passive - Part 2 The Forms

Welcome to part two for the passive series. So, how do we use the passive for different times, tenses? In English we need all the pieces of grammar to make the sentence correct. In this lesson we’ll be using this example. First, we need to remember how to make a passive sentence. Remember we need the verb be and the verb needs to be in the past participle or verb 3 form.

So, let’s start with past simple. That’s easy enough. We’ve got the subject, I. The action is arrest but remember this is passive. So we need to include that grammar, the verb be in this case if it’s past, it follows the subject I, so I was. The verb becomes the past participle, arrested. But, how about present perfect? That’s more difficult because we need have and the past participle to form present perfect and for passive, we need be and the past participle. What the help to past participles, that’s confusing.

Just remember, it’s the passive be which changes with the tense. So, for present perfect, what do you think would be? It’s this. So, I have being, be took the past participle, that forms the present perfect. The be and the past participial arrested, that covers the passive. So, you see we use all the pieces of the grammar. It’s all there.

Next one, imagine this action is happening right now. For an action happening now, which form do we use? That’s right, present continuous. Now present continuous, we need be and “ing”. So, apply the same logic to this, present continuous, passive sentence. The action is arrest. We need to show it’s happening now so, am, “ing”, that covers present continuous. Be and past participle arrested, that shows it’s passive. So it becomes I am being arrested.

How about past perfect? You try this one. I believe in you. Past perfect, we need had and a past participle. Passive we need be and a past participle. I had been arrested. Had, “en”, that’s past perfect. We’ve still got be and arrested for the passive. What about past perfect continuous passive. I’ve been being arrested, that doesn’t sound right. To be honest in this tense, it’s much more common to change being for getting. I’d been getting arrested, for example. It’s not often you’d say that sentence. Or just leaving it as past perfect simple passive. That’s the end of today’s class. I’ll see you next time.