Tenses
Comprehensive notes, formulas, and practice questions for Tenses.
Tenses
Passive Voice Across Tenses
The Passive Formula
Passive = Subject + correct form of "be" + V3 (past participle)
The trick is knowing which form of "be" to use for each tense.
Complete Tense Reference
Simple Tenses
| Tense | Active | Passive (be form) |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | She writes it. | It is written by her. |
| Simple Past | She wrote it. | It was written by her. |
| Simple Future (will) | She will write it. | It will be written by her. |
Continuous Tenses
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present Continuous | She is writing it. | It is being written by her. |
| Past Continuous | She was writing it. | It was being written by her. |
| Future Continuous | She will be writing it. | (Rarely passivised) |
Perfect Tenses
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present Perfect | She has written it. | It has been written by her. |
| Past Perfect | She had written it. | It had been written by her. |
| Future Perfect | She will have written it. | It will have been written by her. |
Modal Passives
| Modal | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| can | He can lift it. | It can be lifted by him. |
| should | You should complete it. | It should be completed by you. |
| must | She must finish it. | It must be finished by her. |
| could | They could do it. | It could be done by them. |
Memory Trick for "Be" Forms
| Tense group | "Be" form |
|---|---|
| Simple present | is / are |
| Simple past | was / were |
| Future (will) | will be |
| Present continuous | is/are + being |
| Past continuous | was/were + being |
| Present perfect | has/have + been |
| Past perfect | had + been |
| Future perfect | will have + been |
| Modals | modal + be |
Worked Examples (All Tenses)
Simple Present:
Active: "The teacher explains the lesson." Passive: "The lesson is explained by the teacher."
Past Continuous:
Active: "Workers were repairing the road." Passive: "The road was being repaired by workers."
Present Perfect:
Active: "They have completed the project." Passive: "The project has been completed by them."
Modal:
Active: "You must submit the form." Passive: "The form must be submitted by you."
Common Errors by Tense
| Tense | Wrong | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Present Continuous | The work is being do. | The work is being done. |
| Present Perfect | The letter has wrote. | The letter has been written. |
| Past Continuous | The road was being repair. | The road was being repaired. |
| Simple Past | The cake were baked. | The cake was baked. (singular = was) |
Identifying the Tense of a Passive Sentence
Look at the "be" verb + what comes before it:
"The letters have been delivered." → have been = present perfect passive "The match was being played." → was being = past continuous passive "Fees will have been paid." → will have been = future perfect passive
Quick Check
- Change to passive: "They were discussing the plan." (past continuous)
- Change to passive: "She has sent the email." (present perfect)
- Change to passive: "You should check the answers." (modal)
- Identify the tense: "The bridge had been built in 1850."
- Stretch: Convert all 5 sentences to passive voice: (a) They are building a stadium. (b) The chef prepared the meal. (c) Scientists will discover new medicines. (d) She has painted this canvas. (e) He must sign the agreement.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- The Passive Formula
- Complete Tense Reference
- Memory Trick for "Be" Forms
- Worked Examples (All Tenses)
Master this topic with Drishti OS
Get unlimited mock tests, AI-powered mentorship, and complete video courses when you join.
Start Free Practice