English Passive Voice Examples and Rules

Simple Present

Once a week, Tom cleans the house.

Once a week, the house is cleaned by Tom.

Present Continuous

Right now, Sarah is writing the letter

Right now, the letter is being written by Sarah.

Simple Past

Sam repaired the car.

The car was repaired by Sam.

Past Continuous

The salesman was helping the customer when the thief came into the store.

The customer was being helped by the salesman when the thief came into the store

Present Perfect

Many tourists have visited that castle.

That castle has been visited by many tourists.

Present Perfect Continuous

Recently, John has been doing the work

Recently, the work has been being done by John.

Past Perfect

George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic's license

Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic's license

Past Perfect Continuous

Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris.

The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris

Simple Future will

Someone will finish the work by 5:00 PM.

The work will be finished by 5:00 PM.

Simple Future be going to

Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight.

A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight

Future Continuous will

At 8:00 PM tonight, John will be washing the dishes

At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes will be being washed by John.

Future Continuous be going to

At 8:00 PM tonight, John is going to be washing the dishes

At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes are going to be being washed by John

Would Always

My mother would always make the pies.

The pies would always be made by my mother.

Future in the Past Would

I knew John would finish the work by 5:00 PM.

I knew the work would be finished by 5:00 PM

Future in the Past Was Going to

I thought Sally was going to make a beautiful dinner tonight.

I thought a beautiful dinner was going to be made by Sally tonight

Passive active questions

A: Julie washed the car

P: the car was washed by Julie

A: did Julie washed the car?

P: was the car washed ?

The verbs has, have, had, will, shall, can, may etc., do not change their position at the beginning of the sentence when the active voice is changed to the passive voice.

The question words when, why, where, how or what does not change their position at the beginning of the sentence when the active voice is changed into the passive voice. Note that who changes to by whom and whom into who.