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Using the passive voice in present, past, future and perfect tenses.
Practice: build the sentences →The passive voice is formed with a form of be followed by the past participle, and the form of be changes according to tense.
For example, The report is written, The report was written, and The report will be written.
The report is written.
Отчёт написан.
Present Simple passive: is + past participle.
The report was written.
Отчёт был написан.
Past Simple passive: was + past participle.
The report will be written.
Отчёт будет написан.
Future Simple passive: will be + past participle.
The Present Simple passive is formed with am, is, or are followed by the past participle.
For example, The rooms are cleaned every day.
The rooms are cleaned every day.
Комнаты убирают каждый день.
are + past participle.
English is spoken all over the world.
На английском говорят по всему миру.
is + past participle.
I am paid monthly.
Мне платят ежемесячно.
am + past participle.
The Present Continuous passive is formed with am, is, or are + being + past participle.
For example, The road is being repaired.
The road is being repaired.
Дорога ремонтируется.
is being + past participle.
New houses are being built.
Строятся новые дома.
are being + past participle.
The documents are being checked.
Документы проверяются.
are being + past participle.
The Present Perfect passive is formed with has or have + been + past participle.
For example, The work has been completed.
The work has been completed.
Работа была завершена.
has been + past participle.
Several changes have been made.
Было внесено несколько изменений.
have been + past participle.
The letter has been sent.
Письмо было отправлено.
has been + past participle.
The Present Perfect Continuous passive is grammatically possible but uncommon and often avoided in favor of a more natural alternative.
A sentence such as The road has been being repaired is possible but awkward; The road has been under repair is often more natural.
The road has been being repaired.
Дорога ремонтируется (уже некоторое время).
Grammatically possible but awkward; avoid.
The house has been being painted.
Дом красится (уже некоторое время).
Uncommon; prefer active or simpler passive.
The road has been under repair.
Дорога находится в ремонте.
More natural alternative to the continuous passive.
The Past Simple passive is formed with was or were followed by the past participle.
For example, The building was completed in 1990.
The building was completed in 1990.
Здание было завершено в 1990 году.
was + past participle.
The documents were signed yesterday.
Документы были подписаны вчера.
were + past participle.
The window was broken.
Окно было разбито.
was + past participle.
The Past Continuous passive is formed with was or were + being + past participle.
For example, The bridge was being repaired when we arrived.
The bridge was being repaired when we arrived.
Мост ремонтировали, когда мы приехали.
was being + past participle.
The room was being cleaned when we got there.
Комнату убирали, когда мы туда пришли.
was being + past participle.
The files were being uploaded.
Файлы загружались.
were being + past participle.
The Past Perfect passive is formed with had + been + past participle.
For example, The documents had been sent before the meeting.
The documents had been sent before the meeting.
Документы были отправлены до встречи.
had been + past participle.
The room had been cleaned before the guests arrived.
Комнату убрали до прихода гостей.
had been + past participle.
The house had been sold by then.
К тому времени дом был продан.
had been + past participle.
The Past Perfect Continuous passive is theoretically possible but very uncommon and usually replaced by a clearer construction.
Had been being repaired is grammatically complex and is normally avoided when a simpler expression is available.
The road had been being repaired.
Дорога ремонтировалась (уже некоторое время).
Grammatically possible but very uncommon.
The house had been being painted for weeks.
Дом красился уже несколько недель.
Extremely awkward; avoid in normal speech.
The road had been under repair for months.
Дорога находилась в ремонте несколько месяцев.
Preferred alternative to the continuous passive.
The Future Simple passive is formed with will + be + past participle.
For example, The results will be announced tomorrow.
The results will be announced tomorrow.
Результаты будут объявлены завтра.
will be + past participle.
The project will be completed next month.
Проект будет завершён в следующем месяце.
will be + past participle.
The new law will be implemented soon.
Новый закон будет введён вскоре.
will be + past participle.
The Future Continuous passive is theoretically possible but uncommon in ordinary English.
Will be being repaired is grammatically possible, but The road will be under repair is often more natural.
The road will be being repaired.
Дорога будет ремонтироваться (в какой-то момент).
Grammatically possible but uncommon.
The house will be being painted next week.
Дом будет краситься на следующей неделе.
Awkward; prefer active or simpler passive.
The road will be under repair next week.
Дорога будет в ремонте на следующей неделе.
More natural alternative.
The Future Perfect passive is formed with will + have + been + past participle.
For example, The project will have been completed by Friday.
The project will have been completed by Friday.
Проект будет завершён к пятнице.
will have been + past participle.
The report will have been written by then.
Отчёт будет написан к тому времени.
will have been + past participle.
The decision will have been made by tomorrow.
Решение будет принято к завтрашнему дню.
will have been + past participle.
The Future Perfect Continuous passive is extremely uncommon and generally avoided in favor of simpler constructions.
Will have been being repaired is grammatically complex and is normally replaced by a more natural expression.
The road will have been being repaired for a week.
Дорога будет ремонтироваться уже неделю.
Extremely uncommon and awkward.
The house will have been being painted for months.
Дом будет краситься уже несколько месяцев.
Avoid; use active or a simpler construction.
The road will have been under repair for a week.
Дорога будет в ремонте уже неделю.
Natural alternative.
Modal verbs are followed by be + past participle in passive constructions.
For example, The report must be completed today and The problem can be solved.
The report must be completed today.
Отчёт должен быть завершён сегодня.
modal + be + past participle.
The problem can be solved.
Проблема может быть решена.
modal + be + past participle.
The form should be signed.
Форма должна быть подписана.
modal + be + past participle.
Modal perfect passive constructions use modal + have + been + past participle.
For example, The mistake should have been corrected earlier.
The mistake should have been corrected earlier.
Ошибку следовало исправить раньше.
modal + have been + past participle.
The documents must have been sent already.
Документы, должно быть, уже отправлены.
modal + have been + past participle.
The letter might have been lost.
Письмо, возможно, было потеряно.
modal + have been + past participle.
Be going to can be used with the passive as going to be + past participle.
For example, The building is going to be demolished.
The building is going to be demolished.
Здание собираются снести.
is going to be + past participle.
The documents are going to be checked.
Документы собираются проверить.
are going to be + past participle.
The new system is going to be introduced.
Новую систему собираются внедрить.
is going to be + past participle.
The passive infinitive is formed with to be + past participle.
For example, The report needs to be completed.
The report needs to be completed.
Отчёт нужно завершить.
to be + past participle.
He wants to be informed.
Он хочет, чтобы его информировали.
to be + past participle.
The rules have to be followed.
Правила должны соблюдаться.
to be + past participle.
The passive gerund is formed with being + past participle.
For example, He dislikes being criticized.
He dislikes being criticized.
Он не любит, когда его критикуют.
being + past participle.
She left without being noticed.
Она ушла незамеченной.
being + past participle.
The car needs being washed.
Машину нужно помыть.
being + past participle (though "needs washing" is more common).
The perfect passive infinitive is formed with to have been + past participle.
For example, She is believed to have been offered the job.
She is believed to have been offered the job.
Считается, что ей предложили работу.
to have been + past participle.
The building is thought to have been built in 1900.
Считается, что здание было построено в 1900 году.
to have been + past participle.
He is said to have been promoted.
Говорят, что его повысили.
to have been + past participle.
The perfect passive gerund is formed with having been + past participle.
For example, He apologized for having been treated unfairly.
He apologized for having been treated unfairly.
Он извинился за то, что с ним несправедливо обошлись.
having been + past participle.
She was upset at having been forgotten.
Она была расстроена тем, что её забыли.
having been + past participle.
Having been warned several times, he was eventually dismissed.
После нескольких предупреждений его в конце концов уволили.
having been + past participle.
Verbs that can take two objects can often form passive constructions with either object becoming the subject.
For example, I was given a book and A book was given to me.
I was given a book.
Мне дали книгу.
Indirect object becomes subject.
A book was given to me.
Книга была дана мне.
Direct object becomes subject; "to" retained.
She was sent a letter.
Ей отправили письмо.
Indirect object as subject.
A letter was sent to her.
Письмо было отправлено ей.
Direct object as subject.
Some verbs followed by prepositions can form passive constructions while retaining the preposition.
For example, The problem was dealt with immediately.
The problem was dealt with immediately.
С проблемой разобрались немедленно.
Preposition retained: dealt with.
The children were looked after well.
За детьми хорошо присматривали.
Preposition retained: looked after.
The matter will be looked into.
Этот вопрос будет рассмотрен.
Preposition retained: looked into.
Passive reporting structures use verbs such as believe, say, expect, and report in constructions with subjects and infinitives.
For example, He is believed to be abroad and The company is expected to announce the results soon.
He is believed to be abroad.
Считается, что он за границей.
Subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive.
The company is expected to announce the results soon.
Ожидается, что компания скоро объявит результаты.
Passive reporting structure.
She is said to have left the country.
Говорят, что она покинула страну.
Perfect infinitive in passive reporting.
Get can sometimes replace be in informal passive constructions, especially when the subject experiences a change or event.
For example, He got injured in the accident and She got promoted last year.
He got injured in the accident.
Он пострадал в аварии.
Get passive: informal, change of state.
She got promoted last year.
Её повысили в прошлом году.
Get + past participle.
The window got broken during the storm.
Окно разбилось во время бури.
Get passive for unexpected event.
The passive tense should reflect the same time relationship and aspect that the active construction would express.
For example, They repair the road becomes The road is repaired, while They repaired the road becomes The road was repaired.
They repair the road.
Они ремонтируют дорогу.
Active Present Simple.
The road is repaired.
Дорогу ремонтируют.
Passive Present Simple.
They repaired the road.
Они отремонтировали дорогу.
Active Past Simple.
The road was repaired.
Дорогу отремонтировали.
Passive Past Simple.
When changing an active sentence to passive, the object of the active sentence usually becomes the passive subject, while the tense is retained through the appropriate form of be.
For example, They built the bridge becomes The bridge was built.
They built the bridge.
Они построили мост.
Active: object = the bridge.
The bridge was built.
Мост был построен.
Passive: object becomes subject.
Someone stole my bike.
Кто-то украл мой велосипед.
Active.
My bike was stolen.
Мой велосипед украли.
Passive: agent unknown.
The agent can be introduced with by when identifying who or what performs the action.
For example, The book was written by George Orwell.
The book was written by George Orwell.
Книга была написана Джорджем Оруэллом.
Agent introduced with by.
The song was performed by a famous singer.
Песня была исполнена известным певцом.
By + agent.
The decision was made by the committee.
Решение было принято комитетом.
By + agent.
The agent is often omitted when it is unknown, obvious, irrelevant, or less important than the action or result.
For example, The window was broken does not specify who broke it.
The window was broken.
Окно было разбито.
Agent unknown or unimportant.
Mistakes were made.
Были допущены ошибки.
Agent deliberately omitted.
The road is being repaired.
Дорога ремонтируется.
Agent obvious or irrelevant.
Negative passive sentences place not after the auxiliary verb or first auxiliary.
For example, The report was not completed and The documents have not been signed.
The report was not completed.
Отчёт не был завершён.
not after was.
The documents have not been signed.
Документы не были подписаны.
not after have.
The results will not be published.
Результаты не будут опубликованы.
not after will.
Passive questions place the auxiliary before the subject while retaining the passive structure.
For example, Was the report completed? and Has the package been delivered?
Was the report completed?
Отчёт был завершён?
Auxiliary before subject.
Has the package been delivered?
Посылка была доставлена?
Has before subject.
Will the results be published?
Результаты будут опубликованы?
Will before subject.
Some passive constructions are followed by infinitive complements that describe the reported or expected action.
For example, The company is expected to increase prices.
The company is expected to increase prices.
Ожидается, что компания повысит цены.
Passive + to-infinitive complement.
He is believed to be innocent.
Считается, что он невиновен.
Passive reporting + infinitive.
The project is said to be behind schedule.
Говорят, что проект отстаёт от графика.
Passive + infinitive complement.
Some past participle forms can describe a resulting state rather than a passive event.
For example, The door is closed may describe its state rather than the action of someone closing it.
The door is closed.
Дверь закрыта.
State: describes condition, not action.
The window was broken.
Окно было разбито.
Could be state or passive event, depending on context.
The house is painted white.
Дом покрашен в белый цвет.
Stative: describes appearance/state.
The passive is often preferred when the action, process, result, or affected entity is more important than the agent.
For example, The results were published yesterday focuses on the results rather than the people who published them.
The results were published yesterday.
Результаты были опубликованы вчера.
Focus on results, not agents.
The new bridge was opened to traffic.
Новый мост был открыт для движения.
Process/result more important.
The suspect was arrested last night.
Подозреваемый был арестован прошлой ночью.
Agent obvious or unknown.
Use the correct form of be, retain the intended tense and aspect, and use the past participle rather than the base or past simple form.
Common mistakes include omitting be, using the wrong auxiliary tense, using an incorrect participle, and confusing passive meaning with a simple adjective.
The letter was send.
Письмо было отправлено.
Incorrect: use past participle "sent", not base form.
The work is complete.
Работа завершена.
Incorrect if passive intended: need "is completed" (or adjective "complete" but passive requires participle).
The documents have being signed.
Документы были подписаны.
Incorrect: use "been", not "being".
The car was repair yesterday.
Машину отремонтировали вчера.
Incorrect: use past participle "repaired".