Page 94 - English Grammar - 8

The verb form in a passive voice sentence takes shape, in accordance with the tense. The
following chart shows the formation of sentences in passive voice in all kinds of states, that
is, simple, continuous, and perfect forms in all kinds of tenses, past, present, and future.

Tense Formation Examples (A – Active, P – Passive)
Simple am/is/are + past A: The Japanese make sushi.
Present participle P: Sushi is made by the Japanese.

Present am/is/are + A: She is embroidering beautiful scarves.
Continuous being + past P: Beautiful scarves are being embroidered by her.
participle

Present has/have + been A: Your company has cheated me.
Perfect + past participle P: I have been cheated by your company.
Simple Past was/were + past A: The Roys invited the Khannas.
participle P: The Khannas were invited by the Roys.

Past was/were + being A: I was washing my car.
Continuous + past participle P: My car was being washed by me.
Past Perfect had + been + past A: The company had appointed a new manager when
participle I joined.

P: A new manager had been appointed when I joined.
Simple will be + past A: He will sell the house next month.
Future participle P: The house will be sold by him next month.

Future will + have been + A: We will have decorated the stage before the chief
Perfect past participle guest arrives.
Active and Passive Voice
P: The stage will have been decorated before the chief
guest arrives.

Rememberemember
R

Verbs with no object (no one to receive the action) such as arrive, come, die, exist, go, happen, have,
live, occur, sleep, etc. do not have a passive form.

Formation of Passives with Modals

The passive voice can also be formed using modals. The modal can and its past form could
is most commonly used in the formation of passive sentences. For example:
They can eat the apple pie. (active)
O
The apple pie can be eaten by them. (passive)
O
Formation of Interrogatives in Passive Voice

In interrogative sentences, the auxiliary verb in the active voice gets changed in the passive
voice.
Here are some rules to be kept in mind while forming the interrogative sentences in passive
voice.

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