Let's find out what passive sentences sound like to you already.
Try This
Read these sentences out loud:
"The report was written by the team."
"The house is being built right now."
"The bridge will be finished by next year."
Now tell me: Which part of the sentence tells you WHO did the action? Where is that information?
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to build and speak sentences in three advanced passive forms: Present Perfect Passive ("The report has been completed"), Future Passive with will ("The bridge will be finished"), and Modal Passive ("This must be signed").
Why this matters? Passive voice lets you focus on the action or result, not the person. In professional English, news, and reports, passive is everywhere. You need to both recognize it and build it smoothly.
Present Perfect Passive
Focus: Action completed recently or just now. The action is finished.
The Structure
🏗️
Focus on result
What's done? What's changed?
has / have + been + past participle
"The report has been completed."
"Three buildings have been built this year."
Transformation (I DO)
Watch how I change this from active to passive:
Active:
"The team completed the report."
→
Passive:
"The report has been completed by the team."
Why? The object ("the report") becomes the new subject. The action moves to present perfect. The agent ("by the team") moves to the end — or disappears.
Subject + has / have + been + past participle (+ by agent)
You Try (WE DO)
Let's build one together. I'll start; you complete it.
Active: "They have organized the event."
Complete the passive version:
"The event by them."
Need help? See the pattern.CLICK
has been organized
Object ("the event") → subject. Verb → has been + organized. Notice: "organized" is the past participle.
Your Turn (YOU DO)
I'll give you active sentences. Write the passive version.
1. "They have designed three new products."
Passive:
2. "Someone has stolen my phone!"
Passive:
Future Passive (Will)
Focus: Action that will happen tomorrow, next year, or in the future.
The Structure
🔮
Looking ahead
What will be done?
will be + past participle
"The bridge will be finished next year."
"All documents will be reviewed."
Transformation (I DO)
Active → Passive:
Active:
"They will build the bridge in 2026."
→
Passive:
"The bridge will be built in 2026."
Notice: The time marker ("in 2026") stays the same. The structure is simple: will be + past participle. No "have" or "been been".
Subject + will be + past participle (+ by agent / time marker)
You Try (WE DO)
Active: "They will announce the winner tomorrow."
Complete the passive:
"The winner tomorrow."
Reveal the answer.CLICK
will be announced
Object → subject. Verb → will be + announced (past participle).
Your Turn (YOU DO)
Convert to passive future:
1. "They will open the new office next month."
Passive:
2. "They will complete the project by Friday."
Passive:
Modal Passive
Focus: Necessity, ability, possibility. What must be done? What can be done? What might be done?
The Structure
⚙️
Obligation
What should / must be done?
modal + be + past participle
"This form must be signed."
"The issue can be resolved easily."
"This should be discussed."
Common Modals in Passive
must be: Obligation, necessity — "This form must be completed."
can be: Ability, possibility — "This can be fixed quickly."
should be: Advice, recommendation — "Children should be taught to read early."
could be: Possibility, past ability — "This could be done differently."
might be: Possibility — "The meeting might be delayed."
Transformation (I DO)
Active → Modal Passive:
Active:
"You must sign this form."
→
Passive:
"This form must be signed."
Notice: Object becomes subject. The modal + be + past participle. The "you" (agent) disappears — because the focus is the action itself.
A company is announcing a major project. Use passive voice — it's more professional and formal.
Original (Informal)
"We designed a new app. We completed it last month. Now we will launch it next week. Everyone must download it. The boss might announce the details. We hope people can use it easily. This project should change the industry."
Your Task
Rewrite in formal, passive voice. Use at least three different passive structures (Present Perfect, Future with will, or Modal). You do the rewriting — spend 3–4 minutes.
03:00
How to Check Yourself
Look for:
✓ Did you use passive? (Look for "is/are/was/been/will be/must be...")
✓ Are there at least 3 sentences?
✓ Does it sound more formal than the original?
✓ Are your past participles correct? (designed, completed, launched)
Explain What You Built
Speaking is where the real learning happens. Explain your passive sentences out loud.
Why You Chose Passive for Each One
Pick one sentence you wrote in the rewrite. Now explain:
Speak
"This sentence I wrote is: [your sentence]."
"I chose passive voice because..."
Hint: Is it because the action is more important than the doer? Is it more formal? Is it describing a completed result?
Second Challenge (Interleaving)
You'll see a mix of active and passive sentences below. Identify which passive structure each one uses:
1. "The building has been constructed for five years."
This is: ?
Check the answerCLICK
Present Perfect Passive
has been + past participle (constructed)
2. "The project can be finished by next month."
This is: ?
Check the answerCLICK
Modal Passive (can be + past participle)
Note: It could also be Future Passive (will be), but the modal "can" makes it about possibility, not certainty.
3. "New offices will be opened in the city centre."
This is: ?
Check the answerCLICK
Future Passive
will be + past participle (opened). Simple future action.
Final Check: What You Know Now
Close this page. Can you answer these without looking? Try.
Recall Zone (From Memory)
1. Write the passive form of: "They have completed the report."
2. Write the passive form of: "They will announce the winner tomorrow."
3. Write the passive form of: "You must sign this form."
Metacognition: Thinking About Your Learning
Reflect
Which was easiest to learn today, and why?
Example: "Present Perfect Passive was easiest because I already know present perfect, so it was just adding 'been.'"
Return to the Original Question
Can you now:
✓ Build Present Perfect Passive sentences?
✓ Build Future Passive sentences?
✓ Build and use Modal Passive?
✓ Explain WHY you choose passive in formal writing?
Final thought: Passive voice isn't hard — it's just a tool. You choose it when the action matters more than the doer, or when you want to sound more formal. You've now seen it three ways. Practice using it in your own writing, and it becomes automatic.