NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

USING PERFECT TENSES

IT

IS USED TO EXPRESSED AN ACTION WHICH HAPPENED OR COMPLETED IN PAST BUT

USUALLY THE ACTION WHICH HAPPENED OR COMPLETED AT A SHORT TIME BEFORE NOW

(NEAR PAST) NOT A VERY LONG TIME BEFORE NOW. SPECIFIC TIME SUCH AS TWO YEARS
AGO, LAST WEEK OR THAT DAY IS USUALLY NOT USED IN THE SENTENCES OF IN THIS
TENSE. IT MEANS THAT THIS TENSE EXPRESSES THE ACTION WHOSE TIME WHEN IT
HAPPENED, IS NOT EXACTLY SPECIFIED BUT IT SOUNDS TO REFER TO SOME ACTION THAT
HAPPENED OR COMPLETED IN NEAR PAST.
RULES: AUXILIARY VERB HAS OR HAVE IS USED IN SENTENCE. 3RD FORM OF VERB (PAST
PARTICIPLE) IS USED AS MAIN VERB IN SENTENCE.

UNFINISHED ACTIONS

WE USE THIS TENSE WHEN WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT UNFINISHED ACTIONS THAT
STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUE TO THE PRESENT. USUALLY WE USE IT TO SAY
'HOW LONG' AN ACTION OR STATE HAS CONTINUED WITH 'SINCE' AND 'FOR'.
OFTEN, WE USE STATIVE VERBS IN THIS SITUATION:
I'VE KNOWN KAREN SINCE 1994.
SHE'S LIVED

IN LONDON FOR THREE YEARS.

'SINCE' AND 'FOR'

WE

USE 'SINCE' WITH A FIXED TIME IN THE PAST

(2004, APRIL 23RD, LAST

YEAR, TWO HOURS AGO). THE FIXED TIME CAN BE ANOTHER ACTION, INDICATED
WITH THE PAST SIMPLE (SINCE I WAS AT SCHOOL, SINCE I ARRIVED):
I'VE KNOWN SAM

SINCE

1992.

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

I'VE LIKED CHOCOLATE

SHE'S BEEN HERE
WE USE 'FOR' WITH A

SINCE

SINCE

I WAS A CHILD.

2PM.

PERIOD OF TIME

(2 HOURS, THREE YEARS, SIX MONTHS):

I'VE KNOWN JULIE

FOR TEN YEARS.

I'VE BEEN HUNGRY

FOR HOURS.

SHE'S HAD A COLD

FOR A WEEK.

FINISHED ACTIONS

1: LIFE EXPERIENCE
(WE DON'T SAY WHEN THE EXPERIENCE HAPPENED, JUST SOMETIME IN THE PAST)
I

HAVE BEEN TO TOKYO.

SHE

HAS LIVED IN GERMANY.

THEY
WE

HAVE VISITED

PARIS THREE TIMES.

HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT FILM.

HAVE YOU EVER READ 'WAR AND PEACE'?

2: A FINISHED ACTION WITH A RESULT IN THE PRESENT (FOCUS ON RESULT)

I'VE LOST

MY KEYS (SO I CAN'T GET INTO MY HOUSE).

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

SHE'S HURT

HER LEG (SO SHE CAN'T PLAY TENNIS TODAY).

THEY'VE MISSED
I'VE COOKED

THE BUS (SO THEY WILL BE LATE).

DINNER (SO YOU SHOULD COME AND EAT).

3: WITH AN UNFINISHED TIME WORD (THIS MONTH, THIS WEEK, TODAY, IN THE
LAST YEAR)
I

HAVEN'T SEEN HER THIS MONTH.

SHE'S DRUNK

THREE CUPS OF COFFEE TODAY.

THIS WEEK THEY'VE BEEN

NOTE: WE

SHOPPING FOUR TIMES.

CAN'T USE THE PRESENT PERFECT WITH A FINISHED TIME WORD:

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

STRUCTURE OF SENTENCE
POSITIVE SENTENCE
SUBJECT + AUXILIARY VERB + MAIN VERB (PAST PARTICIPLE) + SUBJECT
SUBJECT + HAS/HAVE + 3RD FORM OF VERB OR PAST PARTICIPLE + SUBJECT
IF THE SUBJECT IS HE, SHE, IT, SINGULAR OR PROPER NAME THEN AUXILIARY VERB
HAS IS USED AFTER SUBJECT IN SENTENCE.
IF SUBJECT IS YOU, THEY OR PLURAL THEN AUXILIARY VERB HAVE IS USED AFTER
SUBJECT IN SENTENCE.
EXAMPLES
I HAVE EATEN MEAL
SHE HAS LEARNT A LESSON.
NEGATIVE SENTENCE
SUBJECT + AUXILIARY VERB + NOT + MAIN VERB (PAST PARTICIPLE) +
SUBJECT

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

SUBJECT + HAS/HAVE + NOT + 3RD FORM OF VERB OR PAST PARTICIPLE +

SUBJECT

RULES FOR USING AUXILIARY VERB HAS OR HAVE IN NEGATIVE SENTENCE ARE SAME AS
MENTIONED ABOVE.
EXAMPLES
I HAVE NOT EATEN MEAL.
SHE HAS NOT LEARNT A LESSON.
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
AUXILIARY VERB + SUBJECT + MAIN VERB (PAST PARTICIPLE) + SUBJECT
HAS/HAVE + SUBJECT + 3RD FORM OF VERB OR PAST PARTICIPLE + SUBJECT
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE STARTS WITH AUXILIARY VERB. IF THE SUBJECT IS HE, SHE,
IT, SINGULAR OR PROPER NAME THEN THE SENTENCE STARTS WITH AUXILIARY VERB
HAS.
IF SUBJECT IS YOU, THEY OR PLURAL THEN THE SENTENCE STARTS WITH AUXILIARY
VERB HAVE.
EXAMPLES
HAVE I EATEN MEAL?
HAS SHE LEARNT A LESSON?

I'VE SEEN HIM YESTERDAY.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

STRUCTURE OF SENTENCE.
Positive Sentence.
Subject + Auxiliary verb + main verb (Present participle) + Object +
Time reference
Subject + has been/have been + (1st form of verb or base verb + ing)
+ object + time reference
If the subject is He, She, It, singular or proper name then auxiliary

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

verb has been is used after subject in sentence.

If subject is You, They or plural then auxiliary verb have been is used
after subject in sentence.
Examples.
He has been watering the plants for two hours.
I have been studying since 3 Oclock

Negative Sentence.
Subject +Not between the Auxiliary verb + main verb (present
participle) +
Object + Time reference
Subject + has not been/have not been + (1st form of verb or base
verb + ing) + object + time reference
To make negative sentence, the word not is written between the
auxiliary verbs, so it becomes like has not been or have not been. The
rule for using auxiliary verb has been or have been in negative
sentences is as same as mentioned above.
Examples.
He has not been watering the plants for two hours.
I have not been studying since 3 Oclock.

Interrogative Sentence.
Auxiliary verb + Subject + Auxiliary verb + main verb (present
participle) + object + time reference
Has/have + Subject + been + (1st form of verb or base verb+ing) +
object + time reference
Interrogative sentence starts with auxiliary verb. If the subject is He,
She, It, singular or proper name then the sentence starts with auxiliary
verb has and auxiliary verb been is used after subject
If subject is You, They or plural then the sentence starts with auxiliary
verb have and been is used after subject

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

Examples.
Has he been watering the plants for two hours?
Have I been studying since 3 Oclock?

PAST PERFECT TENSE

Structure of sentence

Positive sentence
Subject + auxiliary verb + main verb (past participle) +
object
Subject + had + 3rd form of verb or past participle +
object
Examples.
He had taken the exam last year
A thief had stolen my watch.
Negative sentence
Subject + auxiliary verb + NOT + main verb (past
participle) + object
Subject + had + not + 3rd form of verb or past participle +
object
Not is written after auxiliary verb in negative sentence.
Examples.
He had not taken the exam last year
A thief had not stolen my watch.
Interrogative sentence
Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb (past participle) +
object
Had + subject + 3rd form of verb or past participle + object
Interrogative sentence starts with auxiliary verb had
Examples.
Had he taken the exam last year
Had a thief stolen my watch?
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
Structure of sentence.

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

Positive Sentence.
Subject + Auxiliary verb + main verb (Present participle) +
Object + Time reference
Subject + had been + (1st form of verb or base verb + ing) +
object + time reference
Examples.
I had been waiting for him for one hour.
She had been playing chess since 7 Oclock.
Negative Sentence.
Subject +Not between the Auxiliary verbs + main verb
(present participle) +
Object + Time reference
Subject + had not been + (1st form of verb or base verb + ing)
+ object + time reference
To make negative sentence, the word not is added inside
auxiliary verb, so it becomes had not been.
Examples.
I had not been waiting for him for one hour.
She had not been playing chess since 7 Oclock.
Interrogative Sentence.
Auxiliary verb+ Subject + Auxiliary verb + main verb (present
participle) + object + time reference
Had + Subject + been + (1st form of verb or base verb+ing) +
object + time reference
Interrogative sentence starts with auxiliary verb had and
auxiliary verb been is used after subject in sentence.
Examples.
Had I been waiting for him for one hour?
Had she been playing chess 7 Oclock?
Simple Past Present Perfect Simple

SIMPLE PAST
irregular verbs: see 2nd column of
irregular verbs

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd
column of irregular verbs

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

EXAMPLE:

EXAMPLE:

I SPOKE

I / YOU / WE / THEY HAVE SPOKEN

HE / SHE / IT HAS SPOKEN

regular verbs: infinitive + ed

EXAMPLE:

regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive +

ed
EXAMPLE:

I WORKED

I / YOU / WE / THEY HAVE WORKED

HE / SHE / IT HAS WORKED

EXCEPTIONS
Exceptions when adding 'ed':

WHEN THE FINAL LETTER IS E, ONLY ADD D

EXAMPLE:
LOVE - LOVED

AFTER A SHORT, STRESSED VOWEL, THE FINAL CONSONANT IS DOUBLED

EXAMPLE:
ADMIT - ADMITTED

FINAL L IS ALWAYS DOUBLED IN BRITISH ENGLISH (NOT IN AMERICAN ENGLISH)

EXAMPLE:
TRAVEL - TRAVELLED

AFTER A CONSONANT, FINAL Y BECOMES I

(BUT: NOT AFTER A VOWEL)

EXAMPLE:
WORRY - WORRIED
BUT: PLAY - PLAYED

See also explanations on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

Future Perfect tense

STRUCTURE OF SENTENCE
Positive sentence
Subject + auxiliary verb + main verb (past participle) + object
Subject + will have + 3rd form of verb or past participle + object
Examples
She will have finished the work by Wednesday.
I will have left for home by the time he gets up.
You will have started a job.
Negative sentence
Subject + Not between auxiliary verbs + main verb (past
participle) + object
Subject + will not have + 3rd form of verb or past participle +
object
Examples
She will have finished the work by Wednesday.
I will have left for home by the time he gets up.
You will not have started a job.

Interrogative sentence
Auxiliary verb + Subject + auxiliary verb + main verb (past
participle) + object
Will + Subject +have + 3rd form of verb or past participle + object
Examples
Will she have finished the work by Wednesday?
Will I have left for home by the time he gets up?
Will you have started a job?
Future Perfect Continuous tense

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

STRUCTURE OF SENTENCE.
Positive Sentence.
Subject + Auxiliary verb + main verb (Present participle) + Object +
Time reference
Subject + will have been + (1st form of verb or base verb + ing) +
object + time reference
Examples.
I will have been waiting for him for one hour.
She will have been playing football since 2015.

Negative Sentence.
Subject +Not inside Auxiliary verbs + main verb (present participle)
+ Object + Time reference
Subject + will not have been + (1st form of verb or base verb + ing)
+ object + Time reference
To make negative sentence, the word not is added inside auxiliary
verb, so it becomes will not have been.
Examples.
I will not have been waiting for him for one hour.
She will not have been playing football since 2015.

Interrogative Sentence.
Auxiliary verb + Subject + auxiliary verb + main verb (present
participle) + object + time reference
Will + Subject + have been + (1st form of verb or base verb+ing) +
object + time reference
Interrogative sentence starts with auxiliary verb will and auxiliary verb
have been is used after subject in sentence.

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

Examples.
Will I have been waiting for him for one hour?
Will she have been playing football since 2015?

ASKING QUESTION
A TYPE OF

SENTENCE EXPRESSED IN A FORM THAT REQUIRES (OR APPEARS TO REQUIRE)

AN ANSWER. ALSO KNOWN AS AN INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE, A QUESTION IS GENERALLY

DISTINGUISHED FROM A SENTENCE THAT MAKES A STATEMENT, DELIVERS A COMMAND, OR
EXPRESSES AN EXCLAMATION.

IN TERMS OF

SYNTAX, A QUESTION IS USUALLY CHARACTERIZED BY INVERSION OF

THE SUBJECT AND THE FIRST VERB IN THE VERB PHRASE, BEGINNING WITH AN
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUN OR ENDING WITH A TAG QUESTION.

"WH WORD" + EL VERBO "TO BE" + PRONOMBRE

WHAT IS THIS?

QU ES ESTO?

WHERE IS HE/SHE?

DNDE EST L/ELLA?

WHEN IS IT?

CUNDO ES ESO?

WHAT ARE THEY?

QU SON ELLOS?

"WH WORD" + EL VERBO "TO BE" + ARTCULO DEMOSTRATIVO:

WHAT

IS

QU ES ESO?

IS

DNDE QUEDA ESTO?

THAT?

WHERE
THIS?

WHEN

IS

CUNDO ES ESTO?

ARE

DNDE ESTAMOS?

THIS?

WHERE
WE?

DE IGUAL MANERA, PODEMOS COMPONER LA RESPUESTA A ESTAS PREGUNTAS SIGUIENDO

LAS SIGUIENTES FORMULAS:

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

Ejemplos:
WHAT IS IT? = THIS IS A TABLET.
WHERE IS HE/SHE? = HE IS AT SCHOOL.
WHEN IS IT? = IT IS IN DECEMBER.
WHAT ARE THEY? = THEY ARE STUDENTS.
EJEMPLOS:
WHAT IS THAT? = THAT IS A CAR.
WHERE IS THIS? = THIS IS IN THE CITY CENTER.
WHEN IS THIS? = THIS IS NEXT FRIDAY.
WHERE ARE WE? = WE ARE AT THE PARK.
POR

LO GENERAL LAS

"WH

QUESTIONS" SE USAN PARA HACER PREGUNTAS RPIDAS

CUANDO QUEREMOS OBTENER INFORMACIN DE ALGUIEN O ALGN LUGAR. PERO TAMBIN

PODEMOS USAR LAS

"WH

WORDS" PARA HACER PREGUNTAS MS ELABORADAS.

POR

EJEMPLO:

WHAT

IS THE ACCOUNT NUMBER?

= CUL

WHAT

ARE THE ITEMS LISTED?

WHAT

WAS THE AMOUNT LAST MONTH?

WHEN

IS THIS PAYMENT DUE?

WHEN

ARE THEY PAYING? = CUNDO VAN A PAGAR?

WHEN

WAS YOUR BILL DUE?

= CULES

ES EL NMERO DE LA CUENTA?
SON LOS TEMS LISTADOS?

= CUL

= CUNDO

= CUNDO

FUE LA CIFRA EL MES PASADO?

SE VENCE ESTE PAGO?

SE VENCI TU RECIBO?

WHERE

IS THIS PLACE? = DNDE QUEDA ESTE SITIO?

WHERE

ARE THE ENVELOPES? = DNDE ESTN LOS SOBRES?

WHERE

WAS THE CALCULATOR? = DNDE ESTABA LA CALCULADORA?

ADEMS DE WHEN, WHERE

EN

WHAT, EXISTE OTRA WH QUESTION, WHO.

TAGS QUESTION

INGLS ES FRECUENTE TERMINAR LAS FRASES CON OTRA FRASE CORTA, DE SIGNO

CONTRARIO, LA CUAL TIENE LA INTENCIN DE PEDIR LA OPININ O BUSCAR LA

APROBACIN DEL INTERLOCUTOR: SON LAS LLAMADAS TAGS QUESTION

(PREGUNTAS
COLETILLAS). ESTAS FRASES EQUIVALEN A: VERDAD?, NO ES VERDAD?, NO?, NO ES
AS? EN SERIO?
EJEMPLOS:

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

You eat meat, don't you? (Comes carne, verdad?)

She doesn't like to dance, does she? (No le gusta bailar, no?)
Alex and Sergio are friends, aren't they? (Alex y Sergio son
amigos, no?)
GRAMMATICAL RULES (REGLAS GRAMATICALES)
PARA FORMAR ESTA PREGUNTA CORTA UTILIZAREMOS EL AUXILIAR DE LA FRASE PRINCIPAL
Y SU SUJETO PERO DE SIGNO CONTRARIO. SI NO TUVIERA AUXILIAR ENTONCES
UTILIZARAMOS EL AUXILIAR "TO DO".
SI LA ORACIN ES AFIRMATIVA, LA PREGUNTA COLETILLA ES NEGATIVA Y VICEVERSA.
EJEMPLOS:
ORACIONES AFIRMATIVAS
Your brother is older than you, isn't he? (Tu hermano es mayor
que t, no es as?)
You can help me, can't you? (Puedes ayudarme, verdad?)
John is getting married, isn't he? (John se casar, verdad?)
Worked yesterday, didn't you? (Trabajaste ayer, no?)
Sarah likes ice cream, doesn't she? (A Sarah le gusta el helado,
no?)
ORACIONES NEGATIVAS
You're not from here, are you? (No eres de aqu, no?)
Kate's not American, is she? (Kate no es americana, verdad?)
Peter never liked Susan, did he? (A Peter nunca le gust Susan,
verdad?)
They didn't go to class yesterday, did they? (No fueron a la clase
ayer, verdad?)
You can't dance, can you? (No puedes bailar, no?)
NOTA: CUIDADO CON LOS VERBOS "TO HAVE" Y "TO HAVE GOT":
EJEMPLOS:
To have got:
THEY'VE GOT A DOG,

HAVEN'T THEY?

(TIENEN UN PERRO, NO?)

To have:
THEY HAVE A DOG,
EXCEPCIN:

DON'T THEY?

(TIENEN UN PERRO, NO?)

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

CON EL VERBO "TO BE" EN LA PRIMERA PERSONA DE ORACIONES AFFIRMATIVES, SE USA

LA TERCERA PERSONA ("AREN'T") EN LA PREGUNTA COLETILLA.
EJEMPLOS:

I am not wrong, am I?
I am wrong, aren't I?
Active and Passive Voice

There are two ways to express an action of a subject in relation to its

object

ACTIVE VOICE

PASSIVE VOICE

In active voice subject acts upon object, while in passive voice object
is acted upon by subject. It can also be said, in active voice subject
does a work on object, while in passive voice object is worked on by
subject. The normal structure of an active voice sentence
is subject+verb+object but in passive the normal structure of sentence
is
reversed
according
to
certain
rules
and
becomes
like object+verb+subject. The real meaning of a sentence does not
change if the sentence is expressed either by active voice or by passive
voice. The active voice is mostly used in writing because it gives a
direct and more concise meaning. Passive voice is used sometimes due
to the following reasons.

1. WHEN

INTENTIONALLY HIDING THE SUBJECT OF SENTENCE.

FOR

EXAMPLE, A

STUDENT WHO FAILED IN EXAM MIGHT SAY, SOME CHAPTERS WERE NOT STUDIED.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE. WOMEN WERE NOT TREATED AS EQUALS

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

2. WHEN PASSIVE VOICE BETTER EXPLAIN THOUGHT OF SENTENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, TO

SAY, CLOTH IS SOLD IN YARDS, IS MORE MEANINGFUL THAN TO SAY, SHOP
KEEPERS SELL CLOTH IN YARDS.
3. WHEN PASSIVE VOICE BETTER EMPHASIZES THE MAIN THOUGH OF THE SENTENCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, A MAN WHO IS BEING TEASED BY ANOTHER PERSON MIGHT SAY IN
ANGER, YOU WILL BE BEATEN BY ME
4. WHEN SUBJECT IS NOT EXACTLY KNOWN. FOR EXAMPLE, HIS WATCH WAS STOLEN.
IT IS NOT KNOWN THAT WHO STOLE HIS WATCH, THE SUBJECT (THIEF) IS NOT
EXACTLY KNOWN SO IT IS BETTER TO USE PASSIVE VOICE FOR SUCH
SENTENCE.THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES FOR EXPRESSING A THOUGHT IN PASSIVE
VOICE OR FOR CHANGING A SENTENCE FROM ACTIVE VOICE TO PASSIVE VOICE.

FUNDAMENTAL RULES FOR CHANGING FROM ACTIVE VOICE TO PASSIVE VOICE

1. THE PLACES OF SUBJECT AND OBJECT ARE INTERCHANGED I.E. THE OBJECT SHIFTS
TO THE PLACE OF SUBJECT AND SUBJECT SHIFTS TO THE PLACE OF OBJECT IN
PASSIVE VOICE.

EXAMPLE.
ACTIVE VOICE: I WRITE A LETTER.
PASSIVE VOICE: I LETTER IS WRITTEN BY ME.
SUBJECT (I) OF SENTENCE SHIFTED TO THE PLACE OF OBJECT (LETTER) AND OBJECT
(LETTER) SHIFTED TO THE PLACE OF SUBJECT (I) IN PASSIVE VOICE.
2. SOMETIMES

SUBJECT OF SENTENCE IS NOT USED IN PASSIVE VOICE.

SUBJECT

OF

SENTENCE CAN BE OMITTED IN PASSIVE VOICE, IF WITHOUT SUBJECT IT CAN GIVE

ENOUGH

MEANING

PASSIVE VOICE:

CLOTH IS SOLD IN YARDS

3. 3RD

FORM OF VERB

(PAST

IN

PASSIVE

VOICE.EXAMPLES.

PARTICIPLE) IS ALWAYS USED AS MAIN VERB IN

SENTENCES OF PASSIVE VOICE FOR ALL TENSES.

BASE FORM OF VERB OR PRESENT

PARTICIPLE WILL BE NEVER USED IN PASSIVE VOICE.
THE WORD BY IS USED BEFORE SUBJECT IN SENTENCES IN PASSIVE
VOICE.EXAMPLE.
ACTIVE VOICE: HE SINGS A SONG.
PASSIVE VOICE: A SONG IS SUNG BY HIM.

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

4. THE WORD BY IS NOT ALWAYS USED BEFORE SUBJECT IN PASSIVE VOICE.

SOMETIMES WORDS WITH, TO, ETC MAY ALSO BE USED BEFORE SUBJECT IN
PASSIVE VOICE.
EXAMPLES.
ACTIVE VOICE: THE WATER FILLS THE TUB.
PASSIVE VOICE: THE TUB IS FILLED WITH WATER.
ACTIVE VOICE: HE KNOWS ME.
PASSIVE VOICE: I AM KNOWN TO HIM.
5. AUXILIARY
SENTENCE.

VERBS ARE USED PASSIVE VOICE ACCORDING TO THE TENSE OF

NOTE: FIRST 5
RULE NO. 6 IS

RULES ARE USUALLY SAME FOR ALL TENSES IN PASSIVE VOICE.

ABOUT THE USE OF AUXILIARY VERB IN PASSIVE VOICE WHICH

DIFFERS FOR EACH TENSE.

THE

AUXILIARY VERBS OF PASSIVE VOICE ARE USED

ACCORDING TO TENSE OF SENTENCE OF ITS ACTIVE VOICE FORM.

THE

AUXILIARY

VERB FOR EACH TENSE IS GIVEN IN THE FOLLOWING TABLE WITH EXPLANATION
AND EXAMPLES.

PASSIVE VOICE FOR ALL TENSES RULES

THE

PLACES OF SUBJECT AND OBJECT IN SENTENCE ARE INTER-CHANGED IN

PASSIVE VOICE.

3RD FORM OF VERB (PAST PARTICIPLE) WILL BE USED ONLY (AS MAIN VERB) IN
PASSIVE VOICE.
AUXILIARY VERBS FOR EACH TENSE ARE GIVEN BELOW IN THE TABLE.

PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE (PASSIVE VOICE)

AUXILIARY VERB IN PASSIVE VOICE: AM/IS/ARE
Active voice:
He sings a song.
He does not sing a song.Does he
sing a song?

Passive voice:
A song is sung by him.
A song is not sung by him.
Is a song sung by him?

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE (PASSIVE VOICE)

AUXILIARY VERB IN PASSIVE VOICE: AM BEING/IS BEING/ARE BEING

Active voice:
I am writing a letter
I am not writing a letter.
Am I writing a letter?

Passive voice:
A letter is being written by me.
A letter is not being written by
me.
Is a letter being written by me?

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE (PASSIVE VOICE)

AUXILIARY VERB IN PASSIVE VOICE: HAS BEEN/HAVE BEEN
Active voice:
She has finished his work
She has not finished her
work.
Has she finished her work?

Passive voice:
Her work has been finished by her.
Her work has not been finished by her.
Has her work been finished by her?

PAST SIMPLE TENSE (PASSIVE VOICE)

AUXILIARY VERB IN PASSIVE VOICE: WAS/WERE
Active voice:
I killed a snake
I did not kill a snake.
Did I kill a snake?

Passive voice:
A snake was killed by me.
A snake was not killed by me.
Was a snake killed by me?

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE (PASSIVE VOICE)

AUXILIARY VERB IN PASSIVE VOICE: WAS BEING/WERE BEING
Active voice:
He was driving a car.

Passive voice:
A car was being driven by him.

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

He was not driving a car.

Was he driving a car?

A car was not being driven by him.

Was a car being driven by him?

PAST PERFECT TENSE (PASSIVE VOICE)

AUXILIARY VERB IN PASSIVE VOICE: HAD BEEN
Active voice:
Passive voice:
They had completed the
The assignment had been completed by
assignment.
them.
They had not completed the The assignment had not been complete
assignment.
by them.
Had they completed the
Had the assignment been completed by
assignment?
them?

FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE (PASSIVE VOICE)

AUXILIARY VERB IN PASSIVE VOICE: WILL BE
Active voice:
She will buy a car.
She will not buy a car.
Will she buy a car?

Passive voice:
A car will be bought by her.
A car will not be bought by her.
Will a car be bought by her?

FUTURE PERFECT TENSE (PASSIVE VOICE)

AUXILIARY VERB IN PASSIVE VOICE: WILL HAVE BEEN
Active voice:
Passive voice:
You will have started the job. The job will have been started by you.
You will have not started the The job will not have been started by
job.
you.
Will you have started the job? Will the job have been started by you?

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

Note: The following tenses cannot be changed into passive voice.

TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE VERBS:
WHAT ARE TRANSITIVE VERBS?
Transitive verbs are action verbs that have an object to receive that
action. In the first sentence above, the direct object ball received the
action of the verb hit.
Here are some more examples of transitive verbs:
I BAKED SOME COOKIES.
I RODE THE BICYCLE.
I MOVED THE CHAIR.
I STITCHED A QUILT.
All of the verbs in the above sentences are transitive because an object
is receiving the action of the verb.
But what about the sentence The bird sang. Is the verb in that
sentence a transitive verb? No, in this case the verb sang is an
intransitive verb.
WHAT ARE INTRANSITIVE VERBS?
Intransitive verbs are action verbs but unlike transitive verbs, they do
not have an object receiving the action. Notice there are no words after
the verb sang.
More examples of intransitive verbs:
I LAUGHED.
I CRIED.
THE BOOK FELL.

NAME: MARIA AUGUSTA ABARCA COELLO

THE HORSE GALLOPED.

THE SUN SET.
In all of the above cases the subject is performing the action of the verb
and nothing is receiving the action.
What about this sentence?
I WALKED TO THE PARK TODAY.
Is walked transitive or intransitive? Think about the rules. Since walked
has words coming after it, the verb must be transitive, right? WRONG!
The phrase to the park is a prepositional phrase and today is an adverb.
There is no object receiving the action of the verb walked so the verb is
intransitive.
To recap, a transitive verb must be an action verb plus there must be an
object to receive that action.