Page 251 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

A p p e n d i x 1 1 P a s s i v e v e r b f o r m s
forms
Appendix
verb
Passive

simple
Present
Present simple
tell(s)
John tells me that you're thinking of leaving.
active: tell(s) John tells me that you're thinking of leaving.
active:
(by John)
that you're thinking
of leaving.
passive: am/is/are told
I'm told
passive: am/is/are told I'm told (by John) that you're thinking of leaving.

simple
Past
Past simple
active: told
active: told John told me that you were leaving.
John told me that you were leaving.
(by John)
leaving.
that you were
I was told
passive: was/were told
passive: was/were told I was told (by John) that you were leaving.

perfect
Present
Present perfect
has told me that you
are leaving.
active: have/has told John has told me that you are leaving.
active: have/has told
John
(by John) that you are leaving.
have been told
passive: have/has been told
passive: have/has been told I I have been told (by John) that you are leaving.

perfect
Past perfect
Past
had told
John had already told me that you were leaving.
active:
active: had told John had already told me that you were leaving.
had been told (by John) that you
passive: I had already been told
I had already been told (by John) that you
passive: had been told
were leaving.
were leaving.

Present continuous
Present
continuous
always
leaving.
are
telling me that you
active: am/is/are telling
active: am/is/are telling John is is always telling me that you are leaving.
John
am always being told
leaving.
(by John) that you are
passive: am/is/are being told I I am always being told (by John) that you are leaving.
passive: am/is/are being told

Past continuous
Past continuous
always
were
telling me that you
was/were
telling
leaving.
active: was/were telling John was always telling me that you were leaving.
active:
John was
(by John)
always being told
leaving.
that you were
passive: was/were being told
I was
passive: was/were being told I was always being told (by John) that you were leaving.

simple
Future simple
Future
will
tell
I will tell John that you are leaving.
active:
active: will tell I will tell John that you are leaving.
passive: will be told (by me) that you are leaving.
John will be told
passive: will be told John will be told (by me) that you are leaving.

perfect

Future
Future perfect
have told
have told John that you are leaving.
By tomorrow I will have told John that you are leaving.
active: will have told
By tomorrow I will
active: will
passive: will have been told
By tomorrow John will have been told that you
By tomorrow John will have been told that you
passive: will have been told
leaving.
are
are leaving.

perfect
continuous
passive)
(rare in the
Present
Present perfect continuous (rare in the passive)
has/have been
telling
has been telling me
are leaving.
ages that you
for
active:
John
John has been telling me for ages that you are leaving.
active: has/have been telling
has/have been being
for ages that you
(by John)
I have been being told
passive:
passive: has/have been being
I have been being told (by John) for ages that you
told
are leaving.
told
very rare. are leaving.
Other passive verb forms are
Other passive verb forms are very rare.
Modal verbs with passives
Modal verbs with passives

should
should/could/might/ought to
tell John.
(etc.)
tell
active:
active: should/could/might/ought to (etc.) tell You should tell John.
You
should be told.
passive: should/could/might/ought to (etc.) be told
passive: should/could/might/ought to (etc.) be told John should be told.
John

told John.
should
have
active: should/could/might/ought to (etc.) have told
active: should/could/might/ought to (etc.) have told You should have told John.
You
should
have been told.
passive: should/could/might/ought to (etc.) have been told John should have been told.
passive: should/could/might/ought to (etc.) have been told
John

active: should/could/might/ought to (etc.) have
active: should/could/might/ought to (etc.) have You should have been telling
You should have been telling
I was outside.
been telling John while I was outside.
John while
been telling

should/could/might/ought to
have been
(etc.)
should have been being
John should have been being
passive:
passive: should/could/might/ought to (etc.) have been
John
told
I was outside.
being told
told while I was outside.
told while
being
very rare.
Other passive verb forms are
Other passive verb forms are very rare.
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