B2 — Upper Intermediate+50 XP available

Interactive Grammar: Active and Passive Forms of Tenses quiz

Compare active and passive forms across all major tenses — from present simple to future perfect — in one comprehensive review.

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Grammar Explanation · Authentic Examples · Practice Questions

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Duration

~45 min

Questions

Level

Upper Intermediate

Overview

Every tense has both an active and a passive form. Active focuses on the doer; passive focuses on the action or receiver. The passive is formed with the appropriate form of 'be' + past participle. Example: Present simple active: writes / passive: is written. Past perfect active: had written / passive: had been written. Knowing both forms for all tenses gives full grammatical flexibility.

Tense × Voice Table

pres. simpleActive: writes / Passive: is written
past simpleActive: wrote / Passive: was written
pres. perfectActive: has written / Passive: has been written
past perfectActive: had written / Passive: had been written
futureActive: will write / Passive: will be written

More Tenses

pres. cont.Active: is writing / Passive: is being written
past cont.Active: was writing / Passive: was being written
fut. perfectActive: will have written / Passive: will have been written
modalActive: must write / Passive: must be written
modal pastActive: should have written / Passive: should have been written

The Formula

Passive = correct form of 'be' + past participle.
The form of 'be' carries the tense information.
❌ It has written → ✅ It has been written.
❌ It was being write → ✅ It was being written.

When to use

Grammar Review

The contract was signed / has been signed / will be signed.

Academic Writing

The data were collected and have been analysed.

News Reporting

Three arrests have been made. Two more are being sought.

Writing Accuracy

Knowing both forms gives you full grammatical range.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this lesson on active and Passive Forms of Tenses cover?

Compare active and passive forms across all major tenses — from present simple to future perfect — in one comprehensive review.

Which CEFR level is this lesson designed for?

This lesson is designed for Upper Intermediate (B2) learners and forms part of the Tenses section on Grammartier.

What is the best approach for studying active and Passive Forms of Tenses?

Start with the definition above, then work through the examples to see how active and Passive Forms of Tenses behaves in context. Since this is a Upper Intermediate (B2) topic within tenses, focus on using the structure accurately in context and noticing the mistakes learners typically make with it — this is the level where small errors start to matter for fluency. Finish with the quiz below to check what's actually sticking.

How does active and Passive Forms of Tenses relate to the rest of tenses?

Active and Passive Forms of Tenses is one of the Upper Intermediate–level topics grouped under Tenses on Grammartier. Understanding it well makes the related lessons in the same category easier to follow — use the related-lessons links on this page to keep building on it once you've completed this quiz.