English grammar
Passive Voice
The passive voice shifts focus from who does the action to what receives it. It appears across all tenses and is common in news, formal writing, and everyday speech, especially with "get".
Textbook Passive Voice
The standard forms taught in English courses worldwide, illustrated with real clips from native speakers, not invented examples.
Present Passive
is/are + past participle
Used when the action happens regularly or is currently ongoing and the focus is on what receives the action rather than who does it. "Mistakes are made." "It's manufactured in Japan."
Past Passive
was/were + past participle
Used to describe a completed action where the focus is on what happened rather than who caused it. "She was promoted last year." "The building was demolished in 1987."
Perfect Passive
has/have/had been + past participle
Combines the passive with perfect aspect to connect a past action to a present or earlier moment. Common in news and formal speech. "It has been confirmed." "He'd been warned three times."
Get-Passive
get/got/gets/getting + past participle
Native speakers often use "get" instead of "be" to form passives, especially when the event is sudden, affects the subject, or has emotional weight. "She got promoted." "I got hit by a car." "They got caught." Replaces "be + past participle" in casual speech, and carries a stronger sense of something happening to someone.