Passive Voice: Present Perfect (Has been done)
has/have + been + V3 when the doer is unknown or less important.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use this to talk about things that have happened to an object when the result is important now.
- Use 'has been' for singular objects like 'The car has been washed'.
- Use 'have been' for plural objects like 'The windows have been cleaned'.
- Always use the Past Participle (V3) of the main verb after 'been'.
Overview
Sometimes we talk about the result, not the person. It is finished.
Focus on the result. This is good if the person is unknown.
Using this helps you speak English very well and clearly.
How This Grammar Works
all the cake becomes the new subject: All the cake has been eaten.Formation Pattern
The letter | has | been | sent | The letter has been sent. |
The documents | have | been | signed | The documents have been signed. |
My car | has | been | repaired | My car has been repaired. |
The problem | hasn't | been | solved | The problem hasn't been solved yet. |
Their demands | haven't | been | met | Their demands haven't been met. |
This article | has not | been | published | This article has not been published. |
Has | the package | been | delivered | Has the package been delivered? |
Have | the decisions | been | made | Have the decisions been made? |
How many | books | have | been | read | How many books have been read this month? |
When To Use It
- 1When the Agent is Unknown, Unimportant, or Obvious: This is the most common reason to use the passive voice. If you do not know who performed the action, or if that information is irrelevant to the message, the passive voice is the natural choice. Similarly, if the agent is self-evident from the context, explicitly naming them can sound redundant or unnatural.
My phone has been stolen.(The identity of the thief is unknown.)The road has been resurfaced.(Who resurfaced it—the road crew—is not important; the state of the road is the focus.)Rent has been collected for the month.(It's generally understood that the landlord or property management collected it; the focus is on the rent being paid.)
- 1To Emphasize the Action, Event, or Result: When the primary information you want to convey is what has happened or what state something is in as a result of a past action, the passive voice foregrounds this. The impact or completion of the action is more significant than the entity that caused it.
A new scholarship program has been announced.(The announcement itself is the news, not who made it.)The ancient ruins have been extensively excavated.(The archaeological work and its findings are the main point.)
- 1In Formal, Impersonal, or Objective Contexts: The passive voice lends an air of objectivity and formality, making it prevalent in academic writing, scientific reports, news reporting, official announcements, and instructional manuals. It helps maintain a detached tone, suggesting that the information is factual and not influenced by personal bias. This is a key cultural insight into English communication, especially in professional spheres.
Significant progress has been reported in climate research.(Used in a scientific journal to state facts.)New security measures have been implemented at the airport.(An official announcement, focusing on the measures themselves.)The building's structural integrity has been compromised.(A formal assessment, avoiding direct blame.)
- 1To Avoid Assigning Blame or for Diplomatic Reasons: In situations where directly naming the agent might be confrontational, impolite, or place blame, the passive voice offers a diplomatic alternative. It allows you to address an issue without pointing fingers, which is valuable in professional and personal interactions.
Mistakes have been made in the financial calculations.(Implies responsibility without naming specific individuals.)Your complaint has been reviewed.(Focuses on the process, not who specifically reviewed it, which can soften the interaction.)
- 1When Discussing Changes or Developments: Particularly when these changes have occurred and their impact is still felt. The passive structure highlights the transformation or evolution of a subject.
Our city center has been completely redeveloped over the past decade.(Focuses on the transformation of the city center.)The company's strategy has been re-evaluated in light of market changes.(Highlights the revised strategy.)
Common Mistakes
- 1Confusing Active Voice with Passive Voice: A frequent error is using the active voice when the passive would be more appropriate, or vice-versa. Remember that the active voice emphasizes the doer, while the passive emphasizes the action/receiver. If the agent is unknown or irrelevant, the passive is usually preferred.
- Incorrect:
Someone has stolen my bicycle.(While grammatically correct, if you don't know who did it, the focus is the bike.) - Correct:
My bicycle has been stolen.(Emphasizes the loss of the bike.)
- 1Incorrect Auxiliary Verb (Missing or Wrong Form of
to be): The Present Perfect Passive always requireshave/has beenbefore the main verb's past participle. Omittingbeenor using another form ofto be(likeis,was,are) is a significant error.
- Incorrect:
The report has finished.(This means the report itself completed something, which is illogical.) - Incorrect:
The report has been finish.(Wrong main verb form.) - Correct:
The report has been finished. - Incorrect:
The windows are been cleaned.(Incorrect form ofto befor Present Perfect.) - Correct:
The windows have been cleaned.
- 1Incorrect Past Participle of the Main Verb: English has many irregular past participles (e.g.,
break->broken, notbreakedorbroke;write->written, notwrote). Using the simple past form or an incorrect past participle is a common mistake.
- Incorrect:
The cake has been ate. - Correct:
The cake has been eaten. - Incorrect:
The letter has been wrote. - Correct:
The letter has been written.
- 1Misusing or Overusing the
by-Phrase: Whileby + agentis grammatically permissible, it should only be used when the agent provides new, important, or surprising information. Adding it unnecessarily makes sentences wordy and unnatural, defeating the purpose of the passive voice.
- Awkward/Unnecessary:
The new regulations have been approved by the government.(Often, it's obvious the government approves regulations; the focus is on the approval itself.) - Better (if agent is clear/unimportant):
The new regulations have been approved. - Appropriate use (if agent is important/surprising):
The Mona Lisa has been stolen by a disgruntled security guard.(The identity of the guard is significant.)
- 1Mixing Tenses Inappropriately: Ensure that the Present Perfect Passive is not combined incorrectly with other tense markers. The
have/has beenstructure explicitly signals present perfect aspect.
- Incorrect:
The decision was been made last week.(Mixes simple pastwaswith present perfectbeen.) - Correct (Simple Past Passive):
The decision was made last week. - Correct (Present Perfect Passive):
The decision has been made.(Focus on present result/relevance.)
Real Conversations
The Passive Voice
In Casual Conversation:
Even in informal settings, the passive voice surfaces when the agent is not the primary point of interest. It streamlines communication by focusing on what has occurred.
- `
Present Perfect Passive Conjugation
| Subject | Auxiliary 1 | Auxiliary 2 (Been) | Past Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
I
|
have
|
been
|
informed
|
I have been informed.
|
|
You
|
have
|
been
|
chosen
|
You have been chosen.
|
|
He / She / It
|
has
|
been
|
seen
|
It has been seen.
|
|
We
|
have
|
been
|
invited
|
We have been invited.
|
|
They
|
have
|
been
|
warned
|
They have been warned.
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Negative Contraction |
|---|---|---|
|
I have been
|
I've been
|
I haven't been
|
|
He has been
|
He's been
|
He hasn't been
|
|
It has been
|
It's been
|
It hasn't been
|
|
They have been
|
They've been
|
They haven't been
|
Meanings
A grammatical structure used to describe an action that was completed at an unspecified time in the past, where the focus is on the object and the current state of that object.
Recent News/Events
Reporting something that just happened where the 'who' is less important than the 'what'.
“A new law has been passed by the government.”
“The missing cat has been found!”
Changes over time
Describing how something has been modified or improved up to the present moment.
“The kitchen has been renovated recently.”
“The software has been updated to version 2.0.”
Unspecified Actor
Used when we don't know who did the action or it is obvious.
“My bike has been stolen!”
“The trash has been taken out.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subj + has/have + been + V3
|
The bill has been paid.
|
|
Negative
|
Subj + hasn't/haven't + been + V3
|
The bill hasn't been paid.
|
|
Question
|
Has/Have + subj + been + V3?
|
Has the bill been paid?
|
|
Short Answer (+)
|
Yes, + subj + has/have.
|
Yes, it has.
|
|
Short Answer (-)
|
No, + subj + hasn't/haven't.
|
No, it hasn't.
|
|
With 'Just'
|
Subj + has/have + just + been + V3
|
The cat has just been fed.
|
|
With 'Already'
|
Subj + has/have + already + been + V3
|
The work has already been done.
|
Formality Spectrum
The requested documentation has been submitted for your review. (Workplace communication)
The documents have been sent. (Workplace communication)
The files have been sent over. (Workplace communication)
Sent it! (Implicit passive) (Workplace communication)
When to use Present Perfect Passive
News
- Arrests A thief has been caught
- Laws A law has been passed
Results
- Chores The floor has been mopped
- Work The report has been sent
Changes
- Renovation The wall has been painted
- Updates The app has been updated
Active vs. Passive
Choosing the Tense
Is the action finished?
Is the time specific (e.g. yesterday)?
Common Verbs in this Tense
Communication
- • Informed
- • Told
- • Asked
- • Sent
Creation
- • Built
- • Made
- • Written
- • Painted
Destruction
- • Broken
- • Stolen
- • Damaged
- • Lost
Examples by Level
The window has been broken.
The food has been cooked.
The letters have been sent.
The car has been washed.
Has the mail been delivered yet?
The keys have been lost.
The room has not been cleaned.
Many books have been written about him.
The meeting has been rescheduled for tomorrow.
All the tickets have already been sold.
The suspect has been arrested by the police.
The software has been updated to fix the bugs.
It has been argued that the policy is ineffective.
The ancient ruins have been preserved for centuries.
Several complaints have been received regarding the noise.
The contract has been signed by both parties.
The implications of this discovery have been widely discussed.
Considerable progress has been made in the field of AI.
The budget has been slashed due to the economic crisis.
The tradition has been handed down through generations.
The nuances of the text have been meticulously analyzed.
It has been widely posited that the universe is expanding.
The candidate's reputation has been irrevocably tarnished.
The infrastructure has been overhauled to meet modern standards.
Easily Confused
Learners use 'has been' when they should use 'was' for a specific time.
Mixing up 'is being done' (now) and 'has been done' (finished).
Forgetting 'been' makes the object the actor.
Common Mistakes
The car has washed.
The car has been washed.
The books have been write.
The books have been written.
The window was been broken.
The window has been broken.
He has been tell.
He has been told.
The homework have been done.
The homework has been done.
Has been the mail delivered?
Has the mail been delivered?
The cake has been ate.
The cake has been eaten.
The report has been being finished.
The report has been finished.
The trees have been plant yesterday.
The trees were planted yesterday.
It has been said me.
I have been told.
The data has been analyzed since two hours.
The data has been analyzed for two hours.
The problem has been solved by now.
The problem should have been solved by now.
Sentence Patterns
The ___ has been ___.
Have the ___ been ___ yet?
It has been ___ that ___.
___ has just been ___.
Real World Usage
A new cure for the virus has been discovered.
The meeting has been moved to Room 302.
My account has been hacked!
The flight has been delayed by two hours.
Your order has been picked up.
I have been given many responsibilities in my previous role.
The 'Been' Bridge
No 'By' Needed
Check the Object
Polite Blame
Smart Tips
Use the Present Perfect Passive to sound professional and focus on the project's progress.
Use 'has been' to describe the change without needing to know who did it.
Use the passive to avoid sounding like you are accusing someone directly.
Always double-check the V3 form. It's the most common place for mistakes.
Pronunciation
The weak 'been'
In natural speech, 'been' is often pronounced as /bɪn/ (like 'bin') rather than /biːn/ (like 'bean').
Contraction stress
When using 'I've been' or 'It's been', the stress is usually on the past participle, not the auxiliary.
Rising intonation for questions
Has the mail been delivered? ↗
Asking for confirmation.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'H.B.P.' — Has Been Participle. It's like a 'Happy Birthday Party' for the object!
Visual Association
Imagine a 'Finished' stamp being pressed onto a box. The box is the subject, and the stamp is the 'has been done' part. The box doesn't move itself; someone else stamps it.
Rhyme
If the work is through and the result is new, 'Has been done' is the tense for you!
Story
A detective walks into a room. He sees a broken window. He says, 'The window has been broken.' He sees an empty safe. He says, 'The money has been stolen.' He doesn't know who did it yet, but he sees the results everywhere.
Word Web
Challenge
Look around your room. Find three things that have changed today and say them in the passive. (e.g., 'The bed has been made.')
Cultural Notes
British speakers use the Present Perfect Passive much more frequently than Americans for recent events.
In scientific and academic writing, this tense is used to maintain an objective, impersonal tone.
Used to avoid direct blame. Instead of 'You didn't pay the bill,' a company will say 'The bill hasn't been paid.'
The passive voice in English evolved from Old English 'beon' (to be) and 'weorthan' (to become).
Conversation Starters
Has your city been changed much in the last five years?
Have you ever been told a secret you couldn't keep?
Has any of your work been published online?
What's the best gift you've ever been given?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
The letters ___ (send) already.
Check the status of the project.
Find and fix the mistake:
The car has been wash yesterday.
Someone has stolen my bike.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Is the report ready? B: Yes, it ___.
'The window has been broken.'
yet / not / the / been / bill / has / paid
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesThe letters ___ (send) already.
Check the status of the project.
Find and fix the mistake:
The car has been wash yesterday.
Someone has stolen my bike.
Match them:
A: Is the report ready? B: Yes, it ___.
'The window has been broken.'
yet / not / the / been / bill / has / paid
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesAll the tickets for the concert ___ sold out.
The package has deliver to the wrong address.
Which of these sentences is grammatically correct?
Translate: 'Many mistakes have been made.'
Arrange these words into a meaningful sentence:
Match the subjects with the correct form:
The new policy ___ implemented successfully.
Their car have been repaired at the garage.
Select the grammatically correct sentence:
Translate: 'The window has been broken.'
Rearrange these words:
Match the verbs with their Past Participle forms:
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
Yes! You can say 'The book has been written by a famous author.' However, we usually omit it if the person isn't important.
'Was done' is for a specific past time (e.g., yesterday). 'Has been done' is for an unspecified time or when the result is important now.
'Been' is the passive marker. Without it, the sentence is active. 'The dog has fed' means the dog gave food to someone else!
Yes, especially when talking about news, chores, or things that have gone wrong (like 'My phone has been stolen').
Absolutely. 'The winner has just been announced' is a very common way to report recent news.
No. Only 'transitive' verbs (verbs that take an object) can be passive. You can't say 'He has been slept.'
Swap the subject and 'has/have'. For example: 'Has the car been washed?'
It is neutral. It can be used in both formal emails and casual conversation.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
ha sido + participio
Spanish participles must match the gender and number of the subject.
a été + participe
French uses 'être' for some active perfect tenses, which can confuse learners.
ist ... worden
German uses 'become' (werden) instead of 'been' (sein) to form the passive.
-te iru (resultative state)
Japanese often avoids the passive where English requires it, preferring active verbs with unspecified subjects.
Internal Passive (Fu'ila)
There is no auxiliary verb for 'have' or 'been' in the Arabic passive.
bèi (被) + verb
Chinese does not conjugate verbs for tense or person.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
English Present Perfect: Connecting Past to Now (Basic Formation)
Overview The English **Present Perfect** tense serves a crucial function in connecting past events or states with the pr...
Passive Voice: Basic Formation (be + V3)
Overview When you describe actions in English, you typically focus on who or what performs the action. This is called t...
Related Videos
04:26 The solution to our energy problems is … a toaster - Rachel Yang
07:56 The salmon dilemma
09:35 Apple Cider Beef Pot Roast | Food Wishes
PASSIVE VOICE - English Grammar step-by-step
Arnel's Everyday English
Active and Passive Voice Tricks | Active Voice and Passive Voice in English Grammar | ChetChat
ChetChat
Passive Voice | English Grammar Lessons For Beginners | Spoken English For Beginners
WOW English
Related Grammar Rules
Passive Voice for Objectivity: 'It is said that...'
Overview English grammar provides specific structures to report information without identifying the source, or to emphas...
Reported Speech with Modals & Passive Reporting (C1)
Overview Mastering reported speech with modals and passive reporting structures marks a significant step towards C1-leve...
Reporting Verbs: Who Said What?
Overview Reporting verbs are essential linguistic tools that enable you to relay information or summarise statements, qu...
When to Use Passive Voice (Reporting News & Rumors)
Overview The passive voice in English serves various crucial communicative functions, particularly when the agent of an...
Passive Reporting Structures (He is said to be...)
Overview Passive reporting structures, epitomized by phrases such as `He is said to be...`, serve as sophisticated tools...
