subject + has/have + been + past participleUse has been with singular subjects and have been with plural subjects. The subject receives the action.
Passive with Perfect Tenses
B1Use perfect passive forms to focus on the result: has/have been done for a result now, had been done for a result before a past moment.
What you'll learn
- Build Present Perfect passive sentences with has/have been + past participle.
- Build Past Perfect passive sentences with had been + past participle.
- Choose has/have been or had been from the time meaning.
- Use the passive when the receiver or result matters most.
- Recognize markers like already, yet, before, and by the time.
Structure
subject + had + been + past participleUse had been + past participle for a finished passive action before another past point.
Build a sentence
Subject
Verb
The packagehasbeen delivered
The package has been delivered.
Singular subject: use has been + past participle.
When to use
Result now
Use Present Perfect passive when the action is finished and the result matters now. The order has been confirmed.
Earlier past result
Use Past Perfect passive for something completed before another past event. The documents had been signed before the meeting started.
Unknown or unimportant doer
Use the passive when who did the action is unknown or not important. The road has been closed.
Markers
alreadyjustyetbeforeby the timebefore now
Common mistakes
Wrong
The package has delivered.
Correct
The package has been delivered.
Perfect passive needs been after has or have.
Wrong
The cars has been washed.
Correct
The cars have been washed.
Plural subjects take have been, not has been.
Wrong
The bridge had built before 1950.
Correct
The bridge had been built before 1950.
Past Perfect passive is had been + past participle.
Wrong
The emails have sent this morning.
Correct
The emails have been sent this morning.
After have in the passive, add been + past participle.
Wrong
The room has been was cleaned.
Correct
The room has been cleaned.
Use one perfect passive pattern only: has/have/had + been + past participle.
Common misconceptions
❝ Every passive sentence needs a by-phrase. ❞
A by-phrase is optional. Add it only when the doer matters: The museum has been restored. / The museum has been restored by experts.
❝ Has been and had been mean the same thing in passive sentences. ❞
Has been connects the result to now. Had been shows the action was finished before another past moment.
Skills in this rule (6)
BUILD_PRESENT_PERFECT_PASSIVEw5Build Present Perfect passive sentences with has/have been + past participle
Use has been or have been when the action happened before now and the receiver of the action is the focus. Match has with singular subjects and have with plural subjects.
BUILD_PAST_PERFECT_PASSIVEw5Build Past Perfect passive sentences with had been + past participle
Use had been + past participle for an earlier finished action before another past time or event. The subject receives the action, not does it.
CHOOSE_PRESENT_OR_PAST_PERFECT_PASSIVEw4Choose between has/have been and had been
Use has/have been when the result connects to now. Use had been when the action was already finished before a past moment.
USE_PASSIVE_WHEN_RECEIVER_MATTERSw3Use the passive when the receiver of the action matters more than the doer
Choose the passive when the result or affected thing is more important than who did the action, or when the doer is unknown or not needed.
RECOGNIZE_PERFECT_PASSIVE_MARKERSw3Recognize time markers that fit perfect passive forms
Markers like already, yet, just, before, by the time, and before now help signal present or past perfect passive meaning.
AVOID_ACTIVE_WORD_ORDER_IN_PASSIVEw5Avoid active patterns inside perfect passive sentences
Do not keep the active verb shape after has, have, or had. Perfect passive needs been + past participle.