Lesson 2 of 4 · 12 min

Build continuous, perfect, and passive forms

Choose the participle that fits the verb phrase and the meaning.

Continuous: be plus -ing

Use a form of be with a present participle to present an action as in progress: 'Noor is writing' or 'Noor was writing'. The helper verb carries tense and agreement. In an ordinary complete sentence, 'Noor writing a note' needs a helper such as is or was.

Perfect: have plus a past participle

Use have, has, or had with a past participle to look back from a reference time. 'Noor has written the note' presents the completed note as relevant now. 'Noor had written the note before the call' places the writing before another past event. Written stays the same; the helper changes.

Passive: be plus a past participle

A passive construction presents the subject as receiving an action: 'The note was written by Noor.' Compare 'Noor was writing the note', where Noor was doing the writing. A past participle is not automatically passive: in 'Noor has written the note', Noor is still the writer.

See it in practice

Starting point

At six, Noor was written the instructions. By seven, she had wrote them. The instructions were print by her brother.

Using this skill

At six, Noor was writing the instructions. By seven, she had written them. The instructions were printed by her brother.

Was writing shows an action in progress, had written looks back at its completion, and were printed describes an action performed on the instructions.

01 / Check your understanding

Try the skill

Choose an answer for each question. You can try again after reading the feedback.

1. Choose the correct form: 'By the time we arrived, Noor had ___ the instructions.' wrote writing written

2. Which sentence presents the report as receiving the action? The report was checked by two editors. Two editors were checking the report. Two editors have checked the report.

02 / Put it into words

Make it your own

Write three connected sentences about preparing something: show an action in progress, an action completed before another past event, and something receiving an action. Use 'was/were + -ing', 'had + past participle', and a passive phrase.

Write at least 25 words. Use the checklist and example to review your writing; this exercise does not give an automatic writing score.

Your writing:

0 / 25 words minimum Save your response with the button below.

Before you finish

My continuous phrase uses an -ing participle.
Had is followed by the past participle, not the simple past form.
The subject of my passive phrase receives the action.

I have checked my writing against the checklist.

Read one possible response

Compare the choices this writer made with your own. Many different responses can work.

I was arranging the chairs while Noor welcomed our guests. She had written the programme before the doors opened. The printed copies were placed on each seat by my brother.

Complete the lesson by answering both questions correctly, reaching the writing minimum, and reviewing your draft.