Passive: be done, been done, being done

The passive voice focuses on the action and the receiver of the action rather than the doer. For the passive we use forms of the verb be + past participle. Different auxiliary forms of be or have create different passive meanings: "be done" (simple/passive), "been done" (perfect passive), and "being done" (progressive passive).

• "be done" – general passive forms (is/was/will be + past participle).
• "been done" – perfect passive (has/have been + past participle) — emphasizes completed action.
• "being done" – progressive passive (is/are being + past participle) — emphasizes an action in progress.

Select the auxiliary based on tense and aspect:

• Use forms of be + past participle for general passive: is/are, was/were, will be.
• Use has/have been + past participle for actions completed with present relevance (perfect passive).
• Use is/are being + past participle for actions in progress (progressive passive).
• Include the agent with by only when it is necessary or important.

Think about time (tense) first, then add 'been' for perfect or 'being' for progressive.

Learners often make predictable errors with passive constructions. Watch for these:

• Using the wrong auxiliary: e.g., "is been completed" (incorrect) instead of "has been completed" or "is being completed".
• Forgetting the past participle: e.g., "The report was prepare" (should be "prepared").
• Confusing perfect passive and progressive passive: choose 'been' for completed actions and 'being' for actions in progress.
• Incorrect tense agreement between auxiliary and time expressions: ensure the auxiliary matches the tense.

Always check the auxiliary (is/was/has been/was being) and the past participle form.