Lesson Ten
Present Continuous Tense, Passive Voice
S + (be) + being + past participle
This tense is confusing because the verb "be" appears twice. This example uses the verb "tell" as the main verb:
tell / told / told
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Singular
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Plural
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I am being told
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We are being told
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You are being told
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You are being told
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He is being told
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She is being told
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They are being told
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It is being told |
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This video offers additional help:
examples
1. The book is being read by the boy. (passive voice)
The boy is reading the book. (active voice)
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2. Pancakes are being made in the kitchen.
(Who’s making them? I don’t need to say, but from the picture you can see it’s the man.)
He’s making pancakes. (active voice)
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3. Flowers are being grown in this garden. (passive voice)
I’m growing the flowers. (active voice)
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4. This man is being kept in prison because he did something very bad.
The state is keeping him in prison.
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5. Penguins living in the Antarctic are being threatened by global climate change.
Global climate change is threatening many species worldwide.
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6. She’s being hugged by her brother. (passive voice)
Her brother is hugging her. (active voice)
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Remember: The present continuous tense describes things that are happening now and in the future.
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Next: Lesson Eleven
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