Grammar:Present Perfect Passive - How to Use + Example Sentence

1. What is the Present Perfect Passive?

Present Perfect Passive form: [has / have + been + past participle]

e.g. >> has been told, have been made, has been taken, etc.

2. When to use the Present Perfect Passive - Example

- We use the Passive form in the following situations:

✅ we want to focus on the result of an action and (not the person / thing doing the action),

✅ we do not know who did the action,

✅ we do not need to or not necessary to mention the person doing the action.

📚 Related post

• 👉The Complete Guide to the Passive form in English

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3. Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Passive - Difference

✔️Present Perfect

 Form🟰 [has / have + past participle]

e.g. The host has served drinks.

(Subject) (object)

✔️Present Perfect Passive

Form🟰 [has / have + been + past participle + by]

e.g. Drinks have been served (by the host).

| |

(subject) (object)

✏️Grammar Point!

• Both active & passive sentences meanings are the same.

• Passive form is common in news articles and academic writing.

4. How do we use the Present Perfect Passive form?

1. An email has been sent to the school.

2. The children have been fed by the nanny.

3. The school picnic has been postponed to next month.

4. Many people have been scammed recently.

5. The bill has been paid by the boss.

   
   

👀 Look out for the Present Perfect Passive in the short story below. How many can you spot?

5. Learn Present Perfect Passive Through Stories

📚 The Mysterious Sculpture

In the heart of a bustling city, a new sculpture has been placed in the central park.

Meaning: bustling=busy

The sculpture, which stands over ten feet tall, has been created from shimmering metal and smooth marble.

shimmering= reflecting light to seem shiny or sparkly.

Since its arrival, it has been admired by hundreds of people.

No one knows who the artist is, but the sculpture has been praised by art critics and visitors alike.

Several theories have been proposed about its meaning.

proposed= put forward for consideration or discussion.

Some believe it represents the unity of humanity, while others think it symbolises the fragility of life.

• fragility = the quality of being easily broken or damaged

The city officials have been contacted by curious residents, asking for more information about the artwork.

However, every inquiry has been met with silence. It seems the artist’s identity has been deliberately kept a secret.

• deliberately = done consciously and intentionally.

As days have passed, more and more people have been drawn to the sculpture. Its mysterious aura has captured the imagination of the entire city.

• drawn=attracted

Photographs of the sculpture have been shared across social media, and already, it has been featured in various art magazines.

Whoever the artist may be, their work has undoubtedly left a lasting impression on everyone who has seen it.

Examples of Present Perfect Passive used in the story:

-has been placed

-has been created

-has been admired

-has been praised

-have been proposed

-have been contacted

-has been met

-has been (deliberately) kept

-have been drawn

-have been shared

-has been featured

6. How to form the Present Perfect Passive - Example

Form = [has /have + been + Past Participle + [by]

e.g. see → seen

✔️ Present Perfect Passive Form - (Positive) + short form

- I / you / we / they have /'ve been seen (by)

- he/ she / it has / 's been seen (by)

✔️ Present Perfect Passive - (Negative) + short form

- I / you / we / they have not /'ve not / haven't been seen (by)

- he/ she / it has not / 's not / hasn't been seen (by)

✔️ Present Perfect Passive - Yes/No Question

- Have I / you / we / they been seen (by)...?

- Has he / she / it been seen (by)...?

✔️ Short answers (positive)

- Yes, I / you / we / they have.

- Yes, he/ she / it has.

✔️ Short answers (negative) + short form

- No, I / you / we / they have not / haven't.

- No, he/ she / it has not / hasn't.

✏️Grammar Point!

➡ Regular verbs

e.g.

Present Past Past Participle

cook cooked cooked

boil boiled boiled

➡Irregular verbs

e.g.

Present Past Past Participle

take took taken see saw seen

For more on Past Participle regular / irregular verbs:

• 👉 What is Past Participle? Uses + Example Sentences

📝7. Quick recap! the Present Perfect Passive

✔️Situation #1 - Use Passive Form:

- focus on the result - not the person (who did the action.)

Present Perfect Passive

> [has / have + Past Participle + [by]

e.g. The party has been cancelled.

- cancel > cancelled

Compare: Present Perfect Simple

-e.g. The company has cancelled the party.

✔️Situation #2 - Use Passive Form:

- We do not know who did the action

- keep →kept

e.g. Her room has been kept clean & tidy.

Compare: Present Continuous (active)

- Someone has kept her room clean & tidy.

✔️Situation #3 - Use Passive Form:

- We do not need to mention the person or thing causing the action (not necessary)

- rob → robbed

e.g. The bank has been robbed.

(*not necessary to say 'by robbers')

Compare > Present Perfect Simple

- Somebody has robbed the bank.

8. Present Perfect Passive - More Example Sentence

1. All the wedding invitations have been sent out. (passive)

> We have sent out all the wedding invitations.(active)

2. Party buntings & decorations have been hung up. (passive)

> We've hung up the party buntings & decorations.(active)

​3. Has the students been informed? (passive)

> Has the school informed the students? (active)

💡Grammar Learning Tip!

We use the Passive Form quite a lot in real life as we may want to focus on different things or which fact is more important - the person or the action.

Or it's not necessary to mention the person doing the action.

Related post

• 👉 Past Simple Passive

Let's Practise!

👩 Mica's going away on a last-minute 3-day business trip to Taipei.

📋✅ Mica's Checklist :

1. Luggage has been packed.

2. Taxi to the airport has been booked.

3. Limousine pick-up at Taipei airport has been confirmed.

4. Tuesday meeting at 9am has been scheduled.

5. Apartment cleaning schedule has been changed to next Monday.

6. Dental appointment has been postponed.

7. My next door neighbour has been informed.

📋 Vocabulary Check!

*last-minute (adj.) = at the latest moment to do something

e.g. The restaurant doesn't accept last-minute bookings. You need to book in advance.

💡English Learning Tip!

When practising or reviewing English grammar on your own, you may want to use personal experience in your everyday situation to make your own original sentences...

ii) Present Perfect Passive - Example Sentence

🧼🧺 Lizzie works as a part-time housekeeper at an apartment.

🏡 Today she has just started work at a new client's place, a young and busy working woman in her 20's named Mia.

📋 Lizzie is filling in her 'Job Done' form for the owner before leaving the apartment:

1. 👗 Ironing has been done.

2. 🛏️ Bed linen has been changed.

3. 🧺 Laundry has been done.

4. 🛋️ Furniture has been dusted.

5. 🧹 Floor has been mopped.

6. 🚽 Bathroom / toilet has been cleaned.

🕛 At midnight Mia came home to find:

1. 🗑️ The bin hasn't been emptied.

2. 🪟 Why haven't the windows been cleaned?

3. 🍽️ Her meal hasn't been prepared.

4. 🧺 Laundry hasn't been folded.

5. 🫙Grocery shopping hasn't been done.

6. ❓Why haven't the chores been done?

7. 📑 - They have all been included in the contract!

💡English Speaking Tip!

Practise speaking using the short forms - 's / 're not, aren't, isn't, etc. as much as you can. You'll sound more natural.

9. Time for your practice.

Now that you know how to use the Passive Present Perfect with the example sentences, let's try these exercises:

Exercise (A)

Change the following (active) sentences into the passive form.

Grammar Point!

✔️Present Perfect Form - (has / have + past participle)

e.g. Phil has taken the books with him.

✔️Passive Present Perfect Form -[has / have + been + past participle]

e.g. The books have been taken by Phil.

1. Has he paid the bill yet?

Passive: __________________________________________________

2. Have they received the package?

Passive: __________________________________________________

3. Martha has given us a new recipe.

Passive: __________________________________________________

4. My son has won first prize for the art competition.

Passive: __________________________________________________

5. Many people have seen the latest Tom Cruise movie.

Passive: __________________________________________________

Exercise (B)

Try to change the following verbs into the Past Participle form:

1. agree → _____________

2. leave → _____________

3. contact → _____________

4. understand → _____________

5. dust → _____________

6. write → _____________

7. send → _____________

8. shake → _____________

9. run → _____________

10. jump → _____________

Present Perfect Passive – Discussion Questions

These questions encourage learners to use the Present Perfect Passive naturally while discussing everyday life, work, travel, technology, and personal experiences.

🏠 Everyday Life

1. What household chores have been completed in your home this week?

2. Have any repairs been made to your home recently?

3. What changes have been made to your neighborhood in the past few years?

4. Have any new restaurants or cafés been opened near where you live?

5. What improvements have been made to public transport in your area?

✈️ Travel

11. What famous landmarks have been visited by millions of tourists?

12. Have any new tourist attractions been built in your country recently?

13. What improvements have been made to airports in recent years?

14. Have any travel plans been cancelled or changed recently?

15. What places in your country have been recommended to foreign visitors?

🍽 Food & Lifestyle

16. What new foods have been introduced to your local supermarkets?

17. Have any healthy habits been adopted by people in your community?

18. What dishes have been made popular by social media?

19. Have any restaurants you like been renovated recently?

20. What products have been advertised heavily this year?

🎬 Entertainment

31. What movies have been recommended to you recently?

32. Have any interesting TV series been released this year?

33. What songs have been played repeatedly on the radio lately?

34. Which books have been translated into many languages?

35. What new trends have been created by social media influencers?

🌟 Personal Experience

36. What achievements have been celebrated in your family recently?

37. Have any important goals been reached this year?

38. What lessons have been learned from recent experiences?

39. Have any exciting opportunities been offered to you lately?

40. What positive changes have been made in your life over the past year?

Bonus Pair Work Activity

Student A: Ask a question.

Student B: Answer using the Present Perfect Passive.

Example:

A: Have any new restaurants been opened near your home?

B: Yes, two new restaurants have been opened this year. One serves Italian food and the other serves Korean food.

Self-Practice Journal Prompts

Write 3–5 sentences for each topic:

• What improvements have been made in your city recently?

• What changes have been made in your daily routine this year?

• What skills have been learned or developed recently?

• What goals have been achieved so far?

• What new experiences have been enjoyed lately?

These prompts help learners repeatedly practise the structure:

has/have + been + past participle in meaningful, real-life contexts.

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📚 Further Learning

Want to keep practising your English in fun and natural ways?

Check out these recommended resources:

• 🎧 Try Audible for free – Listen to English stories and improve your comprehension anywhere.

• 🎓 British Council Online English Lessons – Learn with expert teachers.

• 📱 FluentU –Practise English with real-world videos and interactive subtitles.

Frequently Asked Questions – Present Perfect Passive

1. What is the Present Perfect Passive?

The Present Perfect Passive is used to talk about actions that were completed in the past but are important or relevant now.

Form: [has/have + been + past participle]

Examples:

• The report has been completed.

• The emails have been sent.

• The room has been cleaned.

2. When do we use the Present Perfect Passive?

We use it when:

✅ The action is more important than the person who did it.

✅ The result of the action is important now.

✅ We do not know who performed the action.

Examples:

• The project has been finished.

• The documents have been uploaded.

• A new café has been opened nearby.

3. What is the difference between the Present Perfect Active and Passive?

Active	Passive
Someone has repaired the car.	The car has been repaired.
They have painted the house.	The house has been painted.
The company has launched a new product.	A new product has been launched.

The active voice focuses on the person doing the action, while the passive voice focuses on the thing receiving the action.

4. How do I make negative sentences in the Present Perfect Passive?

Add not after has or have.

Examples:

• The package has not been delivered yet.

• The bills have not been paid.

• The invitations have not been sent.

Contractions:

• hasn't been

• haven't been

5. How do I form questions in the Present Perfect Passive?

Move has or have to the beginning of the sentence.

Examples:

• Has the work been completed?

• Have the tickets been booked?

• Has the dinner been prepared?

6. Do I always need to say who did the action?

No. In passive sentences, the person or thing performing the action is often unknown, obvious, or unimportant.

Examples:

• The website has been updated.

• The windows have been cleaned.

If necessary, you can add by + person.

Example:

• The website has been updated by the IT team.

7. What is the difference between Present Perfect Passive and Past Simple Passive?

Present Perfect Passive

• Focuses on the result now.

• Time is not specific.

Example:

• The bridge has been repaired.

Past Simple Passive

• Focuses on a completed action at a specific time in the past.

Example:

• The bridge was repaired last year.

8. Can I use time expressions with the Present Perfect Passive?

Yes, but avoid specific finished times such as yesterday or last week.

Common expressions include:

• already

• yet

• just

• recently

• lately

• so far

• since

• for

Examples:

• The order has already been shipped.

• The problem has just been solved.

• Several updates have recently been made.

9. What are some common mistakes learners make?

❌ The report has completed.

✅ The report has been completed.

❌ The emails have sent.

✅ The emails have been sent.

❌ The house has been paint.

✅ The house has been painted.

Remember: has/have + been + past participle

10. Is the Present Perfect Passive common in everyday English?

Yes. It is very common in workplaces, news reports, announcements, customer service, and formal writing.

Examples:

• Your order has been shipped.

• The meeting has been postponed.

• New safety measures have been introduced.

• The results have been published.

11. Which verbs are commonly used in the Present Perfect Passive?

Some common examples include:

• completed

• finished

• delivered

• sent

• published

• repaired

• cleaned

• built

• approved

• updated

• booked

• cancelled

Examples:

• The tickets have been booked.

• The article has been published.

• The road has been repaired.

12. Why should English learners study the Present Perfect Passive?

The Present Perfect Passive helps you:

✔ Talk about recent results and achievements.

✔ Understand workplace and business English.

✔ Read news articles more easily.

✔ Sound more natural in formal and professional situations.

✔ Improve your speaking and writing skills.

Quick Tip

If you can answer "What has happened?" and the result is important now, the Present Perfect Passive is often a good choice.

Form: [Subject + has/have + been + past participle]

Examples:

• The cake has been baked.

• The homework has been finished.

• The hotel has been renovated.

• The invitations have been sent.

📚 Keep learning the Passive Voice

• 👉 Present Simple Passive

• 👉 Present Continuous Passive

• 👉 Past Simple Passive

• 👉 Past Continuous Passive

• 👉 Present Perfect Passive

• 👉 Past Perfect Passive

• 👉 Future Simple Passive

• 👉 Future Perfect Passive

  
  

• 👉 Modals (Passive Form) Grammar Story + Practice Exercises

🔔 Practice More

Want to improve your listening and speaking skills?

🎥 Check out our YouTube Channel Playlist:

• 🔗 Mastering the Passive Voice in English 

• 🔗 Learn Grammar Through Engaging Stories

• 🔗 ESL Listening Practice With Engaging Stories

  
  
  
  

👉 Keep exploring grammar through stories below ⬇️

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