Passive Voice in Past Tenses
In the past timeframe tenses, the auxiliary verb to be changes to its past forms (was or were). In this lesson, we will focus on how to construct the passive voice for the three primary past tenses.
1. Simple Past Passive
We use the simple past passive to describe finished events that happened at a specific, completed time in the past.
Formula: Subject + was/were + Verb 3 (Past Participle) + ...
- Active: Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928.
- Passive: Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928.
- Active: They built this house fifty years ago.
- Passive: This house was built fifty years ago.
2. Past Continuous Passive
We use the past continuous passive to describe actions that were ongoing at a specific moment in the past.
Formula: Subject + was/were + being + Verb 3 (Past Participle) + ...
- Active: The photographer was taking pictures of us.
- Passive: Pictures were being taken of us by the photographer.
- Active: While they were repairing the bridge, traffic was bad.
- Passive: While the bridge was being repaired, traffic was bad.
3. Past Perfect Passive
We use the past perfect passive to show that a passive action occurred before another past action.
Formula: Subject + had + been + Verb 3 (Past Participle) + ...
- Active: The chef had prepared the food before the guests arrived.
- Passive: The food had been prepared by the chef before the guests arrived.
- Active: Fire had destroyed the building before the firefighters got there.
- Passive: The building had been destroyed by fire before the firefighters got there.
4. Past Perfect Continuous in the Passive (Rare/Awkward)
Similar to the present perfect continuous, you can theoretically form the passive for the Past Perfect Continuous.
Formula: Subject + had + been + being + Verb 3 (Past Participle) + ...
- Active: They had been painting the wall for hours before I arrived.
- Passive: The wall had been being painted for hours before I arrived.
Why It Is Avoided
Because “had been being” is highly repetitive and extremely difficult to pronounce naturally, it is avoided in both spoken and written English.
How to Rephrase It
Choose one of the following alternatives:
- Use the Active Voice: Keep the sentence active (e.g., They had been painting the wall for hours).
- Use the Past Continuous Passive: Simplify to the past continuous passive (e.g., The wall was being painted when I arrived).
5. Past Passive Summary Table
| Tense | Active Sentence | Passive Sentence | Passive Verb Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Past | He cleaned the room. | The room was cleaned. | was/were + Verb 3 |
| Past Continuous | He was cleaning the room. | The room was being cleaned. | was/were + being + Verb 3 |
| Past Perfect | He had cleaned the room. | The room had been cleaned. | had + been + Verb 3 |