Past Passives

Sam An Teng

(v) Past Simple

Active: SUBJECT + VERB 2+ OBJECT

Passive: SUBJECT + WAS/WERE + VERB 3 + BY AGENT

For examples

• Active: She invited friends for dinner last night.
• Passive: Friends were invited (by her) for dinner last night.
• Active: They cleaned their house before new year.
• Passive: Their house was cleaned (by them) before new year.

 

(vi) Past Continuous

Active: SUBJECT + WAS/WERE + VERB-ING+ OBJECT

Passive: SUBJECT + WAS/WERE + BEING + VERB 3 + BY AGENT

For examples

• Active: She was drawing a picture.
• Passive: A picture was being drawn (by her).
• Active: We were cutting the grass when you called.
• Passive: The grass was being cut (by us) when you called.

 

(vii) Past Perfect Simple

Active: SUBJECT + HAD + VERB 3 + OBJECT
Passive: SUBJECT + HAD + BEEN + VERB 3 + BY AGENT

For examples

• Active: They had sold a company before setting up a new one.
• Passive: A company had been sold (by them) before setting up a new one.
• Active: He had finished the food when we arrived.
• Passive: The food had been finished (by him) when we arrived.

 

(viii) Past Perfect Continuous

Active: SUBJECT + HAD + BEEN + VERB-ING + OBJECT

Passive: SUBJECT + HAD + BEEN + BEING + VERB 3 + BY AGENT

For examples

• Active: The police had been investigating them for long.
• Passive: They had been being investigated by the police for long.
• Active: They had been selling a lot of drug before arrested.
• Passive: A lot of drug had been being sold by them before arrested.