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The passive in the past THE PAST CONTINUOUS PASSIVE

The past continuous can also be used in the passive
voice. It is used to refer to ongoing actions in the past.
English uses the passive voice in the past to stress the See also:
effect of an action that happened in the past, rather Past simple 7 Past continuous 10 PAST CONTINUOUS
than the cause of that action. Present perfect 11 Past perfect 13

THE PAST SIMPLE PASSIVE
The past simple passive is used when referring to a single completed PAST CONTINUOUS PASSIVE
action in the past, focusing on the effect rather than the cause.
PAST SIMPLE

PAST SIMPLE PASSIVE FURTHER EXAMPLES

FURTHER EXAMPLES

HOW TO FORM HOW TO FORM

SUBJECT “WAS / WERE” PAST PARTICIPLE REST OF SENTENCE SUBJECT “WAS / WERE” “BEING” PAST PARTICIPLE "BY" + AGENT

The thing that “Was” is for singular subjects, The main verb is a The thing that “Was” is for singular subjects, The main verb is expressed
receives the action. and “were” is for plural subjects. past participle. receives the action. and “were” is for plural subjects. as a past participle.

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