Printable Past Continuous Passive Exercises - 101 PDF Worksheets with Answers

Access a collection of 101 printable PDF worksheets focusing on the English grammar topic of the past continuous passive. Download fill-in-the-blank tests with exercises and answer keys for past continuous tense passive voice to print for free. The activities in the sheets are suitable for kids, adults, ESL learners at the beginner, elementary, and intermediate levels to practice English grammar.

The Past Continuous Passive Voice:

The past continuous passive, also known as the past progressive passive voice, is a grammatical construction used to describe ongoing or continuous actions in the past that were being performed on the subject rather than the subject performing the action. In this passive voice, the subject of the sentence becomes the receiver of the action, while the agent or doer of the action is either unknown, unspecified, or less important. The past continuous passive is formed by using the auxiliary verbs "was being" or "were being" followed by the past participle of the main verb. This structure allows for a detailed and dynamic description of past events.

Forming the Past Continuous Passive:

The structure of the past continuous passive is as follows:

Was/Were + Being + Past Participle

Was being: The auxiliary verb "was" is used with singular subjects, i.e., "he", "she", "it", and any singular noun. For example: "The car was being repaired."

Were being: The auxiliary verb "were" is used with plural subjects, i.e., "they", "we", "you", and any plural noun. For example: "The books were being read."

Regular and Irregular Verbs in the Past Continuous Passive:

The past continuous passive uses regular and irregular past participles, just like the past simple passive. Regular verbs form their past participle by adding "-ed" to the base verb, while irregular verbs have specific forms that don't follow a predictable pattern.

Affirmative Sentences:

Affirmative sentences in the past continuous passive follow the structure mentioned earlier, with the subject, the appropriate form of "was" or "were", and the past participle of the main verb.

Examples:

The cake was being baked by my mom.
The report was being written by the team.
The movie was being directed by a famous director.

Negative Sentences:

To form negative sentences in the past continuous passive, we add "not" after "was" or "were."

Examples:

The project was not being managed by a skilled team.
The phone was not being repaired all day.
The documents were not being filed properly.

Interrogative Sentences:

To create interrogative sentences in the past progressive passive voice, we use inversion, which means we place the auxiliary verb "was" or "were" before the subject.

Examples:

Was the situation being controlled by that time?
Were the guests being entertained all evening?
Was the research being conducted at that time?

Subject-Verb Agreement in the Past Continuous Passive:

As with any passive construction, subject-verb agreement is essential in the past continuous passive. The auxiliary verbs "was" and "were" must agree with the subject of the sentence.

Examples:

She was being followed by a private investigator.
They were being trained for combat.

Using "By" with Past Continuous Passive:

The preposition "by" is often used with the past continuous passive to indicate the agent or doer of the action.

Examples:

The project was being managed by a skilled team.
The book was being read by millions of people.

Using Time Expressions with Past Continuous Passive:

Time expressions help to provide additional context and clarify when the actions were happening in the past.

Examples:

The meeting was being conducted at 3 PM.
The airport was being expanded to accommodate more passengers.

Using "When" and "While" with Past Continuous Passive:

The conjunctions "when" and "while" are often used with the past continuous passive to indicate two simultaneous actions in the past.

Examples:

When she arrived, she was being greeted by the host.
While they were cooking, the music was being played.

Using "All Day", "All Night", "All Morning", etc. with Past Continuous Passive:

These time expressions indicate the duration of the ongoing action in the past.

Examples:

The phone was being repaired all day.
The team was being evaluated in the process of restructuring.

Using "By the End of the Day" with Past Continuous Passive:

This time expression specifies the completion time of the ongoing action.

Examples:

The issue was being resolved by the end of the day.
The project was being completed by the end of the month.

Describing Simultaneous Actions:

The past progressive passive voice is useful for describing two or more actions happening at the same time.

Examples:

While the children were playing, the dinner was being prepared.
The guests were being served food while the music was playing.

Describing Temporary Situations:

The past continuous passive can be used to describe temporary actions or situations that were ongoing for a specific duration.

Examples:

The building was being renovated for a month.
The road was being repaired in the middle of rush hour.

Describing Ongoing Weather Conditions:

The past continuous passive can be used to describe weather conditions that were happening at a specific time in the past.

Examples:

It was raining, and people were being given umbrellas.
The wind was blowing fiercely, and the trees were being swayed.

Using "In the Background"

This phrase is used to describe actions or events that were happening unnoticed or as a backdrop to something else.

Examples:

The music was being played in the background while they were having dinner.
The sound of waves was being heard in the background during the conversation.

Describing Ongoing Negotiations:

The past continuous passive is helpful for describing ongoing negotiations or discussions.

Examples:

The terms were being discussed between the two parties.
The agreement was being negotiated during that period.

Using "In the Process of":

This phrase indicates actions or events that were happening while another process was underway.

Examples:

The team was being evaluated in the process of restructuring.
The chemicals were being mixed in the lab.

Using "In the Middle Of":

This phrase highlights actions that were interrupted or unfinished.

Examples:

The road was being repaired in the middle of rush hour.
The movie was being filmed in the middle of a busy street.

Using "In the Kitchen":

This phrase describes actions taking place in the kitchen.

Examples:

Dinner was being prepared in the kitchen.
The dishes were being washed in the kitchen.

Describing Ongoing Scientific Observations:

The past continuous passive is used in scientific contexts to describe ongoing observations or measurements.

Examples:

The behavior of the animals was being recorded.
The temperature and humidity levels were being monitored.

Describing Ongoing Medical Treatments:

In medical contexts, the past progressive passive voice can be used to describe ongoing treatments.

Examples:

The patient was being treated by the medical team.
The wound was being cleaned and bandaged by the nurse.

Using "At That Moment":

This phrase indicates actions happening at a specific point in the past.

Examples:

The performance was being recorded at that moment.
He was being interviewed at that moment.

Describing Ongoing Construction Work:

The past continuous passive can be used to describe ongoing construction or building activities.

Examples:

The new building was being constructed with modern materials.
The bridge was being built over the river.

Describing Ongoing Repairs:

The past continuous passive is used when describing ongoing repair or fixing activities.

Examples:

The car was being fixed by a mechanic.
The roof was being repaired after the storm.

Describing Ongoing Rehearsals:

In the context of arts and performances, the past continuous passive can describe ongoing rehearsals.

Examples:

The play was being practiced by the actors.
The choir was being rehearsed for the upcoming concert.

Describing Ongoing Traffic Control:

The past progressive passive voice can be used to describe ongoing traffic management or control.

Examples:

The traffic flow was being managed by the authorities.
The intersection was being controlled by the traffic police.

Using "All Evening":

This phrase indicates that the action was happening for the entire evening.

Examples:

The guests were being entertained all evening.
The event was being celebrated all evening.

Describing Ongoing Experiments:

In scientific contexts, the past continuous passive is used to describe ongoing experiments.

Examples:

The chemicals were being mixed in the lab.
The reactions were being observed by the researchers.

Using "At That Time":

This phrase emphasizes the time of the ongoing action.

Examples:

The research was being conducted at that time.
The decision was being made at that moment.

Business Reports:

In business contexts, the past continuous passive can be used to describe ongoing implementation or execution of strategies.

Examples:

The sales strategy was being implemented at that time.
The company's expansion plan was being executed last year.

Describing Ongoing Rehearsals:

In the context of arts and performances, the past progressive passive voice can describe ongoing rehearsals.

Examples:

The play was being practiced by the actors.
The choir was being rehearsed for the upcoming concert.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the past continuous passive, also known as the past progressive passive voice, is a valuable grammatical construction in English that allows us to describe ongoing or continuous actions in the past where the subject was the receiver of the action. It is formed using the auxiliary verbs "was being" with singular subjects and "were being" with plural subjects, followed by the past participle of the main verb. Mastering the past continuous passive is an essential skill for English learners, as it enhances their ability to express past events with precision and clarity. By understanding the nuances of this construction and practicing its application in different scenarios, learners can become more proficient in their language skills and convey their ideas effectively in both spoken and written English.

1. Past Continuous Passive Online Exercises
2. Future Perfect Passive PDF Worksheets
3. Future Simple Passive PDF Worksheets
4. Passive Voice PDF Worksheets
5. Past Continuous PDF Worksheets
6. Past Continuous Negative PDF Worksheets
7. Past Continuous Positive PDF Worksheets
8. Past Continuous Question PDF Worksheets
9. Past Perfect Passive PDF Worksheets
10. Past Simple Passive PDF Worksheets
11. Present Continuous Passive PDF Worksheets
12. Present Perfect Passive PDF Worksheets
13. Present Simple Passive PDF Worksheets