Question 1

How do I form the past perfect passive?

Accepted Answer

The past perfect passive is formed with had been + past participle for all subjects. Example: "The letter had been written" or "The cars had been sold". Unlike present tenses, there is no variation - always use "had been".

Question 2

When do I use past perfect passive instead of past simple passive?

Accepted Answer

Use past perfect passive when describing an action completed before another past action. Example: "By the time I arrived, the cake had been eaten" (eating happened before arriving). Use past simple passive for single completed actions: "The cake was eaten yesterday".

Question 3

How do I change an active past perfect sentence to passive?

Accepted Answer

To change active past perfect to passive: 1) The object becomes the subject, 2) Use "had been", 3) Add the past participle of the main verb, 4) Optionally add "by + agent". Example: "They had completed the project" becomes "The project had been completed".

Past Perfect Passive Voice Exercises