Past perfect passive
Past perfect passive means “Past perfect passive: something had already been done before another moment in the past”. Had been + past participle combines the past perfect with the passive voice. Formation: had been + past participle
Past perfect passive: something had already been done before another moment in the past
B2Formation
had been + past participle
Explanation
Had been + past participle combines the past perfect with the passive voice. It shows that an action was completed, by someone unstated or unimportant, before a later point in the past: The letter had been sent before she arrived. You use it to make the order of two past events clear when the earlier one is passive. The doer can be added with by, but it is often left out.
Examples
Note
The form often pairs with before, by the time or when: When we arrived, the room had already been cleaned. Drop had only if the time order is already obvious from other words.
FAQ
Past perfect passive — what does it mean and how is it used?
Past perfect passive: something had already been done before another moment in the past. Had been + past participle combines the past perfect with the passive voice. It shows that an action was completed, by someone unstated or unimportant, before a later point in the past: The letter had been sent before she arrived. You use it to make the order of two past events clear when the earlier one is passive. The doer can be added with by, but it is often left out.
Past perfect passive — how do you form it?
had been + past participle
Past perfect passive — any usage notes?
The form often pairs with before, by the time or when: When we arrived, the room had already been cleaned. Drop had only if the time order is already obvious from other words.