6.1.4
Imperfect Passive Voice
Imperfect Passive Voice
Imperfect Passive Voice
To form the imperfect passive, use the imperfect tense of 'être' followed by a past participle. The passive is usually only used in the 'il/elle' and the 'ils/elles' forms.
Step 1 - imperfect tense of 'etre'
Step 1 - imperfect tense of 'etre'
- J'étais - I was/used to be.
- Tu étais - you (singular) were/used to be.
- Il/elle/on était - he/she/one was/used to be.
- Nous étions - we were/used to be.
- Vous étiez - you (plural/formal) were/used to be.
- Ils/elles étaient - they were/used to be.
Step 2 - add past participle
Step 2 - add past participle
- Le devoir était fait - the homework was being done.
- La plage était appréciée - the beach used to be well-liked.
- Les tartes étaient faites - the tartes were being made.
- Les lettres étaient écrites - the letters were being written.
Examples of passive sentences
Examples of passive sentences
- James Bond était joué par Sean Connery.
- James Bond was being played by Sean Connery.
- La viande était cuisinée par mon père.
- The meat was being cooked by my dad.
- Les tartes étaient détesté de tout le monde
- The tarts were being hated by everyone.
- Les gateaux étaient préparés par lui.
- The cakes were being prepared by him.
Imperfect Passive Voice
Imperfect Passive Voice
To form the passive, use the imperfect tense of 'être' followed by a past participle. The passive is usually only used in the 'il/elle' and the 'ils/elles' forms.
1) Imperfect tense of 'être'
1) Imperfect tense of 'être'
- J'étais - I was/used to be.
- Tu étais - you were/used to be.
- Il/elle/on était - he/she/one was/used to be.
- Nous étions - we were/used to be.
- Vous étiez - you were/used to be.
- Ils/elles étaient - they were/used to be.
2) Add past participle
2) Add past participle
- Le devoir était fait - the homework was being done.
- La plage était appréciée - the beach used to be well-liked.
- Les tartes étaient faites - the tarts were being made.
- Les lettres étaient écrites - the letters were being written.
Examples of passive sentences
Examples of passive sentences
- James Bond était inteprété par Sean Connery.
- James Bond was being played by Sean Connery.
- La viande était cuisinée par mon père.
- The meat was being cooked by my dad.
- Les tartes étaient détestées de tout le monde
- The tarts were being hated by everyone.
- Les gâteaux étaient préparés par lui.
- The cakes were being prepared by him.
1Identity & Culture
1.1Me, my family and friends
1.1.1Describing Yourself
1.1.2Physical Appearance
1.1.3Personality
1.1.4Friends
1.1.5Opinions on Friends
1.1.6Relationships
1.1.7Family
1.1.8Other Family Members
1.1.9Me, My Friends & My Family - Listening
1.1.10Pets
1.1.11Style & Fashion
1.1.12Shopping for Clothes
1.1.13Materials
1.1.14Exam-Style Questions - Pets
1.2Time
1.3Technology in Everyday Life
1.4Free-Time Activities
1.4.1In Your Free-Time
1.4.2Music
1.4.3Music - Listening
1.4.4Cinema
1.4.5TV
1.4.6Cinema & TV - Listening
1.4.7Food
1.4.8Eating Out
1.4.9Opinions on Food
1.4.10Fruits
1.4.11Vegetables
1.4.12Other Food
1.4.13Meat
1.4.14Fish
1.4.15Food - Listening
1.4.16Sport
1.4.17Why Do You Play Sport?
1.4.18Different Sports
1.4.19Exam-Style Questions - Sport
1.4.20Exam-Style Questions - Thierry Henry
1.5Festivals in French-Speaking Countries
2Areas of Interest
2.1Home, Town, Neighbourhood & Region
2.2Social Issues
3Study & Employment
4Common Tenses
4.1Present Tense
4.1.1Regular ER Verbs
4.1.25 Common ER Verbs
4.1.3Regular IR Verbs
4.1.45 Common IR Verbs
4.1.5Regular RE Verbs
4.1.65 Common RE Verbs
4.1.7Reflexive Verbs
4.1.8Irregular ER Verbs - Aller
4.1.9Stem-Changing Verbs
4.1.10Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'
4.1.11Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'
4.1.12Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'
4.1.13Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern
4.1.14Modal Irregular IR Verbs
4.1.15Irregular RE Verbs
4.1.16Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern
4.1.17ER Present Participles
4.1.18IR Present Participle
4.1.19RE Present Participle
4.1.20Irregular Present Participles
4.1.21Avoir
4.1.22Être
4.2Perfect Tense
4.2.1Perfect Tense - Regular ER Verbs
4.2.2Perfect Tense - Regular IR Verbs
4.2.3Perfect Tense - Regular RE Verbs
4.2.4Irregular Past Participles
4.2.5Irregular Past Participles 2
4.2.6Être ER Verbs
4.2.7Être IR Verbs
4.2.8Être RE Verbs
4.2.9Irregular Être - 'Venir'
4.2.10Irregular Être - 'Naître' & 'Mourir'
4.2.11Perfect Infinitive - Using Avoir
4.2.12Perfect Infinitive - Using Être
4.3Imperfect Tense
4.3.1Imperfect Tense - Regular ER Verbs
4.3.2Imperfect Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs
4.3.3Imperfect Tense - Regular IR Verbs
4.3.4Imperfect Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs
4.3.5Imperfect Tense - Regular RE Verbs
4.3.6Imperfect Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs
4.3.7Imperfect Tense - Irregular ER Verbs
4.3.8Imperfect Tense - Irregular IR Verbs
4.3.9Imperfect Tense - Irregular RE Verbs
4.3.10Imperfect Tense - Être
4.4Imperfect vs Perfect
5Advanced Tenses
5.1Conditional Tense
5.2Pluperfect Tense
5.3Present Subjunctive
5.3.1Present Subjunctive - Regular ER Verbs
5.3.2Present Subjunctive - Regular IR Verbs
5.3.3Present Subjunctive - Regular RE Verbs
5.3.4Present Subjunctive - Two-Stem Irregulars
5.3.5Present Subjunctive - Complete Irregulars
5.3.6Present Subjunctive - Using the Subjunctive
5.3.7Present Subjunctive - Imperative
6Extra Grammar
6.1The Passive Voice
6.2Pronouns
6.3Asking Questions
6.4Nouns
6.5Prepositions
6.7Quantifiers & Intensifiers
6.8Adjectives
6.8.1Adjectives Must Agree
6.8.2Irregular Agreements
6.8.3No Pattern Irregulars
6.8.4Position of Adjectives: After the Noun
6.8.5Position of Adjectives: Before the Noun
6.8.6Position of Adjectives: Changing Meanings
6.8.7Comparative Adjectives
6.8.8Superlative Adjectives
6.8.9Good, Better, Best
6.8.10Demonstrative Adjectives
6.8.11Indefinite Adjectives
Jump to other topics
1Identity & Culture
1.1Me, my family and friends
1.1.1Describing Yourself
1.1.2Physical Appearance
1.1.3Personality
1.1.4Friends
1.1.5Opinions on Friends
1.1.6Relationships
1.1.7Family
1.1.8Other Family Members
1.1.9Me, My Friends & My Family - Listening
1.1.10Pets
1.1.11Style & Fashion
1.1.12Shopping for Clothes
1.1.13Materials
1.1.14Exam-Style Questions - Pets
1.2Time
1.3Technology in Everyday Life
1.4Free-Time Activities
1.4.1In Your Free-Time
1.4.2Music
1.4.3Music - Listening
1.4.4Cinema
1.4.5TV
1.4.6Cinema & TV - Listening
1.4.7Food
1.4.8Eating Out
1.4.9Opinions on Food
1.4.10Fruits
1.4.11Vegetables
1.4.12Other Food
1.4.13Meat
1.4.14Fish
1.4.15Food - Listening
1.4.16Sport
1.4.17Why Do You Play Sport?
1.4.18Different Sports
1.4.19Exam-Style Questions - Sport
1.4.20Exam-Style Questions - Thierry Henry
1.5Festivals in French-Speaking Countries
2Areas of Interest
2.1Home, Town, Neighbourhood & Region
2.2Social Issues
3Study & Employment
4Common Tenses
4.1Present Tense
4.1.1Regular ER Verbs
4.1.25 Common ER Verbs
4.1.3Regular IR Verbs
4.1.45 Common IR Verbs
4.1.5Regular RE Verbs
4.1.65 Common RE Verbs
4.1.7Reflexive Verbs
4.1.8Irregular ER Verbs - Aller
4.1.9Stem-Changing Verbs
4.1.10Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'
4.1.11Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'
4.1.12Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'
4.1.13Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern
4.1.14Modal Irregular IR Verbs
4.1.15Irregular RE Verbs
4.1.16Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern
4.1.17ER Present Participles
4.1.18IR Present Participle
4.1.19RE Present Participle
4.1.20Irregular Present Participles
4.1.21Avoir
4.1.22Être
4.2Perfect Tense
4.2.1Perfect Tense - Regular ER Verbs
4.2.2Perfect Tense - Regular IR Verbs
4.2.3Perfect Tense - Regular RE Verbs
4.2.4Irregular Past Participles
4.2.5Irregular Past Participles 2
4.2.6Être ER Verbs
4.2.7Être IR Verbs
4.2.8Être RE Verbs
4.2.9Irregular Être - 'Venir'
4.2.10Irregular Être - 'Naître' & 'Mourir'
4.2.11Perfect Infinitive - Using Avoir
4.2.12Perfect Infinitive - Using Être
4.3Imperfect Tense
4.3.1Imperfect Tense - Regular ER Verbs
4.3.2Imperfect Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs
4.3.3Imperfect Tense - Regular IR Verbs
4.3.4Imperfect Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs
4.3.5Imperfect Tense - Regular RE Verbs
4.3.6Imperfect Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs
4.3.7Imperfect Tense - Irregular ER Verbs
4.3.8Imperfect Tense - Irregular IR Verbs
4.3.9Imperfect Tense - Irregular RE Verbs
4.3.10Imperfect Tense - Être
4.4Imperfect vs Perfect
5Advanced Tenses
5.1Conditional Tense
5.2Pluperfect Tense
5.3Present Subjunctive
5.3.1Present Subjunctive - Regular ER Verbs
5.3.2Present Subjunctive - Regular IR Verbs
5.3.3Present Subjunctive - Regular RE Verbs
5.3.4Present Subjunctive - Two-Stem Irregulars
5.3.5Present Subjunctive - Complete Irregulars
5.3.6Present Subjunctive - Using the Subjunctive
5.3.7Present Subjunctive - Imperative
6Extra Grammar
6.1The Passive Voice
6.2Pronouns
6.3Asking Questions
6.4Nouns
6.5Prepositions
6.7Quantifiers & Intensifiers
6.8Adjectives
6.8.1Adjectives Must Agree
6.8.2Irregular Agreements
6.8.3No Pattern Irregulars
6.8.4Position of Adjectives: After the Noun
6.8.5Position of Adjectives: Before the Noun
6.8.6Position of Adjectives: Changing Meanings
6.8.7Comparative Adjectives
6.8.8Superlative Adjectives
6.8.9Good, Better, Best
6.8.10Demonstrative Adjectives
6.8.11Indefinite Adjectives
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