The Missing Necklace – Learn the Past Continuous Passive With Fun Mystery Story
- Rose Sensei
- Sep 24
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 22
Are you learning English grammar and want to practise with something more exciting than drills?
✨Today’s lesson is a short mystery story where you can spot examples of the Past Continuous Passive.
This tense is useful when we want to describe what was happening to something at a certain time in the past.
🎬Watch the YouTube video with voice narration + interactive exercises:
🎥Check out SHORTS video:
📚Read the story carefully and see if you can notice where the Past Continuous Passive is used.
Story:🕵️♀️ The Missing Necklace
Last Saturday evening, Mrs. Green’s house was full of people. A party was being held to celebrate her birthday.
Music was being played in the living room, and food was being served in the kitchen. Everyone was enjoying themselves.
But suddenly, Mrs. Green’s diamond necklace was missing!
At that time, the garden was being decorated with fairy lights. Nobody noticed the necklace was gone.
Finally, the necklace was found under the sofa. It had fallen while the room was being cleaned earlier in the afternoon.
Everyone laughed with relief, and the party continued.
✅ Comprehension Questions
Why was the party being held?_____________________________________________________
What was being played in the living room?_____________________________________________________
What was being served in the kitchen?
_____________________________________________________
What was being decorated with fairy lights?
_____________________________________________________
Where was the necklace found?
_____________________________________________________
📝 Grammar Focus: The Past Continuous Passive
The Past Continuous Passive describes an action that was in progress in the past, but the focus is on the receiver of the action, not the doer.
Structure: [was/were + being + past participle]
Examples from the story:
A party was being held.
Music was being played.
Food was being served.
The garden was being decorated.
The room was being cleaned.
👉 Notice that we don’t know who exactly was doing the action — that’s not important.
✍️ Practice Exercises
A. Spot the Passive
Read the story again. Write down all the sentences that use the Past Continuous Passive.
B. Rewrite in Active Voice
Change these sentences into Active Voice:
A party was being held to celebrate her birthday.
_____________________________________________________
Music was being played in the living room.
_____________________________________________________
Food was being served in the kitchen.
_____________________________________________________
*(Hint: Think about WHO was doing these actions — e.g., “Her friends were holding a party…”)
C. Complete the Sentences
Fill in the blanks with the correct Past Continuous Passive form.
The room ___________________ (clean) when the guests arrived.
Dinner ___________________(prepare) while the music was playing.
Photos ___________________(take) by the photographer at 8 p.m.
📚 Further Learning
Want to keep practising your English in fun and natural ways? Check out these recommended resources:
🎧 Try Audible for free – Listen to English stories and improve your comprehension anywhere.
🎓 British Council Online English Lessons – Learn with expert teachers.
📱 FluentU App – Practice English with real-world videos and interactive subtitles.
(As an affiliate, I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.)
💡 Your Turn!
Did you find all the Past Continuous Passive sentences in the story?
Try writing 2–3 of your own sentences using this tense and share them in the comments below!
👉 Keep exploring grammar through stories:More Passive Voice Lessons below ⬇️
🔔 Practice More:Want to improve your listening and speaking skills?
🎥 Check out our YouTube Channel Playlist:
🔗Mastering the Passive Voice in English - https://tinyurl.com/9am4ky9c
🔗Learn Grammar Through Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/bvwvckfu
🔗ESL Listening Practice With Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/37rf8e23
Watch and Learn! For more ESL reading and listening practice video lessons, subscribe to our YouTube channel.
📖✨ Love This Content? Get more delivered to you! Sign up for our weekly email with fresh ideas for learning English.
Thank you for reading and Happy Learning!
Comments