GUIDE ENGLISH GRAMMAR BOOK

PAGE 141
112 The passive to-infinitive and gerund
112 The passive to-infinitive and gerund
1 Forms
Active
Passive
To-infinitive to play to be played
Perfect to-infinitive to have played to have been played
Gerund playing being played
Perfect gerund having played having been played
The passive forms end with a passive participle (played).
NOTE
Passive forms can sometimes have get instead of be. • 107
I don't expect to get invited to the wedding. Let's not risk getting caught in a traffic jam.
2 Patterns
The passive to-infinitive and gerund can come in the same patterns as the active
forms, for example after some verbs or adjectives.
a
To-infinitive
I expect to be invited to the wedding. It's awful to be criticized in public.
I'd like this rubbish to be cleared away as soon as possible.
NOTE
After decide and agree we use a finite clause with should. • 242(2)
We decided that the rubbish should be cleared away.
After arrange we can use a to-infinitive pattern with for.
We arranged for the rubbish to be cleared away.
b
c
Perfect to-infinitive
I'd like this rubbish to have been cleared away when I get back.
Gerund
Being searched by customs officers is unpleasant.
Let's not risk being caught in a traffic jam. I was afraid of being laughed at.
The government tried to stop the book being published.
NOTE
After suggest, propose, recommend and advise we use a finite clause with should. • 242(2)
The Minister proposed that the book should be banned.
d
Perfect gerund
I'm annoyed at having been made a fool of.
3 Use of the passive forms
Compare the subjects in the active and passive clauses.
Active: I'd like someone to clear away this rubbish.
Passive: I'd like this rubbish to be cleared away.
In the active, the subject of the clause is someone, the agent. In the passive it is this
rubbish, the thing the action is directed at.