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Using passive infinitives and passive -ing forms.
Passive infinitives and passive gerunds describe actions received by their understood subject rather than performed by it.
The main forms are to be + past participle, being + past participle, to have been + past participle, and having been + past participle.
The passive to-infinitive is formed with to be followed by a past participle.
For example, The work needs to be completed and She wants to be informed.
The passive bare infinitive is formed with be followed by a past participle after structures that require a bare infinitive.
For example, The device must be repaired and They saw him be arrested is possible in restricted constructions, although other passive perception patterns are often preferred.
Passive to-infinitives commonly follow verbs, adjectives, nouns, and other structures that require an infinitive.
Examples include expect to be invited, ready to be used, and a chance to be promoted.
Some verbs can be followed by passive infinitives when the subject receives the action.
For example, She expects to be promoted and He wants to be included.
Adjectives can be followed by passive infinitives when describing something that should, can, or needs to be done.
For example, This form is easy to complete and The documents are ready to be signed.
The passive perfect infinitive is formed with to have been followed by a past participle.
It describes an action that happened before the time of the main verb or reference point.
Passive perfect infinitives commonly occur after reporting verbs and other structures that refer to earlier events.
For example, He is believed to have been killed and She seems to have been invited earlier.
The passive gerund is formed with being followed by a past participle.
It describes an action or process that is received by the subject of the gerund construction.
Some verbs that are followed by gerunds can take passive gerunds when the subject receives the action.
For example, She hates being ignored and He remembers being told about the problem.
A passive gerund can follow a preposition when the action is passive.
For example, He was criticized for being late and She left without being seen.
Certain adjective and fixed expressions can be followed by passive gerund structures.
For example, She is tired of being treated unfairly and He is afraid of being recognized.
The perfect passive gerund is formed with having been followed by a past participle.
It refers to a passive action that happened before the action or situation expressed by the main clause.
Perfect passive gerunds are used when the earlier timing of a passive action needs to be made explicit.
For example, She apologized for having been treated unfairly and He denied having been informed.
The choice between a passive infinitive and a passive gerund depends on the grammatical pattern required by the preceding word or structure.
For example, He hopes to be invited but He dislikes being ignored.
Modal and semi-modal constructions can be followed by passive infinitive patterns.
For example, The work must be completed, The problem needs to be solved, and The device is supposed to be tested.
Reporting structures frequently use passive infinitives to report beliefs, expectations, or claims about other events.
For example, He is believed to be living abroad and She is thought to have been informed.
Need and want can be followed by passive infinitive constructions when the subject is the receiver of the action.
For example, The car needs to be repaired and She wants to be invited.
Some verbs can take passive gerunds to describe remembered, regretted, or denied experiences.
For example, He remembers being warned and She regrets being treated that way.
Passive participial clauses can shorten clauses when the relationship between the actions is clear.
For example, Having been warned about the risks, he decided not to continue.
Having been + past participle can express a passive action completed before the main clause.
For example, Having been informed of the change, the employees adjusted their plans.
A possessive form can identify the person or thing associated with a passive gerund.
For example, I objected to his being treated unfairly and They were surprised at the company's being sold.
The simple passive infinitive normally refers to a simultaneous or later action, while the perfect passive infinitive refers to an earlier action.
Compare He is expected to be promoted with He is believed to have been promoted already.
Passive infinitives and gerunds are common in formal, academic, and professional English.
They allow writers to focus on processes, results, and affected participants without repeatedly identifying agents.
Use the correct passive infinitive or gerund form according to the grammatical pattern and time relationship.
Common mistakes include using to be after a preposition, using being instead of been in perfect constructions, confusing to be done with being done, and using the active infinitive or gerund when a passive form is required.