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Infinitive & Gerund Structures

Introduction

In English grammar, infinitives (to + verb) and gerunds (verb + ing) can appear in sentences that can also be expressed in the passive voice. This pattern is important because it helps you transform sentences with infinitives and gerunds correctly while maintaining meaning and grammatical accuracy.

Learning this structure is crucial for understanding formal writing, instructions, and advanced transformation questions in exams.

Pattern: Infinitive & Gerund Structures

Pattern

When a sentence has an infinitive or gerund, the passive form uses “to be + past participle” (for infinitives) and “being + past participle” (for gerunds).

  • Infinitive (to + verb): Active → Passive uses to be + V₃.
  • Gerund (verb + ing): Active → Passive uses being + V₃.

Only transitive verbs (those that take an object) can be made passive.

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Active: I want to finish the work.
Convert into passive voice.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the structure.

    The verb phrase is to finish → infinitive form.

  2. Step 2: Identify subject and object.

    Subject = I, Object = the work.

  3. Step 3: Convert infinitive structure to passive.

    Use to be + past participle → to be finished.

  4. Step 4: Form the passive sentence.

    → I want the work to be finished.

  5. Final Answer:

    I want the work to be finished.

  6. Quick Check:

    ‘to finish’ changed correctly to ‘to be finished’. ✅

Quick Variations

  • 1. Gerund structure: Active: I like people praising me. → Passive: I like being praised.
  • 2. Infinitive with modal: He needs to complete the task. → The task needs to be completed.
  • 3. Infinitive with causative: They expect him to deliver results. → He is expected to deliver results.

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1: For infinitives - replace to + verb with to be + past participle.
  • Step 2: For gerunds - replace verb + ing with being + past participle.
  • Step 3: Keep tense and subject-object relationships unchanged.

Summary

Summary

In the Infinitive & Gerund Structures pattern:

  • Infinitives change to to be + past participle.
  • Gerunds change to being + past participle.
  • Subject-object relationships remain the same as in active form.
  • Only transitive verbs can be converted into passive form.

Practice

(1/5)
1. Convert into passive voice:<br>They decided to start the meeting early.
easy
A. They decided to be starting the meeting early.
B. They decided the meeting to start early.
C. They decided the meeting to be started early.
D. They decided that the meeting is started early.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the infinitive phrase.

    ‘to start’ is an infinitive.

  2. Step 2: Apply the infinitive passive rule.

    Infinitive passive = to be + past participle.

  3. Step 3: Replace accordingly.

    ‘to start’ → ‘to be started’.

  4. Step 4: Frame the complete passive sentence.

    → They decided the meeting to be started early.

  5. Final Answer:

    They decided the meeting to be started early. → Option C.

  6. Quick Check:

    Infinitive ‘to start’ correctly changed to ‘to be started’. ✅
Hint: Infinitive → replace ‘to + verb’ with ‘to be + past participle’.
Common Mistakes: Using ‘being’ instead of ‘to be’.
2. Change into passive voice:<br>I like people praising me.
easy
A. I like to be praised.
B. I like being praised.
C. I like praised by people.
D. I like being praise.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the structure.

    ‘praising’ is a gerund (verb + ing).

  2. Step 2: Apply gerund passive rule.

    Gerund passive = being + past participle.

  3. Step 3: Replace correctly.

    ‘praising me’ → ‘being praised’.

    4. Step 4: Form final sentence.

    → I like being praised.

  4. Final Answer:

    I like being praised. → Option B.

  5. Quick Check:

    Gerund passive uses ‘being + V₃’. ✅
Hint: Gerund active → ‘verb + ing’ → ‘being + past participle’.
Common Mistakes: Replacing gerund with infinitive (‘to be praised’) incorrectly.
3. Convert into passive voice:<br>She expects him to win the prize.
easy
A. He was expected to win the prize.
B. He is expected to be winning the prize.
C. He is expected to win the prize.
D. He expects to be won the prize.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify clause.

    ‘expects him to win’ contains an infinitive clause ‘to win’.

  2. Step 2: Make object the subject in passive.

    ‘him’ → he becomes the subject.

    3. Step 3: Apply passive pattern for verbs with infinitive clauses.

    ‘expects him to…’ → ‘he is expected to…’.

  3. Step 4: Form final sentence.

    → He is expected to win the prize.

  4. Final Answer:

    He is expected to win the prize. → Option C.

  5. Quick Check:

    Passive keeps the infinitive after ‘is expected’: ‘to win’. ✅
Hint: For ‘expect + object + to’, convert to ‘object + is/are expected + to…’.
Common Mistakes: Changing the infinitive (‘to win’) to a passive form unnecessarily.
4. Change into passive voice:<br>They want to build a hospital.
medium
A. They want a hospital to be built.
B. They want a hospital being built.
C. They want to be building a hospital.
D. They want a hospital built by them.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify infinitive phrase.

    ‘to build’ is an infinitive.

  2. Step 2: Apply infinitive passive rule.

    Infinitive passive = to be + past participle → ‘to be built’.

    3. Step 3: Place object as subject of infinitive passive.

    → They want a hospital to be built.

  3. Final Answer:

    They want a hospital to be built. → Option A.

  4. Quick Check:

    Infinitive converted correctly to ‘to be built’. ✅
Hint: Infinitive passive always uses ‘to be + V₃’.
Common Mistakes: Using ‘being built’ (gerund) instead of ‘to be built’ (infinitive).
5. Convert into passive voice:<br>I hate people shouting at me.
medium
A. I hate to be shouted at.
B. I hate being shouted at.
C. I hate shouted at by people.
D. I hate being shouted at by people.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify structure.

    ‘shouting at me’ is a gerund phrase (verb + ing).

  2. Step 2: Apply gerund passive rule.

    Gerund passive = being + past participle.

    3. Step 3: Retain agent if required for clarity.

    → ‘being shouted at by people’ (includes agent ‘by people’ for clarity).

  3. Step 4: Form final sentence.

    → I hate being shouted at by people.

  4. Final Answer:

    I hate being shouted at by people. → Option D.

  5. Quick Check:

    ‘being shouted at’ correctly shows gerund passive; ‘by people’ makes the agent explicit. ✅
Hint: Gerund passive → ‘being + past participle’; include ‘by…’ if agent is needed.
Common Mistakes: Using infinitive form (‘to be shouted at’) instead of gerund passive when sentence uses gerund.

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