Lesson focus
Complex passive tenses, non-finite passives, get-passives, two-object passives and passive structures with prepositions
Advanced aim: Use passive choices to manage information structure, agency, register and non-finite complementation, not simply to remove the agent.
Continuous passive
Use be + being + past participle for passive actions in progress.
- Example: The main entrance is being redesigned to improve accessibility.
- In another context: Separate scenario: The main entrance is being redesigned to improve accessibility.
C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.
Perfect passive
Use have + been + past participle for completed passive events with perfect meaning.
- Example: Several safety procedures have been revised since the inspection.
- In another context: Several access protocols have been revised since the inspection.
C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.
Modal perfect passive
Use modal + have been + past participle for past modal meanings in the passive.
- Example: The data may have been compromised during the transfer.
- In another context: The activity logs may have been compromised during the transfer.
C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.
Passive infinitive
Use to be + past participle when an infinitive has passive meaning.
- Example: The documents need to be signed before noon.
- In another context: Regional example: The documents need to be signed before noon.
C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.
Perfect passive infinitive
Use to have been + past participle for an earlier passive event after verbs such as seem and appear.
- Example: The files appear to have been deleted accidentally.
- In another context: The archived records appear to have been deleted accidentally.
C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.
Passive gerund
Use being + past participle when an -ing form has passive meaning.
- Example: She objected to being treated as though she were inexperienced.
- In another context: Follow-up case: She objected to being treated as though she were inexperienced.
C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.
Get-passive
Get + past participle often highlights a change of state or an unexpected event in informal contexts.
- Example: Two laptops got stolen during the conference.
- In another context: Two laptops got stolen during the industry workshop.
C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.
Two-object passive
With verbs such as give and offer, the person object can often become the passive subject.
- Example: We were offered a full refund after the cancellation.
- In another context: Regional example: We were offered a full refund after the cancellation.
C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.
Prepositional passive
The object of a preposition can become the subject of a passive clause with some verb-preposition combinations.
- Example: This issue has already been dealt with by the compliance team.
- In another context: Separate scenario: This issue has already been dealt with by the compliance team.
C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.
Passive with make
In the passive, make is followed by to-infinitive: be made to do.
- Example: Employees were made to repeat the entire security procedure.
- In another context: Technicians were made to repeat the entire security procedure.
C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.
C1 takeaway
Do not ask only “Which form is grammatically possible?” Ask what the speaker is presenting as background or foreground, completed or ongoing, certain or tentative, generic or specific, neutral or emphatic. Advanced grammar is the control of those choices.
Complex passive tenses, non-finite passives, get-passives, two-object passives and passive structures with prepositions
Follow-up case: The main entrance _____ to improve accessibility.
Several inspection routines _____ since the inspection.
The source files _____ during the transfer.
Separate scenario: The documents need _____ before noon.
The backup copies appear _____ accidentally.
Alternative case study: She objected to _____ as though she were inexperienced.
Two laptops _____ during the research symposium.
Separate scenario: We _____ a full refund after the cancellation.
Follow-up case: This issue _____ by the compliance team.
Caseworkers _____ the entire security procedure.
Complex passive tenses, non-finite passives, get-passives, two-object passives and passive structures with prepositions
Alternative case study: The main entrance _____ to improve accessibility.
Several security checks _____ since the inspection.
The transaction records _____ during the transfer.
Follow-up case: The documents need _____ before noon.
The case documents appear _____ accidentally.
Regional example: She objected to _____ as though she were inexperienced.
Two laptops _____ during the policy forum.
Follow-up case: We _____ a full refund after the cancellation.
Alternative case study: This issue _____ by the compliance team.
Consultants _____ the entire security procedure.
Complex passive tenses, non-finite passives, get-passives, two-object passives and passive structures with prepositions
Regional example: The main entrance is being redesigned to improve accessibility.
Several quality controls have been revised since the inspection.
The survey records may have been compromised during the transfer.
Alternative case study: The documents need to be signed before noon.
The encrypted folders appear to have been deleted accidentally.
Separate scenario: She objected to being treated as though she were inexperienced.
Two laptops got stolen during the annual summit.
Alternative case study: We were offered a full refund after the cancellation.
Regional example: This issue has already been dealt with by the compliance team.
Researchers were made to repeat the entire security procedure.