Adam
Alex
Benjamin
Emma
Gill
Jade
James
Rebecca
Ronnie
Grammar: Active and Passive Infinitives
To click or not to click? That’s not even a question if you’re an advanced English student who wants to learn even more about infinitives. Check out this grammar lesson if you want to learn how to use infinitives in simple and past forms, as well as active and passive forms. If you find this lesson too challenging or confusing, don’t forget to check out my video on the uses of infinitives, as well as my lesson on common verbs followed by infinitives. Once you’re ready, come back here and increase your knowledge!
Quiz
Test your understanding of this English lesson
Test your understanding of the English lesson by answering these questions. You will get the answers and your score at the end of the quiz.Levels
Lesson Topics
193 COMMENTS
I got 6 correct out of 10. I was confused to have answered this quiz (this sentence is OK?) Thank you, Alex :)
Got 6 out 10? Not bad Happy04.
Were you confused while doing the quiz?
Is this what you wanted to express?
or
To have done this quiz confused you even more?
Have a fantastic weekend!
How do you use bold formatting here? It would help me a bit :). Thanks.
<strong>Bold text</strong>should make Bold text.
Yes I was confused while doing the quiz ^^; And I wanted to express with this grammar though….I was confused again while expressing ^^;
Thank you for reply, Regino. Have a fantastic weekend, too :)
Hello,
“I was confused to have answered this quiz” sounds strange to me. What did actually confuse you? Was it the fact that you had answered the quiz before? NO. What actually confused you was the quiz itself, not the fact of taking it. Your confusion did NOT precede (= happen before) taking the quiz. Thus, your sentence is incorrect and confusing, but interesting! :).
You could say:
“The quiz confused me (a lot). However, I was happy to have taken it.” :)
Oh, I see…Thank you for your help, David :)
Thank you I got 60% without watching and very good lesson.
Hi Alex! Thanks for the lesson. I got 100% but I’m interested in one sentence. We had hoped to be done sooner. The answer is correct. It means that the first action( had hoped) happened ealier than the second action(to be done). Right?
Confusing one!
Thank you Alex.Best my wishes to you
I got 90 :)
Great lesson. Thanks!
Thanks Alex. Great explanation as always. Take care….
Yep! I agree with you. Alex explains grammar with great ease.
Regards
Hey Alex, very good lesson as always! Could you please explain the exercises 5 and 7? I got confused. Thank you!
Hi, Reebeca! I have the same question… Greetings!
It felt great ____________________.
to have done that.
to have been done that.
The first option is correct, because it’s a active idea and the verb felt in the past requires the model: past idea + to have plus pp
7. It wasn’t easy ____________________.
to have been done that.
to have done that.
The second answer is considered right, because it’s also an active idea in the past that requires to have + pp. You should use to have been in case of passive idea.
I’m not sure about my explanation… See you
80% without listening the lesson
Hello Alex,
It was really great lesson and it’s my pleasure to have watched this crucial lesson. Probably you will be happy to realize that I acquired 100! on this video. I would be genuinely on cloud nine if you dispatch me some links about pre followed by gerund and preposition followed by infinitive. I have to mention that I want the most common of them.
Many thanks. I got 7, I don’t know about grammar before.You able make me understood. >,<
7/10
it is not easy, but interesting theme
thank you!
Thanks Alex. Great lesson, as usual.
I wonder if you could help me to forever remove a doubt I have about adverbs forever. I kow you are
always very busy, but I will waiting for your
explanation.
” I can hardly wait” x ” I can’t hardly wait”
The second sentence sounds strange to me, but,
I have heard people saying it.
What’s the correct one?
Hello,
The first sentence is the correct one.
Check out the “Usage” section of this page:
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/hardly
However, in American slang you can also hear the second sentence as well, which is sloppy English.
8/10 :) Thanks Alex.
8/10 – Great lesson Alex! You are the best!
It’s confusing to be honest. :)
If you please, I wanna know when ( to ) is followed by a gerund.
And these sentences ( She is dressed / I’m amazed / she is interested…etc ) are passives or not. :)
I got 10 Alex.It was great.Thanks.
I think u learned English b4 and u come here for pleasure. right Armita?
GREAT
GO ON
HELLO ALEX
Great lesson.ILOVE YOUR TEACHING VERY MUCH
GOOD QUIZ I got 8/10
Thanks.
10 out of 10… thank you so much to all of you guys for the amazing job you are doing.
10/10. It was easy, thanks :)
I have a question.
How is it correct to say: “there is or there are a range of beaches”?
Hi Alex! Thanks for the lesson. I got 100% but I’m interested in one sentence. “We had hoped to be done sooner”. The answer is correct. It means that the first action( had hoped) happened ealier than the second action(to be done). Right?
7/10
thanks alex :)
I’ve got 10/10
Thank you Alex
i feel little confuse with this lesson :(
thanks
I feel happy to be got 9 out of 10.However I find it confusing to answer these quiz. Thanks Alex!
10/10 … Great lesson
Hi Alex,
Can you teach us?
1-IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)
2-The rules of spoken English.
Thank you
Farooq
thank you very much ^^
i got 8 outof 10.useful lesson Thanks lex
Hello,Alex, at the start I really feel confused about the sentence–“I was happy to have finished everything early.” But now, I got it. How useful lesson is. Thanks million, Alex.
fantastic video ,alex
thank you Mrs Alex
i got correct 9 out of 10. That is difficult to chosen the choice.
I got 100 :)
I got 10 out of 10 :))))
I’m greatful for that, I got 100!Thank you for this Alex.
I’ve got 100.
The matter is TO UNDERSTAND the verb structure. If you look at the PP tense present in the sentence, you can pay your attention. Take a look the question number 9.
I don’t like…TO BEEN is wrong because TO BEEN belongs to the PP structure. TO BE is correct.
Thanks Alex.
Please, BEEN and not TO BEEN that is completely wrong.
what an interresting lesson
Ou 9 out of 10 . maybe it’s good
I did it! 10 out of 10!
Mike’s afraid of making mistakes. Is this sentence incorrect?
I got 7 correct out of 10. Thank you very much Alex.
I’ve got 9 out of 10. I did well! The problem is to have it sharp in a conversation.
Nice to know that how these grammar structures are classified and named.
i got 7 out of 10.I’m happy coz i didn’t listen to the lesson :)
i got 7 out of 10 .. next time better i hope :)
I took a quiz but I didn’t get two correct. Anyway when you can use an,in,a,and,up,upon,into, onto
8/10 thank you
Hi Alex,I have an infinitive verb with with these sentences.
Radio shack prepares to have a bankrupcy filing.
Radio shack to prepare a bankrupcy filing.
what is the differencest between above sentences.Thank you very much.
Tahnks Alex for lesson.Hello to you from Azerbaijan!
hmmp 7 out of 10
Oh! The lesson is for Advanced learner I got 5 correct out of 10. I was confused all item.
9 out of 10 , well done!
Good job, thanks. The last question seemed confusing to me:
When do you plan ____________________?
to have been done?
to be done?
Thanks Alex
Thanks Alex.
Could you please make a lesson about prepositions of direction? I’ve got problem especially with the preposition to..
good evening!
help me leaning english!
thank you so much
I got wrong in this no.
6. We needed ____________________!
to have been told about that sooner!
to tell about that sooner!
I basically don’t get why the answer should be the passive past of the infinitive.
Like for example, if I say:
I needed you to tell me about that.
Please help. :]
The verb tell is used with “to tell somebody”. In your example you wrote correctly “to tell me”. So for that the answer in 6. cannot be “We needed to tell about that sooner!” because you are not told to whom “we needed to tell”.
In the correct answer “We needed to have been told about that sooner!” you know who is been told because of the use of the passive instead of infinitive. “We” are the somebody who is been told.
my brian was f***ed by wacthing this video.
I will keep watching again and again :D
thanks a lot Alex. i always have some problems with this topic and your lesson solved some of them.
Thank a lot everyone you made me understand the whole concept.For more yo can get help from here http://preply.com/en/english-by-skype
I got 70% :D
nine correct
hahaha got 60 hahaha
I got 80…it is very interesting
Great lesson! Tnx! Adam, could you please explaine how to use Participle 1 and Participle 2?
80 %without watching video
alex I’m curious with verb GET this uses a lot in English
get asked
got asked
get open
got opened
would you make a video about this please
g
Thank you very much for this lesson!!
It was clarifying!
8 correct of 10
Hi! dear Alex
I am very touched by what you have done for us and I cannot find the words to express my good feelings. I still join a good explanation all your lessons. wowww you’re really great, you speak so clear!!!! thanks once again.
may god bless you and your family
Alex, thanks again for such a simple but
enlightening lesson! You are really great!
Thanks!
10/10 Great, professor!
thanks alex you help me with my reading and you also gave me a 100% so alex thank you,………………..
WITH OUT HAVING CLASS I GOT 70 MARKS
I got 80, But I still have difficulty understanding this.
its a confusing topic i got 5 out of 10 =(
Thank you so much.i got 80%
I got 80.. !!!
hi alex, idon’t understand the difference between to have+p.p
and to have been +p.p
i want to know when to use each one
That is great. 9/10
It’s difficult to admit that 7/10 but it’s not time to get out of here!
10 out of 10! However, it’s a little bit difficult for me. By the way, what is the difference between ‘He’s afraid to make a mistake’ and ‘ He’s afraid of making a mistake’? I’m confused with this difference.
I like your vids about this theme. In my head intermixed everything but now I can remember and order the grammar knoledges to be indebted to you.)
Last 5 years i have stayed in different places
is this a grammatically correct sentence ?
I need some clarification! I actually opposed to my collegues views concerning some grammar exercises used in a contest. There was an exercise for students to complete saying” to fill in the blanks with MANY, MUCH or A LOT OF”. so for the sentence: She has got……friends. Some students filled in with a lot of and some with many. According to the test standard scores- the answer: She has got many friends- was considered WRONG and penalized on the grounds that A LOT OF is used only in positive senetnces whereas many and much in negative and iterrogative. Could you please clarify me ?
9 out of 10. Not so bad, however, not so perfect as would wish.
Very Nice Teaching, Easy Understandable, Ten Correct Out Of Ten
thank you sir for this great lesson :)
I got 10/10 but how we can listen this video…..? please tell me…
yes! I am so delighted to have been got 9 out of 10.
sorry! my comment must be changed.
It should be “….to have been given 9…”
hey there engvid,kindly develop your website where we can make new friends or make a every persons”s inbox option with that source of contact where we can talk on skype to improve aur english thank you.
excelent video… feel free to talk to me.. my skype id is cguetot :)
I got 100%!!! Cab you believe that?!?!?! I was taught very well!!! thank you my dear teacher, for this useful lesson :)
trying bold text
I got 5 correct out of 10.
You always make everything easy Alex. Thanks. :)
Alex, It was a good lesson, but unfortunately I’m still confused with active and passive infinitives. Now, I’m going to practice more with other lessons that you recommended. Thanks for all!
Yep! You hit the nail on the head Miadriolli.
What we all need is more practice: Practice makes perfect.
Bye for now!
From where can I locate a list of videos in the appropriate order or sequence to watch them?
Alex i still confused, previous video (10 common verbs followed by infinitives) in the example you have given, there are:
1. They agreed to make the deal
2. Chris chose to stay at home
3. He promised to come
is these active past right?
but in this video, u say that active past use to have + pp
please enlighten me
Thank you Alex :D
Thanks Alex, very useful lesson, so if anyone would take conversation with me en english I’ll expect you in “Moez Be” this is my pseudo in facebook, I’m the man with blue cap. best regard.
10 out of 10 …it was helpful…thanks…
Excellent lesson, Alex! and challenging quiz. Thank you! I would like to see a lesson about the difference between “for + ING” and “to + verb”.
I’ll be grateful.
i got the 4 correct out of 10
I got 90 :)
Hi Alex thanks very much! I hope I do better.
I got 6 out of 10, thank you very much Alex .
many thanks alex it was great i got 8 out of 10 i was a little bit confused to answer some question but i did well .. i hope you to do a lesson on passive voice because i have troubles with understanding this grammar .. you have a nice day alex
I got 90%
please change these sentences to passive
1- They didn’t ask me my name.
2-There was a fight at the party but no body got hurt .
3- some body should have cleaned the windows .
4- my bicycle has disappeared it must have stolen .
Iwasn’t asked about my name.
it is passive form
the windows should have been cleaned.
it must have been stolen
I like this method to learn english thank you professor
I got 9 correct out of 10, but I still need to do exercise more. Thank you for the test.
hello everybody
Im looking for foreign friends to English practice
would you like we can talk on the skype…my e mail srk.tsn@gmail.com
10 out of 10 yipee
i have got 90% but i can’t speak very fluently. can u help me with that?
Thank you very much for everything.
Thanks, I am loving to see this videos, I have been learning a lot!
Hello There Alex and Thank YOU
He Alex i know I was not easy lessen
I needed to have be taken lesson like that befor
Thank u very very mush
Hello Alex
I know it was not easy lesson
I needed to be have takken lesson like that befor
Thank u very very much
Hello alex
I realy know ,it was not easy lesson
I needed to have been gotten a lesson like that before
Than u very much
I think i write well !!!!!!!!!
these lessons are so helpful.Thanks
hi Alex. Thank you for this great lesson. i got 10/10
It was not so difficult though, but it was great. Next time make them more difficult.
thank you.
Thank you Teacher Alex for your good explanatiom,I believe grammar is very important but to study it is very hard. my problem is grammar and words.
hi alex! I have a question .. I hope you can answer me.. I’ve watched this video already and about active and passive gerunds so what’s the difference between ‘you seem to have forgotten your jacket’ and ‘ you seem having forgotten your jacket’ or ‘they expect to be invited’ and they expect being invited’ or ‘I am happy to have been invited’ and ‘I’m happy having been invited’? Can I use both for the same purpose or how they differ? thank you so much alex!! you’re an amazing tacher!
Thanks,Alex.
This is an excellent course for me that let me easy and clear to understanding about it, “Active and Passive Infinitives “.
Thank you, It is useful.
I got only 8 out of 10. thank you very much. I have learnt a lot from your useful lesson.
10/10.
Very useful lesson. Thanks)
Helo! Good lesson teacher! thanks
100 % Perfect :D
Hi? Alex! I’ve watched your wonderful lesson trying to understand one nuance about the use of infinitives, but unfortunately I didn’t get the answer. My question is this: while doing a test on the use of infinitives, I wrote, “The suitcase was too heavy to be moved”, but my answer was marked wrong as it was supposed to be “The suitcase was too heavy to move”. I don’t understand why I should use the active form instead of the passive one here. Maybe you could clear things up for me. Thank you.
I got 7 correct out of 10. I’m stupid.
I got 90. Thanks a lot. good quiz .
I hate grammar
Thanks again.
I got 90. Great job.
Is this sentence correct “To study to be a teacher”?
i cannot find the previous lesson, functions of infinitives??;(
Got 9 out of 10. Almost perfect, i only got confused on question #10… thanks alex.
10/10
Without watching the lesson.
great job alex. i got 100/100
You got 8 correct out of 10.
:)
thanks :)
Sir,First of all Thank you very much for such an usful lesson.I am having trouble to learn infinitive,especially perfect continous infinitive. What does it mean…Would u please post a complete lesson especially on it.
I think it’s very important task of English grammar. I learned it as ‘infinitive with to / with out to’ still confusing even after this video. Alex you are rushing besides not given us the definition or explanation before you pass to examples. its the soul of speaking English in every day life. please take a time and teach us well. thanks!
9 out of 10
thanks 60
Hello Alex, I have a question on this lesson.
Is it possible to use bare infinitive in active past?
Please consider this sentence:
I saw him go (active present)
I saw him have gone(active past)
Thanks Alex for your lessons. The best way for learning English is writing a lot of and see all the videos for Engvid. I need to improve my level and you help me.
I’m happy/glad/proud to have gotten/completed/finished 10 of 10. LOL
I have a question, Alex. I watched this video, but I am still confronting difficulties with a sentence.
Q: We can order goods online to have them delivered to our houses.
According to your video it seems Active Past where I want this sentence to convey a very general statement (Present Simple).
Is my given sentence right or wrong? If it is wrong, what could be the possible sentence.
Please include a session for participles under Non-finite verbs.
Thanks Alex!
Hi Alex, Thanks you very much for this beautiful lesson. Please include a session for direct infinitives.
8 correct out of 10 )))
10 correct out of 10!!! Thanks a looooooot again Alex!!
10/10 Thank you, Alex!
thanks alex this video very helpfuly for my exam
I got 80 points I admire your way of teaching
Great, I’m so happy to have gotten 100! Thanks a lot Alex?
i really enjoyed
10 out of 10!!! Thanks a lot Alex! I look forward to having more detailed, more Advanced lessons.
Marvellous lesson! Thank a lots Alex!Grazie!<3.
Got 8 of 10 correct.
Thanks.
I did nice,9 of 10, thanks even though I knew it
i got a 10 uhhhhhou
Thank you
I watched this video twice on June 12, 2021, and took the quiz after watching it once. I got ten correct out of 10.
What is the ” Pass conjucation”? I know the more cummon forms of PASS voice such as:
“Pass be”: I was helped
” Pass get” She get hired
“Pass no auxiliary/ bare Pass” : She leads me upstairs, pausing at the
open door to Emma’s room where we
watch our youngest sleeping, SURROUNDED (Pass no aux)
by stuffed animals
“Pass conjucation “: example???????