Advanced Passive (passive + infinitive, get-passive)
The advanced passive goes past be plus participle. Use the get-passive for sudden or unwanted events, a passive to-infinitive after reporting or wanting verbs, and being or having been inside reduced clauses.
Level: C1. You already form the passive in every tense with be + past participle. This lesson covers the three advanced patterns that native speakers reach for: the get-passive, the passive infinitive, and passive participles in reduced clauses.
The rule
The ordinary passive is be + past participle (is cleaned, was built). At C1 you add three extra tools.
The get-passive replaces be with get: My phone got stolen, She got promoted. It is informal and stresses the event or a sudden change, often something unwanted or outside the subject’s control. It is common in speech and avoided in formal writing. Get can also be reflexive-like for things you arrange for yourself: You should get checked by a doctor.
The passive infinitive has two shapes: present to be + past participle (to be done) and perfect to have been + past participle (to have been done). It appears after reporting and wanting verbs — believe, say, think, expect, want, consider — in the pattern verb + object + passive infinitive: The painting is believed to be genuine; He is said to have been warned. Here be carries no tense of its own; the main verb does.
Passive participles in reduced clauses let you shorten a passive clause. The -ing form being + participle works as a passive gerund after verbs and prepositions: I hate being told what to do; She left without being noticed. The perfect form having been + participle opens a clause that happened earlier: Having been warned, he said nothing.
One more useful pattern: need, want and require can take either a passive infinitive or a plain -ing form with a passive meaning — The car needs to be washed = The car needs washing.
Advanced passive forms
| Pattern | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get-passive (present) | get + past participle | He gets paid on Fridays. |
| get-passive (past) | got + past participle | My bike got stolen. |
| passive infinitive (present) | to be + past participle | It is thought to be safe. |
| passive infinitive (perfect) | to have been + past participle | She is said to have been chosen. |
| passive gerund | being + past participle | I dislike being interrupted. |
| perfect passive participle | having been + past participle | Having been repaired, it worked. |
| need + -ing (passive sense) | need + verb-ing | The roof needs fixing. |
Example sentences
- My laptop got stolen on the train.get-passive: a sudden, unwanted event; informal.
- She got promoted after only a year.get-passive stressing a change of state.
- You should get your eyes tested.get + object + participle: arranging a service for yourself.
- The temple is believed to be two thousand years old.passive infinitive (present) after believe.
- He is said to have left the country.report about an earlier action, active to-infinitive version.
- The documents are thought to have been destroyed.perfect passive infinitive: to have been + participle.
- The minister is expected to be questioned today.passive infinitive after expect, future meaning.
- I want this report to be finished by Monday.want + object + passive infinitive.
- The bridge is known to have been damaged in the storm.known + perfect passive infinitive.
- I hate being told what to do.passive gerund after hate: being + participle.
- She slipped out without being seen.passive gerund after the preposition without.
- Being chosen for the team meant a lot to him.passive gerund as the subject of the sentence.
- Having been warned once, they were more careful.perfect passive participle opening a reduced clause.
- Having been rejected twice, she tried a different approach.the earlier passive event is packed into a participle clause.
- The car needs to be serviced.need + passive infinitive.
- The car needs servicing.need + -ing with the same passive meaning, more spoken.
- This issue requires addressing immediately.require + -ing, a formal passive-sense pattern.
- The suspect is believed to be hiding abroad.believe + object + to be, describing a current situation.
- He got caught cheating in the exam.get-passive with a following -ing clause, informal.
- The painting is considered to be a masterpiece.consider + passive infinitive, formal register.
- Children do not like being ignored.passive gerund after like, negative form.
Common mistakes
- ❌ In a report: The samples got analysed in the lab. → ✅ The samples were analysed in the lab. The get-passive is too informal for academic and professional writing; use be.
- ❌ He is said to has left. → ✅ He is said to have left. The infinitive is always to have, never to has.
- ❌ The building is believed to being old. → ✅ The building is believed to be old. The passive infinitive is to be + participle, not to being.
- ❌ I hate to be told what to do every day at work. → ✅ I hate being told what to do. After hate, dislike and prepositions, use the -ing passive gerund for a repeated situation.
- ❌ Being warned, so he said nothing. → ✅ Having been warned, he said nothing. For an earlier completed passive event, use having been + participle.
- ❌ The roof needs to fixing. → ✅ The roof needs fixing (or needs to be fixed). Choose one pattern: need + -ing OR need + to be + participle.
A short conversation
A: You look stressed. What happened? B: My car got broken into last night. A: Oh no. Was anything taken? B: Just some coins. Mind you, the window needs replacing now. A: That is believed to be a common scam around here, apparently.
Usage notes
- Register of the get-passive. It is fine in conversation, emails to friends and informal narrative. In reports, essays and formal letters, switch back to the be-passive. Overusing got in an exam essay lowers the register.
- Reporting structures. The verb + to-infinitive pattern (is said to be) is a formal alternative to It is said that… It is standard in news and academic prose: The results are thought to be reliable.
- Passive gerund triggers. Use being + participle after verbs that take -ing (avoid, enjoy, hate, dislike, mind, risk), after prepositions (without, after, before, by), and as a subject.
- need / want / require + -ing. This has a passive meaning with an active-looking form: It needs cleaning = It needs to be cleaned. It is slightly more informal and very common with objects and machines.
Compared with…
- Reporting passive is the full version of the pattern used here with the passive infinitive: It is said that the company is in trouble ↔ The company is said to be in trouble. That lesson covers the it-clause form in detail. See Reporting Passive (It is said that / is said to).
- Causative have/get something done looks like the get-passive but means you arranged a service: I got my car repaired (someone did it for me) versus My car got repaired (plain passive event). The word order and meaning differ. See Causative: Have/Get Something Done.
- Prerequisite — all passive forms. Everything here builds on be + participle across tenses and modals. See Passive Voice: All Tenses and Modals.
Quick recap before you practise.
Practice
Advanced passive practice
Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.
Hint: being + past participle
Show answer
being interrupted — After hate, use the passive gerund being + participle.
Hint: having been + participle
Show answer
Having been — Having been + participle opens a reduced clause for an earlier passive event.
4 Put the words in order to make a passive infinitive sentence.
Show answer
The temple is believed to be ancient . — believe + subject + to be: a formal report about the present.
5 Match each pattern to an example.
- get-passive
- passive infinitive
- passive gerund
- need + -ing
Show answer
- get-passive → My bike got stolen.
- passive infinitive → It is said to be safe.
- passive gerund → without being seen
- need + -ing → The roof needs fixing.
Each advanced pattern expresses a passive idea in a different shape.
Quiz
Advanced passive quiz
12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.
-
Show answer
He got promoted last week. — get + past participle (promoted) is the get-passive.
-
Show answer
to have been — For an earlier action use the perfect passive infinitive: to have been + participle.
-
Show answer
I dislike being told what to do. — After dislike, use the passive gerund being + participle.
-
Show answer
Having been warned, he left. — Perfect passive participle: having been + participle.
-
Show answer
The car needs washing. — need + -ing has a passive meaning: needs washing = needs to be washed.
-
Show answer
A chat with a friend — The get-passive is informal and belongs to speech and casual writing.
-
Show answer
She is said to has been chosen. — The infinitive is to have, never to has.
-
Show answer
to be questioned — Passive infinitive (present): to be + participle.
-
Show answer
She left without being seen. — After without, use being + past participle.
-
Show answer
The window got broken last night. — The get-passive stresses a sudden, unwanted event in informal speech.
-
Show answer
to be — The is said to be pattern is the reporting passive with a passive-style infinitive.
-
Show answer
I got my car repaired at the garage. — get + object + participle for an arranged service is causative: I got my car repaired.
Recap cheat-sheet
| Pattern | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get + participle | informal, sudden/unwanted event | My bike got stolen. |
| to be + participle | report (present) after say/think | thought to be safe |
| to have been + participle | report of an earlier action | said to have been seen |
| being + participle | passive gerund after verbs/prepositions | hate being told |
| having been + participle | earlier passive event, reduced clause | Having been warned, … |
| need + -ing | passive sense, spoken | needs fixing |
Next
- Next grammar topic: Advanced Comparative Structures (no sooner…than)
- Back to the English grammar section
- New here? Start with Start Learning English Here
All English grammar topics
Every grammar point in order, from your first sentence to advanced structures. Pick one and go straight to it. New lessons go live every day, so topics marked Coming soon fill in over the next weeks.
Grammar path
A1 30 topics · 30 ready
- 01 Verb 'To Be' in the Present (am, is, are)
- 02 Subject Pronouns: I, You, He, She, It, We, They
- 03 Present Simple: Affirmative and the -s Ending
- 04 Present Simple: Negatives and Questions (do/does)
- 05 Articles: a / an and When to Use Each
- 06 The Definite Article 'The': When to Use It
- 07 Zero Article: When to Use No Article
- 08 Plural Nouns: Regular and Irregular Forms
- 09 This, That, These, Those (Demonstratives)
- 10 Possessive Adjectives: my, your, his, her
- 11 Possessive 's and s' (Showing Belonging)
- 12 There Is / There Are (Saying What Exists)
- 13 Have Got: Talking About Possession
- 14 Can and Can't for Ability
- 15 Present Continuous (am/is/are + -ing)
- 16 Imperatives: Giving Orders and Instructions
- 17 Adjectives: Position and Basic Use
- 18 Prepositions of Place: in, on, at
- 19 Prepositions of Time: in, on, at
- 20 Question Words: What, Where, When, Who, Why, How
- 21 How Much vs How Many
- 22 Countable and Uncountable Nouns
- 23 Some and Any: Which One to Use
- 24 Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her, us, them
- 25 Adverbs of Frequency and Their Position
- 26 Like, Love, Hate + -ing (Expressing Preferences)
- 27 Would Like: Polite Wants and Offers
- 28 Making Requests: Can, Could, May I
- 29 Past Simple of 'To Be' (was / were)
- 30 Let's and Shall We: Making Suggestions
A2 25 topics · 25 ready
- 31 Past Simple: Regular Verbs and -ed Spelling
- 32 Past Simple: Irregular Verbs (go, see, have)
- 33 Past Simple: Negatives and Questions (did)
- 34 Comparative Adjectives (bigger, more expensive)
- 35 Superlative Adjectives (the biggest, the most)
- 36 Going To: Plans and Predictions
- 37 Will: Predictions, Decisions and Offers
- 38 Present Continuous for Future Arrangements
- 39 Present Perfect for Experience (ever / never)
- 40 Present Perfect with just, already, yet
- 41 Present Perfect vs Past Simple
- 42 Have To and Don't Have To (Obligation)
- 43 Should and Shouldn't for Advice
- 44 Could: Past Ability and Polite Use
- 45 Much, Many, A Lot Of
- 46 A Few, A Little, Few, Little
- 47 Adverbs of Manner (quickly, well, hard)
- 48 Verb + -ing or Verb + to (Introduction)
- 49 Zero Conditional (Facts and Rules)
- 50 First Conditional (Real Future Possibility)
- 51 Prepositions of Movement (to, into, through)
- 52 Possessive Pronouns: mine, yours, hers
- 53 Past Continuous (was/were + -ing)
- 54 Too and Enough (Degree)
- 55 Order of Adjectives Before a Noun
B1 27 topics · 27 ready
- 56 Past Continuous vs Past Simple
- 57 Used To and Would for Past Habits
- 58 Present Perfect Continuous (have been -ing)
- 59 Present Perfect: Simple vs Continuous
- 60 Past Perfect (had + past participle)
- 61 Second Conditional (Unreal Present/Future)
- 62 Third Conditional (Unreal Past)
- 63 Reported Speech: Statements (Backshift)
- 64 Reported Questions
- 65 Reported Commands and Requests
- 66 Passive Voice: Present and Past Simple
- 67 Must and Mustn't (Strong Obligation)
- 68 May, Might, Could for Possibility
- 69 Defining Relative Clauses (who, which, that)
- 70 Non-Defining Relative Clauses (with commas)
- 71 Gerunds and Infinitives: Full Verb Patterns
- 72 Verbs Where -ing vs to Changes Meaning
- 73 Future Continuous (will be -ing)
- 74 So and Such (Emphasis)
- 75 As...As Comparisons (equality)
- 76 Question Tags (isn't it? do you?)
- 77 Phrasal Verbs: Separable and Inseparable
- 78 Linking Words: because, so, although, but
- 79 Infinitive of Purpose (to / in order to)
- 80 Indirect Questions (Can you tell me...)
- 81 Make, Let, Allow, Help (Causatives Intro)
- 82 Be Used To and Get Used To (+ -ing)
B2 25 topics · 25 ready
- 83 Narrative Tenses for Storytelling
- 84 Past Perfect Continuous (had been -ing)
- 85 Mixed Conditionals
- 86 Wish and If Only (Regrets and Wishes)
- 87 Wish/If Only + would (Complaints)
- 88 Passive Voice: All Tenses and Modals
- 89 Reporting Passive (It is said that / is said to)
- 90 Causative: Have/Get Something Done
- 91 Reduced Relative Clauses (Participles)
- 92 Modals of Deduction: Present and Past
- 93 Needn't Have vs Didn't Need To
- 94 Future Perfect (will have done)
- 95 Participle Clauses (-ing / -ed / having done)
- 96 Advanced Comparatives (far/much + er, the more)
- 97 Conditional Alternatives: unless, as long as, provided
- 98 Advanced Determiners: each, every, either, neither
- 99 Intensifiers and Adverbs of Degree
- 100 Advanced Contrast: despite, in spite of, however
- 101 Advanced Linkers: therefore, moreover, consequently
- 102 Advanced Article Use (generalisations, names)
- 103 Verb + Preposition and Adjective + Preposition
- 104 Relative Clauses: whose, where, when, quantifier + whom
- 105 Subject-Verb Agreement: Tricky Cases
- 106 Emphatic Do (I do like it)
- 107 Would for Past Habits (Formal Narrative)
C1 18 topics · 18 ready
- 108 Inversion with Negative Adverbials
- 109 Inversion in Conditionals (Had I known)
- 110 Cleft Sentences (It was... / What I need is...)
- 111 Fronting and Emphasis (Word Order)
- 112 Subjunctive and Mandative (I suggest he be)
- 113 Ellipsis and Substitution (so, do, one)
- 114 Hedging and Cautious Language
- 115 Nominalisation (Academic Noun Style)
- 116 Advanced Discourse Markers (Spoken & Written)
- 117 Advanced Passive (passive + infinitive, get-passive) You are here
- 118 Advanced Comparative Structures (no sooner...than)
- 119 Future in the Past (was going to / would)
- 120 Advanced Modals (may well, might as well, would rather)
- 121 Advanced Reported Speech (Reporting Verbs + Patterns)
- 122 Advanced and Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs
- 123 Collocation and Colligation (Natural Combinations)
- 124 Advanced Concession (much as, whatever, however + adj)
- 125 Absolute and Non-Finite Clauses (Formal)