PASSIVE VOICE (INFINITIVE) — EXERCISE 1 (ESL)

Grammar review Passive infinitives: to be + past participle

We use a passive infinitive when the subject receives an action rather than performs it. The form is to be + past participle (the third form of the verb).

Someone needs to repair the window. → The window needs to be repaired.
We have to answer the questions. → The questions have to be answered.

How to make the change
1. Put the thing or person receiving the action at the beginning of the sentence.
2. Use the correct form of need or have to for the new subject.
3. Add to be + past participle: to be painted, to be sent, to be written.

Watch the verb agreement
The report needs to be checked. (singular)
The reports need to be checked. (plural)
The reservation has to be canceled. (singular)
The reservations have to be canceled. (plural)

You can add by + person if the person doing the action matters, but it is often unnecessary: The carpets need to be washed (by Michael).

Common mistakes
✗ The room needs to painted.   ✓ The room needs to be painted.
✗ The questions have to be answer.   ✓ The questions have to be answered.
Remember that some past participles are irregular: read → read, write → written, feed → fed.

Other uses
Passive infinitives also occur after some adjectives: She was delighted to be invited. After a modal verb, omit to: It must be done (not must to be done). You may also see the perfect passive infinitive to have been + past participle, as in He seems to have been promoted. These are useful related forms, but this exercise focuses on need to be and have to be.