Passive Infinitive
Passive Infinitive :
The Infinitive may be active or passive.
When active, it may have a present and perfect form and may merely name the act or it may indicate progressive or continued action.
Active
Present : lo love
Perfect : to have loved
Present continuous : to be loving
Perfect continuous : to have been loving
when passive, the infinitive has a present and a perfect form
Passive
Present : to be loved
Perfect : to have been loved
The perfect infinitive is rarely used after ordinary verbs as the idea of the past is already expressed in the tense of the verb.
She said she had intended to have come early. [almost never]
But this form, is often used, after ought, should, must, might, would, could, needn't, is supposed to, seem to, to make the tense clear.
1. Sunder ought to have waited longer, if he wanted to meet Sundari.
2. You shouldn't have lost your temper like that.
3. She must have been very tired after that long journey yesterday.
4. I thought Babu might have won the race, but he didn't.
5. I thought I would have finished it by now but I haven't.
6. We couldn't have picked a worse day for the picnic.
7. I could have kicked him.
8. You could have told me you were going to be late.
9. He has telephoned for a taxi. But he needn't have done, because I could have taken him in the car.
10. My wife is supposed to have mended it, but she hasn't.
11. The girl seemed to have gone. We couldn't find her anywhere.
12. He ought not to have done that.
13. You needn't have done that.
Passive Infinitive
The Grammar Index
