English Mastery
Module 4 · Gerunds & Infinitives

Advanced Forms — Passive, Perfect & Possessive

Advanced50 min25 questions7 sections
Step 1

Quick Look

The finishing school. Gerunds and infinitives can go PASSIVE (being cheated / to be informed), PERFECT (having met / to have left), and even take a POSSESSIVE subject (I appreciate your coming). These forms separate written, professional English from spoken basics — you’ll meet them in legal drafts, formal emails, and every well-written report.
Sentence TypeStructure + Example
Passive
being+V3 (gerund) / to be+V3 (infinitive)
He hates being interrupted. / She expects to be informed.
Perfect
having+V3 (gerund) / to have+V3 (infinitive)
He denied having met them. / They seem to have left.
Possessive subject
I appreciate YOUR coming on short notice. / We object to THEIR parking here.

The golden rule: the PERFECT form (having done / to have done) exists for one reason — to show the action happened EARLIER than the main verb. ‘He seems to be busy’ = busy now. ‘He seems to have been busy’ = busy before now. If both actions share the same time, the simple form is enough — don’t decorate.

Six forms in one table
SIMPLEthe plain actionPASSIVEthe subject receives the actionPERFECTaction earlier than the main verbGERUNDdoingI enjoy travelling.beingdoneHe hates being interrupted.havingdoneHe denied having met them.INFINITIVEtodoShe decided to renovate.tobedoneShe expects to be informed.tohavedoneThey seem to have left.
Gerund or infinitive, each can be simple, passive (being / to be + V3) or perfect (having / to have + V3).
Step 2

When to Use It

PASSIVE GERUNDbeingbeing+V3keptNobody likes being kept waiting.
Use 1

Passive gerund — being + V3

The subject receives the action, inside a gerund slot.
  • Nobody likes being kept waiting at the registrar’s office.
  • He complained about being charged twice for maintenance.
  • She resigned after being denied the promotion.
  • The plot’s value doubled after being included in the master plan.
PASSIVE INFINITIVEtoto+bebe+V3consultedEvery co-owner deserves to be consulted.
Use 2

Passive infinitive — to be + V3

Same passivity, infinitive slot.
  • Every co-owner deserves to be consulted before a sale.
  • The documents need to be attested by a notary.
  • He asked to be dropped at the metro station.
  • There’s a lot to be said for buying ready-to-move.
PERFECT GERUNDhaving+V3He denied having received any notice.receiveddenied← EARLIER
Use 3

Perfect gerund — having + V3

The gerund action happened before the main verb. Common after deny, admit, regret, remember, and prepositions.
  • He denied having received any legal notice.
  • She admitted having signed without reading.
  • After having inspected all three units, we chose the corner one.
  • I regret having introduced them — the partnership turned sour.
PERFECT INFINITIVEto+have+V3They seem to have left.leftseem← EARLIER
Use 4

Perfect infinitive — to have + V3

After seem, appear, claim, be said, and pleased/sorry — pointing to an earlier action.
  • The sellers seem to have changed their mind overnight.
  • He claims to have paid the full amount in 2019.
  • The builder is said to have acquired forty more bighas.
  • I’m sorry to have troubled you on a Sunday.
POSSESSIVE + GERUNDyourcomingwhose action?I appreciate your coming on short notice.
Use 5

Possessive + gerund — whose action is it?

Formal English marks the gerund’s subject with a possessive (your, his, their, Sharma ji’s).
  • I appreciate your coming on such short notice.
  • We objected to their blocking the common passage.
  • His being a lawyer saved us a fortune in fees.
  • Spoken English relaxes this to object pronouns — ‘I appreciate you coming’ — fine in speech, but the possessive wins in writing.
Perfect = one step earlier
SAME TIME → simple formHe seems to be busy.PASTFUTUREbusyseemsEARLIER → perfect formHe seems to have been busy.PASTFUTUREbusyseemsONE STEP EARLIER Use the perfect form only when the action came earlier than the main verb.
Use having + V3 / to have + V3 only when the action happened before the main verb.
Step 3

Hindi Concept Note

अHindi Concept Noteहिंदी में समझिए
तीन upgrade, तीनों formal English के गहने:
PASSIVE: काम आप पर हो रहा है — being + V3 / to be + V3: किसी को इंतज़ार करवाया जाना पसंद नहीं Nobody likes being kept waiting. documents attest होने चाहिए The documents need to be attested.
PERFECT: काम पहले हो चुका था — having + V3 / to have + V3: उसने मिलने से इनकार किया... मतलब, मानने से इनकार किया कि वह मिला था He denied having met them. लगता है वे जा चुके हैं They seem to have left.
POSSESSIVE: gerund का मालिक बताना — आपके आने की मैं क़द्र करता हूँ I appreciate your coming. उनके रास्ता रोकने पर हमें ऐतराज़ है We object to their blocking the passage.
याद रखो: perfect form तभी लगाओ जब काम main verb से पहले हुआ हो। दोनों एक ही समय के हों तो simple form काफ़ी है — बेवजह सजावट मत करो।
Step 4

Common Mistakes Hindi Speakers Make

Wrong
Right
Why
He denied to have met the co- accused.
He denied having met the co- accused.
Deny is gerund-camp (Ch 2) — its perfect form is having + V3, never ‘to have’.
Nobody likes to being scolded in public.
Nobody likes being scolded in public.
Never stack ‘to’ + ‘being’ after like — pick the passive gerund cleanly.
The files need to attest before submission.
The files need to be attested before submission.
The files receive the action passive infinitive: to be + V3.
She seems to leave already — her cabin is empty.
She seems to have left already — her cabin is empty.
The leaving happened BEFORE ‘seems’ perfect infinitive.
I appreciate you are coming tomorrow. (formal note)
I appreciate your coming tomorrow.
Appreciate takes a gerund, and formal writing marks its subject with the possessive.
He claims to had cleared all dues.
He claims to have cleared all dues.
The perfect infinitive is frozen: to HAVE + V3 — never ‘to had’.
Step 5

Signal Words

When to reach for each form:
Subject receives the action being + V3 / to be + V3
Action earlier than the main verb having + V3 / to have + V3
seem, appear, claim, be said + earlier action to have + V3
denyadmitregret + earlier action having + V3
Formal writing, gerund with its own subject possessive (your/his/their + -ing)
Step 6

Practice

Set A

Fill in the blanks

0 / 10
  1. 1
    The tenant complained about (be/overcharge) for water.
  2. 2
    All original documents need (be/return) after verification.
  3. 3
    He denied (have/take) any advance from the buyer.
  4. 4
    The neighbours seem (have/vacate) the flat last month.
  5. 5
    I appreciate (your/handle) the client so patiently.
  6. 6
    Nobody enjoys (be/question) by the audit team.
  7. 7
    She claims (have/inform) the society office in writing.
  8. 8
    After (have/compare) all three quotes, we picked the middle one.
  9. 9
    The gate needs (be/widen) for the fire tender.
  10. 10
    We objected to (their/store) construction material in the driveway.
Set B

Correct the mistake

0 / 8
  1. 11
    He admitted to have leaked the launch price.
  2. 12
    The agreement needs to notarise before Friday.
  3. 13
    She seems to be finished the audit yesterday. (point to the earlier action)
  4. 14
    I appreciate you are helping us during the crisis. (formal)
  5. 15
    Nobody likes to be treat like a beginner.
  6. 16
    They deny to have blocked the service lane.
  7. 17
    The winners are said to had received the possession letters.
  8. 18
    He is proud of have built the business alone.
Set C

Translate into English

0 / 7
  1. 19
    किसी को बार-बार टोका जाना पसंद नहीं।
  2. 20
    इन papers को notary से attest करवाना ज़रूरी है... मतलब, इन्हें attest होना चाहिए।
  3. 21
    उसने पैसे लेने की बात से इनकार किया... मतलब, माना नहीं कि पैसे लिए थे।
  4. 22
    लगता है वे शहर छोड़ चुके हैं।
  5. 23
    आपके समय पर आने की मैं क़द्र करता हूँ।
  6. 24
    वह दावा करता है कि उसने 2019 में पूरा payment कर दिया था।
  7. 25
    उनके रास्ता रोकने पर हमें ऐतराज़ है।
Step 7

Answer Key

Show answersHide answers
Answers · Set A
1
being overcharged
2
to be returned
3
having taken
4
to have vacated
5
your handling
6
being questioned
7
to have informed
8
having compared
9
to be widened
10
their storing
Answers · Set B
11
He admitted having leaked the launch price. (Admit having + V3.)
12
The agreement needs to be notarised before Friday. (Passive infinitive.)
13
She seems to have finished the audit yesterday. (Earlier action to have + V3.)
14
I appreciate your helping us during the crisis. (Possessive + gerund.)
15
Nobody likes to be treated / likes being treated like a beginner. (Passive: to be + V3 or being + V3.)
16
They deny having blocked the service lane. (Deny having + V3.)
17
The winners are said to have received the possession letters. (To HAVE, never ‘to had’.)
18
He is proud of having built the business alone. (Preposition of perfect gerund.)
Answers · Set C
19
Nobody likes being interrupted again and again. / No one likes being corrected repeatedly.
20
These papers need to be attested by a notary.
21
He denied having taken the money.
22
They seem to have left the city.
23
I appreciate your coming on time.
24
He claims to have made the full payment in 2019.
25
We object to their blocking the passage.

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Next up · Chapter 8Grand Review & Practice Tests

The full decision map and two mixed practice tests.