passive infinitive + range – English Grammar Profiler

This grammar entry is very broad.  B2 Point 29 in the category of PASSIVES and INFINITIVE is defined as:

affirmative and negative forms after an increasing range of main verbs, modal verbs, adjectives and nouns, in impersonal constructions.

All the range entries in the English Grammar Profile are left to interpretation and not so clear.  For that we can inspect their examples.

The examples tagged include:

  • is_VBZ supposed_JJ to_TO be_VBI given_VVN
  • was_VBDZ ready_JJ to_TO be_VBI printed_VVN
  • an_AT1 experience_NN1 not_XX to_TO be_VBI missed_VVN
  •  to_TO help_VVI youngsters_NN2 not_XX to_TO be_VBI addicted_VVN
  •  might_VM not_XX be_VBI built_VVN 

What we find is that much of the above grammar is coupled with other B2 forms that don’t require the passive element.

*We also found that there is nowhere in the EGP a mention of the passive, make a to-infinitive:

He was made to leave.

Without adding this point this sentence would be listed at best at A2 past simple passive and A2 verb patterns.  The most related form can be found here.

A search on iWeb corpus for _jj to be _vvn

READY TO BE USED

  One Step Off The Grid When it is ready to be used, it will be converted back into AC electricity. This option means you will lose some energy. *”it is ready to” is also either B1 or B2.

LIKELY TO BE FOUND

  Jefferson City News Tribune She is most likely to be found on the golf course or anywhere with her jandals on. *note ‘most likely to’ is also a B2 probability modality structure.

3 ONLY TO BE TOLD 2984

LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED

  The Guardian Those in low-paid roles are more likely to be affected than older professional women with assets, says the age discrimination commissioner. *note ‘more likely to’ is also a B2 comparison / modality structure.

5 LIKELY TO BE USED 2911

DUE TO BE RELEASED

  Townsville Bulletin The report is due to be released tomorrow after the committee were granted a week’s extension. *note ‘due to be’ is also a B2 future expression with BE.

7 SUPPOSED TO BE USED 2242 8 LIKELY TO BE SEEN 1898

9 DUE TO BE COMPLETED 1608

10 ONLY TO BE USED 1599

11 DUE TO BE PUBLISHED 1314

12 LIKELY TO BE DIAGNOSED 1295

13 PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED 1151

IMPORTANT TO BE PREPARED

  The Roundup While spending more time at home and cooking more indoors as cooler weather approaches, it is important to be prepared.

15 READY TO BE PICKED 1015
16 LIKELY TO BE CONSIDERED 974 17 LIKELY TO BE KILLED 972 18 LIKELY TO BE MADE 900 19 AVAILABLE TO BE USED 874 20 STILL TO BE DETERMINED 838 21 BEST TO BE PREPARED 810 22 DUE TO BE HELD 796 23 DUE TO BE PAID 796 24 READY TO BE SHIPPED 793 25 READY TO BE RELEASED 743 26 LIKELY TO BE CAUSED 733 27 LIKELY TO BE ENCOUNTERED 717 28 READY TO BE PUT 704

29 PROUD TO BE RECOGNIZED 700

30 LIKELY TO BE ACCEPTED 693

B1 vocabulary:

accepted (1)
considered (1)
due (5)
likely (11)
proud (2)
published (1)
recognized (1)
supposed to (1)

_nn _xx to be _vvn

OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED

  Flightglobal A crisis is an opportunity not to be missed.

2 EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE MISSED 607 3 EVENT NOT TO BE MISSED 518 4 SHOW NOT TO BE MISSED 145 5 NIGHT NOT TO BE MISSED 118 6 SIGHT NOT TO BE MISSED 108 7 RIGHT NOT TO BE SUBJECTED 94 8 RIGHT NOT TO BE DISCRIMINATED 76 9 DESTINATION NOT TO BE MISSED 69 10 EVENTS NOT TO BE MISSED 57 11 EVENING NOT TO BE MISSED 56 12 PLACE NOT TO BE MISSED 51 13 TRIP NOT TO BE MISSED 48 14 SPECTACLE NOT TO BE MISSED 47

15 ATTRACTION NOT TO BE MISSED 47

Since this point covers modal + negatvie also then this will get the most hits:

1 CAN NOT BE USED 44751 2 SHOULD NOT BE USED 31914 3 WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED 16833 4 WILL NOT BE ALLOWED 13018

5 MAY NOT BE USED 12745

WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

  Echonetdaily Cartoon of the week – 30 September, 2020 – Echonetdaily Letters already published in other papers will not be considered. Please include your full name, address and phone number for verification.

7 CAN NOT BE CHANGED 10583 8 CAN NOT BE FOUND 9810 9 SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN 9604 10 CAN NOT BE MADE 9215 11 CAN NOT BE HELD 8405 12 CAN NOT BE SAID 7924 13 CAN NOT BE COMBINED 7863 14 SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED 7415 15 CA N’T BE USED 7356 16 SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED 7250 17 WILL NOT BE TOLERATED 7146 18 CAN NOT BE SEEN 6902 19 WILL NOT BE USED 6796 20 COULD NOT BE REACHED 6772 21 SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED 6661 22 WILL NOT BE PERMITTED 6615 23 WILL NOT BE CHARGED 6600 24 CAN NOT BE REMOVED 5883 25 WILL NOT BE AFFECTED 5819 26 CAN NOT BE GUARANTEED 5810 27 CAN NOT BE TAKEN 5451 28 WILL NOT BE REQUIRED 5448 29 CAN NOT BE IGNORED 5397 30 CA N’T BE BOTHERED 5396 31 WILL NOT BE HELD 5213 32 CAN NOT BE CONSIDERED 4916 33 CAN NOT BE RETURNED 4874 34 CAN NOT BE APPLIED 4678 35 COULD NOT BE FOUND 4539 36 CAN NOT BE DENIED 4400 37 CAN NOT BE DETERMINED 4302 38 CAN NOT BE OVERSTATED 4148 39 WILL NOT BE INCLUDED 4104 40 CA N’T BE BEAT 4102 41 WILL NOT BE PROCESSED 4059 42 CAN NOT BE ACHIEVED 3713 43 WILL NOT BE REFUNDED 3693 44 MUST NOT BE USED 3687 45 CAN NOT BE RESOLVED 3675 46 CAN NOT BE TRUSTED 3669 47 SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN 3613 48 CAN NOT BE EXPLAINED 3328 49 CA N’T BE FOUND 3313 50 WILL NOT BE GIVEN 3303 51 SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED 3131 52 CAN NOT BE REACHED 3119 53 WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED 3108 54 WILL NOT BE RETURNED 3092 55 CAN NOT BE TRANSFERRED 3088 56 WILL NOT BE MADE 3063 57 WILL NOT BE RELEASED 3051 58 WILL NOT BE ISSUED 2996 59 SHOULD NOT BE RELIED 2970 60 SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED 2914 61 CAN NOT BE AVOIDED 2880 62 WILL NOT BE COVERED 2864 63 CA N’T BE SEEN 2845 64 MAY NOT BE REQUIRED 2833 65 CAN NOT BE ACCESSED 2814 66 CAN NOT BE ACCEPTED 2808 67 COULD NOT BE USED 2794 68 SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED 2780 69 CAN NOT BE REPLACED 2776 70 CAN NOT BE OBTAINED 2765 71 CAN NOT BE IDENTIFIED 2705 72 SHOULD N’T BE USED 2704 73 CAN NOT BE EXPECTED 2661 74 SHALL NOT BE DEEMED 2655 75 SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED 2582 76 SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED 2579 77 CAN NOT BE SOLD 2578 78 SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED 2576 79 CA N’T BE SAID 2551 80 CAN NOT BE REDEEMED 2550 81 SHALL NOT BE USED 2527 82 CAN NOT BE EXCLUDED 2520 83 SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED 2501 84 CAN NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED 2488 85 CAN NOT BE GIVEN 2465 86 CAN NOT BE SEPARATED 2457 87 CAN NOT BE MODIFIED 2439 88 CAN NOT BE COMPLETED 2415 89 WILL NOT BE SHARED 2409 90 WILL NOT BE PROVIDED 2387 91 CAN NOT BE READ 2381 92 MAY NOT BE COMBINED 2354 93 WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED 2351 94 CAN NOT BE MEASURED 2328 95 WILL NOT BE PAID 2328 96 SHOULD NOT BE SEEN 2316 97 CAN NOT BE MOVED 2287 98 CAN NOT BE CONTROLLED 2246 99 SHOULD N’T BE ALLOWED 2237

100 CAN NOT BE NAMED 2229

Vocabulary frequency in the above:

considered: 5 allowed: 4 found: 3 seen: 3 required: 3 given: 3 accepted: 2 taken: 2 made: 2 held: 2 said: 2 combined: 2 reached: 2 ignored: 2 returned: 2 would: 2 construed: 2

underestimated: 2

B1 in those:

accepted
allowed
considered
reached
required