Past verbs and infinitive

[mawes12]

I got a question about past verbs coming before infinitive verbs like saying "he was allowed to go" or "he was determined to stay". I know without verbs being passive, the first sentence will say "They allowed him to go".

Can every passive verbs do this?

 

[emsr2d2]

I [STRIKE]got[/STRIKE] have/have got a question about past verbs coming before infinitive verbs like saying "He was allowed to go" or "He was determined to stay". I know without verbs being passive, the first sentence will say "They allowed him to go".

Can every passive [STRIKE]verbs[/STRIKE] verb do this?

Firstly, there is no such thing as a "passive verb". There are verbs in the passive voice.

It's not the active/passive voice that dictates whether it's followed by an infinitive or not. In your sentences, the first takes "to go" because it is used in the context "to be allowed to do something". The second sentence involves the simple past followed by an adjective (and then an infinitive). "He was determined" is not the passive voice.

 

[mawes12]

Can other past verbs do this?

maybe like saying "I need her to stay" can also be said "she was needed to stay".

 

[mawes12]

Can it?

 

[Tdol]

maybe like saying "I need her to stay" can also be said "she was needed to stay".

The tense change is wrong. However, I see no need for this transformation- the sentence is better in the active. You can use was needed in the passive, but it doesn't work here.

 

[emsr2d2]

For me, "I need her to stay" could be transformed into "She is required to stay". However, as usual, the active is much more natural and gives more information (that it is I who needs her to stay). I can't explain why "need" naturally changes to "require" in this example. It's just that "She is needed to ..." is unnatural. Note, though, that "She is required to say" can also suggest an obligation rather than just someone else needing her.

 

[mawes12]

Sorry if this question bothers anyone but Can other past verbs have an infinitive?

I think some can because most participle acts like an adjective. Am I right?

 

[Tdol]

Yes, you can use infinitives after many verbs in the past (active and passive).

Participles can function as adjectives (an interesting book), but if you have he was going to the shops, going is not an adjective; it is a present participle.

 

[mawes12]

Yes, you can use infinitives after many verbs in the past (active and passive).

Participles can function as adjectives (an interesting book), but if you have he was going to the shops, going is not an adjective; it is a present participle.

Except when 'going to' replaces 'will'. Am I right?

Should I say 'Except' or 'Except for' or are they both the same?

 

[mawes12]

No. In Peter is going to buy a new car next week, going is a present participle, as it is in Paul was going to buy a Land Rover but changed his mind when he saw the price.

I think I meant when 'going to' replaces 'will', infinitive verb can go after 'going to'. Thanks everyone for helping me with this though.

 

[MikeNewYork]

You are correct.