Mastering Double Passive Constructions: correct answers
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A "double passive" occurs when a passive main verb is followed by a passive infinitive, as seen in the sentence, "The building is scheduled to be demolished." While these complex constructions are excellent for distancing the speaker from an action (especially when reporting rumors or official commands), they can easily become awkward or grammatically incorrect. For example, while "The diamond is believed to have been stolen" is perfectly natural, saying "The diamond was attempted to be found" is grammatically unacceptable.
In this advanced grammar challenge, you will step into the shoes of journalists, whistleblowers, and royal historians to navigate the tricky rules of double passives. You will practice using reporting verbs to express current beliefs about past actions, construct sentences where the subject receives both an order and a punishment, and identify which verbs (such as attempt, begin, or hope) strictly forbid this double passive pattern.
You'll work through 9 questions in a diverse mix of single-choice, multi-choice, drop-down, and drag-and-drop formats.
Try the quiz to check your knowledge!
Correct answers
Question 1
The correct answers are The encrypted hard drive is scheduled to be wiped at midnight. and The undercover operatives are known to have been compromised.
Double passives work beautifully with verbs of scheduling, knowing, and reporting (scheduled, known).
They do not work with verbs of desire or hope (want, hope, desire). You cannot say something "was wanted to be done" or "was hoped to be done." Instead, you must use an impersonal construction ("It was hoped that they would be rescued") or an active structure ("The director wanted the drive to be wiped").
Question 2
Help the zoo director proofread the incident report. While "double passives" (a passive main verb followed by a passive infinitive) are sometimes necessary, they are grammatically incorrect with certain verbs like attempt, begin, or hope.
Select the grammatically correct sentence.
The correct answer is The runaway llama was ordered to be tranquilized by the director.
A "double passive" occurs when the main verb and the infinitive are both in the passive voice. While verbs of commanding or expecting (like order, expect, require) can form valid double passives, verbs like attempt, begin, want, and hope cannot.
To fix the incorrect options, you must change the main verb to the active voice (e.g., The zookeepers attempted to catch the runaway llama).
Question 3
For centuries, the legendary sunken city had been considered to have been swallowed by the sea...
This sentence requires two passive verbs in sequence to convey the correct meaning and timeline.
First, the city had been considered (past perfect passive) by historians over a period of time before the recent sonar scans.
Second, it was considered to have been swallowed (perfect passive infinitive) because the mythical event of being swallowed happened even earlier in the past, and the city was the receiver of this watery fate!
Question 4
Complete the museum curator's dramatic press release about the missing gemstone. Choose the phrase that correctly uses a double passive construction to show a current belief about a past action.
The cursed diamond _______________ by a notorious syndicate of jewel thieves before the alarm even sounded.
The correct answer is is believed to have been stolen.
This sentence requires a double passive. The first passive (is believed) shows that this is the current consensus of the authorities. The second passive is a perfect passive infinitive (to have been stolen), which indicates that the action happened to the diamond in the past.
The other options incorrectly use active verbs, which would imply the diamond itself has beliefs or was out stealing things!
Question 5
Complete the eccentric UFOologist's blog post by choosing the correct passive form for each gap.
The glowing saucer is rumored to have been spotted hovering over the local dairy farm last night. Consequently, the cows are expected to be abducted any day now!
The glowing saucer is rumored to have been spotted hovering over the local dairy farm last night. Consequently, the cows are expected to be abducted any day now!
A "double passive" occurs when a main verb and its dependent infinitive are both in the passive voice.
In the first sentence, is rumored is the present passive of a reporting verb, followed by the perfect passive infinitive to have been spotted, indicating an action completed in the past.
In the second sentence, are expected is the main passive verb, followed by the simple passive infinitive to be abducted, indicating a future action happening to the subject.
Question 6
The correct answers are The luxurious yacht is said to be being monitored by the paparazzi. and The controversial photos are alleged to have been leaked by an insider.
Reporting verbs like say and allege easily form double passives, even with complex continuous ("to be being monitored") or perfect ("to have been leaked") passive infinitives.
However, verbs of decision or agreement (like decide, agree, propose) cannot take this structure. "Was agreed to be broadcast" is an invalid double passive. You must use a that-clause instead: "It was agreed that the interview would be broadcast" or "It was decided to postpone the wedding."
Question 7
Choose the correct verb phrases to complete the whistleblower's dramatic email.
The incriminating financial records were ordered to be destroyed just hours before the auditors arrived. Now, the former CEO is reported to have been arrested while trying to flee to a tropical island.
The incriminating financial records were ordered to be destroyed just hours before the auditors arrived. Now, the former CEO is reported to have been arrested while trying to flee to a tropical island.
In the first sentence, the records did not issue an order or destroy anything themselves; they received the action. Therefore, both verbs must be passive: were ordered (main verb) and to be destroyed (infinitive).
In the second sentence, the CEO is the subject of the passive reporting verb is reported. Because the arrest already happened, we use the perfect passive infinitive to have been arrested. Using the active "to have arrested" would incorrectly imply the CEO arrested someone else!
Question 8
The correct answers are The stolen painting is thought to have been destroyed by the thieves. and The mastermind is expected to be sentenced tomorrow morning.
In C2-level English, "double passives" (a passive verb followed by a passive infinitive) are perfectly acceptable with reporting verbs or verbs of expectation (like thought, expected, believed, said).
However, verbs of effort, attempt, or beginning (like try, attempt, begin) create grammatically unacceptable double passives. Instead of "was tried to be recovered," we must use an active infinitive ("They tried to recover...") or a noun phrase ("An attempt was made to recover...").
Question 9
Complete the royal historian's dramatic account of the rebellion. Choose the correct verb phrase to show that the knight was the recipient of both the command and the punishment.
To serve as a warning to other traitors, the captured knight _______________ at dawn.
The correct answer is was commanded to be executed.
This is a classic double passive. The knight receives the command (was commanded, simple past passive) and is also the one receiving the punishment (to be executed, passive infinitive).
If we used "was commanded to execute," it would mean the knight was ordered to kill someone else. If we used "commanded to be executed," the sentence would be missing its main auxiliary verb ("was") or it would imply the knight gave the command himself.