2. Some gerunds can have an active form and
a passive form.
active form of gerund
I enjoyed driving around town.
(= I drove around town and I enjoyed it.)
3. Some gerunds can have an active form and
a passive form.
passive form of gerund
I enjoyed being driven around town.
(= I was driven around town and I enjoyed it.)
The most common passive form we use is being + a past participle.
Remember: The past participle may be an -ed/-en form or an
irregular form.
4. We use a passive form when we want to focus
on what happens rather than the person or
thing that performs the action.
I remember being bitten by a dog when I was 6.
I don’t like being told lies.
The meeting kept on being postponed.
(= Somebody kept on postponing the meeting.)
(= I was bitten by a dog and I remember it.)
(= Sometimes I am told lies and I don’t like it.)
6. Remember: We can use the word being in
different ways in a sentence.
He isn’t being honest.
She was being silly.
Being can be a main verb in a progressive form.
7. Being can be a helping verb in a passive form.
He is being treated for an infection.
I wasn’t being told the truth.
8. Being can be an active form of a gerund.
My brother apologized for being late.
9. Being can be an passive form of a gerund.
I remember being told that story.
