Perfect infinitive and perfect participle
She seems to have left, I'm sorry to have kept you, he denied having taken it.
Not sure C1 is your level? Find out in 8–40 questions, no account needed.
The perfect infinitive (to have done) and the perfect participle (having done) usually show that an action happened before the time of the main verb, where a normal infinitive or -ing form would put both actions at the same time. The perfect infinitive can also look back from a later point (by May) or describe something that did not happen (would like to have seen).
Form | Active | Passive | Continuous |
|---|---|---|---|
perfect infinitive | (to) have finished | (to) have been finished | (to) have been working |
perfect participle | having finished | having been finished | having been working |
Same time or earlier
A simple infinitive is about the same time as the main verb; a perfect infinitive is about an earlier time.
- He seems to be happy.
It seems that he is happy.
- He seems to have been happy.
It seems that he was happy at some earlier time.
After seem, appear, happen, claim, pretend
These verbs are often followed by a perfect infinitive when the action is earlier than the seeming, claiming or pretending.
- She seems to have left already. Her coat isn't here.
- The fire appears to have started in the kitchen.
- He claims to have met a famous film star.
- I happen to have seen the film you're talking about.
- You seem to have been working very hard.
The continuous form: an activity that went on until recently.
- Incorrect: He seems to leave already.
- Correct: He seems to have left already.The leaving was earlier, so use to have + past participle.
The negative puts not before to, or uses a negative seem: He seems not to have noticed. / He doesn't seem to have noticed.
After be said, be thought, be believed
The passive reporting pattern from B2 uses the same form for earlier events.
- The thief is believed to have left the country.
- The house is said to have been built in the sixteenth century.
- The work is expected to have been completed by May.
Completed before a later time (by May), as in the future perfect.
After adjectives and nouns
After glad, sorry, lucky, proud and similar adjectives, the perfect infinitive refers to something that has already happened.
- I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.
- We're lucky to have found such a good flat.
- She was proud to have been chosen for the team.
Would like to have done: things that didn't happen
With would like, would love, would prefer and was / were meant to, the perfect infinitive describes something that was planned or wanted but did not happen.
- I would like to have seen her face when she opened the letter.
- We were meant to have finished by now.
- I would have liked to go to the party. / I would like to have gone to the party.
One perfect form is enough. You will also hear would have liked to have gone, but it is best avoided in writing.
Having done after verbs and prepositions
Having + past participle can follow verbs that take -ing (deny, admit, regret, remember, mention) and prepositions. It makes it clear that the action was earlier. The simple -ing form is also correct and usually sounds more natural.
- He denied having taken the money. / He denied taking the money.
- She regrets having said it.
- They were praised for having saved the boy's life.
- Incorrect: He admitted to steal the car.
- Correct: He admitted to having stolen the car. / He admitted stealing the car.Admit to takes -ing, because to here is a preposition.
Having done at the start of a clause
At the start of a sentence, having + past participle shows one action finished before the next, and not having gives the negative.
- Having finished the exam, she left the room.
- Having been told the news, he called his parents at once.
- Not having read the book, I couldn't say much.