To Be Delivered vs. To Be Deliver – Which is Correct?
The correct phrase is “to be delivered,” not “to be deliver.” “Delivered” is the past participle required after “be” in the passive voice, while “deliver” is the base verb. Use “to be delivered” when something will be brought, sent, or communicated. “To be deliver” is grammatically incorrect in standard English.
To Be Delivered or To Be Deliver – Which Is Correct?
To be delivered is the correct phrase. To be deliver is incorrect because passive constructions require the past participle after the verb be. The verb deliver changes to delivered in this structure.
Use to be delivered when the subject receives an action. For example, “The order is to be delivered tomorrow” means that someone will deliver the order. The phrase can refer to physical items, messages, speeches, services, promises, or results.
The error usually comes from phonetic confusion or from treating to be as though it must always be followed by the base form of a verb. The base form follows to in an active infinitive, as in “to deliver,” but a passive infinitive uses to be + past participle: “to be delivered.”
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the swap test: replace to be delivered with “to receive.” If the sentence still makes sense, the passive form is needed. For example, “The package is to be delivered” means “The package is to be received.” Because the package receives the action, use delivered, not deliver.
Another useful formula is:
Active: Someone is going to deliver the package.
Passive: The package is going to be delivered.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| to be delivered | Passive infinitive phrase | To be brought, sent, provided, or communicated | The documents are to be delivered by noon. |
| to be deliver | Incorrect phrase | A grammatical error caused by using the base verb instead of the past participle | Incorrect: The parcel is to be deliver today. |
How to Use To Be Delivered
To be delivered is a passive infinitive phrase. It describes something that will receive the action of delivery. The phrase is appropriate in casual communication, business writing, shipping updates, contracts, instructions, announcements, and formal notices.
The phrase can describe a scheduled or expected action:
Example 1: Your replacement card is to be delivered within five business days.
It can also describe an item that must reach a person or location:
Example 2: The medical supplies need to be delivered to the rural clinic.
In addition, delivered can refer to communication, performances, or promises rather than physical objects:
Example 3: The keynote address is to be delivered by the company’s chief executive.
The phrase may appear with modal or related constructions, including “must be delivered,” “will be delivered,” “is expected to be delivered,” and “needs to be delivered.” In each case, delivered remains the correct past participle.
Etymology of the Phrase To Be Delivered
The verb deliver comes through Middle English and Anglo-French from Latin roots associated with setting free, handing over, or releasing. English later developed the broader meanings of bringing something to a destination, transferring something to another person, and presenting words or performances. Delivered is the regular past participle of deliver, and to be delivered combines that participle with the passive auxiliary be.
Related Concepts
Understanding passive voice and verb forms makes the difference between these phrases easy to recognize.
- Passive voice: A passive construction focuses on the person or thing receiving an action. In “The package is to be delivered,” the package receives the action rather than performing it.
- Past participle: A past participle is used with auxiliary verbs in structures such as the passive voice. Delivered is the past participle of deliver.
- Infinitive: An active infinitive uses to + base verb, as in “to deliver.” A passive infinitive uses to be + past participle, as in “to be delivered.”
- Active and passive voice: “The courier will deliver the parcel” is active, while “The parcel will be delivered” is passive.
Examples from Media and Literature
The phrase to be delivered appears naturally in many forms of communication and storytelling:
- News reporting: A report about emergency aid may explain that food and medicine are to be delivered to areas affected by a disaster.
- Business communication: A company announcement may state that a presentation is to be delivered to investors at the quarterly meeting.
- Film and television: A plot involving a secret message may describe an important letter that is to be delivered before the characters leave town.
- Historical fiction: A story about soldiers or couriers may refer to orders that are to be delivered to a distant commander.
- Online shopping: A delivery notification may say that an order is scheduled to be delivered on a particular date.
To Be Delivered Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| To be sent | To be dispatched or transmitted to a person or place |
| To be brought | To be carried to a particular location |
| To be provided | To be supplied or made available |
| To be conveyed | To be communicated or transported |
| To be handed over | To be transferred directly to another person |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “to be delivered” grammatically correct?
Yes. To be delivered is a correct passive infinitive phrase. It means that something will be brought, sent, provided, or communicated.
Question 2: Why is “to be deliver” incorrect?
“To be deliver” incorrectly uses the base form deliver after the passive auxiliary be. Passive constructions require the past participle, so the correct form is to be delivered.
Question 3: Should I write “to deliver” or “to be delivered”?
Use to deliver when the subject performs the action, as in “The courier plans to deliver the package.” Use to be delivered when the subject receives the action, as in “The package is expected to be delivered.”
Question 4: Can “delivered” refer to something other than a package?
Yes. A speech, message, service, promise, result, or performance can also be delivered. For example, “The announcement is to be delivered at noon” is correct.
Conclusion
To be delivered is the correct phrase, while to be deliver is a grammatical error. Remember that a passive infinitive follows the pattern to be + past participle. Since delivered is the past participle of deliver, it must follow to be. Pro tip: Using the correct form in emails, applications, contracts, and business documents helps maintain a polished and professional reputation.
