Impersonal Passive
Study this example situation:
Henry is very old. Nobody knows exactly how old he is, but:
It is said that he is 108 years old.
Or, He is said to be 108 years old.
Both these sentences mean: People say that he is 108 years old.
We can use these structures to talk about the past and the present; about what people say or said and about how old he is or was. Compare the following chart:
Present: He is said to be 108 years old
Past: He was said to have been 108 years old
Present & Past: He is said to have been 108 years old
You can use these structures with a number of other verbs, especially:
thought, believed, considered, alleged, reported, known, expected.
Compare the two structures:
The police are looking for a missing boy.
It´s believed that the boy is wearing a white pullover and blue jeans.
The boy is believed to be wearing a white pullover and blue jeans.
The strike started three weeks ago.
It´s expected that it will end soon.
The strike is expected to end soon.
A friend of mine has been arrested.
It´s alleged that he kicked a policeman.
He´s alleged to have kicked a policeman.
The two houses belong to the same family
It´s thought that the owners are very rich.
The owners are thought to be very rich.
Say these sentences in another way, beginning as shown:
1- It´s expected that the weather will be good tomorrow.
The weather is
2-It was believed that the thieves got in through the kitchen window.
The thieves
3-It´s reported that many people are homeless after the floods.
Many people
4- It´s thought that the prisioner escaped by climbing over a wall.
The prisioner
5- It was alleged that the man had driven through the town at 90 miles na hour.
The man
6- It´s reported that the building has been badly damaged by the fire.
The building
7- It´s said that the company is losing a lot of money.
The company
8- It´s expected that the company will lose money this year.
The company
9-It´s believed that the company lost a lot of money last year.
The company
Key:
1. expected to be good tomorrow.
2.were believed to have got in through the kitchen window.
3.are reported to be homeless after the floods.
4.is thought to have escaped by climbing over a wall.
5.was alleged to have driven through the town at 90 m/hour.
6.is reported to have been badly damaged by the fire.
7.is said to be losing as lot of money.
8.is expected to lose a lot of money this year.
9.is believed to have lost a lot of money last year.
Henry is very old. Nobody knows exactly how old he is, but:
It is said that he is 108 years old.
Or, He is said to be 108 years old.
Both these sentences mean: People say that he is 108 years old.
We can use these structures to talk about the past and the present; about what people say or said and about how old he is or was. Compare the following chart:
Present: He is said to be 108 years old
Past: He was said to have been 108 years old
Present & Past: He is said to have been 108 years old
You can use these structures with a number of other verbs, especially:
thought, believed, considered, alleged, reported, known, expected.
Compare the two structures:
The police are looking for a missing boy.
It´s believed that the boy is wearing a white pullover and blue jeans.
The boy is believed to be wearing a white pullover and blue jeans.
The strike started three weeks ago.
It´s expected that it will end soon.
The strike is expected to end soon.
A friend of mine has been arrested.
It´s alleged that he kicked a policeman.
He´s alleged to have kicked a policeman.
The two houses belong to the same family
It´s thought that the owners are very rich.
The owners are thought to be very rich.
Say these sentences in another way, beginning as shown:
1- It´s expected that the weather will be good tomorrow.
The weather is
2-It was believed that the thieves got in through the kitchen window.
The thieves
3-It´s reported that many people are homeless after the floods.
Many people
4- It´s thought that the prisioner escaped by climbing over a wall.
The prisioner
5- It was alleged that the man had driven through the town at 90 miles na hour.
The man
6- It´s reported that the building has been badly damaged by the fire.
The building
7- It´s said that the company is losing a lot of money.
The company
8- It´s expected that the company will lose money this year.
The company
9-It´s believed that the company lost a lot of money last year.
The company
Key:
1. expected to be good tomorrow.
2.were believed to have got in through the kitchen window.
3.are reported to be homeless after the floods.
4.is thought to have escaped by climbing over a wall.
5.was alleged to have driven through the town at 90 m/hour.
6.is reported to have been badly damaged by the fire.
7.is said to be losing as lot of money.
8.is expected to lose a lot of money this year.
9.is believed to have lost a lot of money last year.
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