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The Passive With Reporting Verbs

This document provides information on using the passive voice with reporting verbs in news reports and formal writing. It explains that the passive voice allows writers to distance themselves from information they are reporting when the truth is uncertain or the source is unknown. There are two main constructions discussed - using "it is said that" followed by a clause, and using a subject followed by a reporting verb in the passive voice and an infinitive, such as "she is believed to be living." A number of examples are given to illustrate the different constructions.

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428 views

The Passive With Reporting Verbs

This document provides information on using the passive voice with reporting verbs in news reports and formal writing. It explains that the passive voice allows writers to distance themselves from information they are reporting when the truth is uncertain or the source is unknown. There are two main constructions discussed - using "it is said that" followed by a clause, and using a subject followed by a reporting verb in the passive voice and an infinitive, such as "she is believed to be living." A number of examples are given to illustrate the different constructions.

Uploaded by

Dani
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The passive with reporting verbs – Grammar chart

In news reports and formal writing, it is common to use the passive forms of
reporting verbs. Using this resource allows us to give information when we don’t
know for sure whether it is true or not, or when we want to distance ourselves
from the source of the information.
Reporting verbs are verbs of saying or believing such
as agree, announce, believe, claim, consider, expect, hope, know, report, sa
y, suggest, think, understand, etc. And we can use their passive form for
distancing in two different ways. Check the examples below:

 It is said that they are in Las Vegas.


 They are said to be in Las Vegas.

People say that they are in Las Vegas.

It is said that… + subject + verb


We can use the passive of a reporting verb in a sentence after an
introductory it: It + passive reporting verb + (that) + clause (subject + verb)

 It is believed that the murderer is no longer in the country.


 It has been announced that they are going to cancel the tour.
 It has been suggested that the team can’t be trusted defensively.
 It was thought the building could collapse.

Someone is said to + infinitive


When we use the passive form of a reporting verb after the real subject of
sentence (and NOT after it), we need to use an infinitive after the passive of the
reporting verb.

Someone is said to do

When the reported action is simultaneous to the reporting, we can use use:
subject + passive reporting verb + to + infinitive.

 He is said to have the biggest private art collection in the country.


 They were believed to be secretly in love.

We can also use this form to refer to the future.

 She is expected to become a super star.


Someone is said to be doing

When the reported action is in progress simultaneously to the reporting, we can


also use subject + passive reporting verb + to be + -ing (continuous
infinitive) with dynamic verbs.

 They are thought to be living under strict protection.

Someone is said to have done

When the reported action is previous to the reporting (earlier in the past), we
use subject + passive reporting verb + to have + past participle (perfect
infinitive).

 She was thought to have left the previous week. (=she left before people
thought about it)
 He is claimed to have hit another student. (=he hit another student first
and people claimed he did it later)

I liked doing experiments as a child

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