Impersonal Use of

Passive Voice

WARNING: EXTREMELY PRO LESSON

 ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT...

Active voice means that a sentence has a subject that acts upon its verb.

Passive voice means that the subject is a patient of a the action of the verb,
that is to say, it suffers the action.
PASSIVE VOICE—
WHY IS IT USED?
When we want to give importance to the person or thing that
suffers the action and we want to give less importance to the
performer of the action. But, why would you do it? Because...
THE PERSON / THING PERFORMING THE ACTION IS OBVIOUS
THE SPEAKER DOES NOT KNOW WHO/WHAT PERFORMS THE ACTION
THE SPEAKER DOES NOT WANT TO SAY WHO/WHAT PERFORMS THE ACTION
(because it is not relevant, or you want to hide it on purpose, for example)
 PASSIVE VOICE—--------IMPERSONAL USE (I)
● Verbs like: Believe, Think, Consider, Say, Report, Know,
Expect, Feel, Understand, Find
It + passive verb in any tense + complete subordinate sentence
without changes
People say that he started the fire
● It is said that he started the fire
They think that she does not live in London
● It is thought that she doesn't live in London
Everybody knew that the King is coming tomorrow
● It was known that the King is coming tomorrow
 EXAMPLES
● Everybody knows that eating fruit is good for you

It is known that eating fruit is good for you

● People thought that the painting had been destroyed.
It was thought that the painting had been destroyed
● People believe that the Chinese invented gunpowder
It is believed that the Chinese invented gunpowder.
 PASSIVE VOICE—--------IMPERSONAL USE (II)

● Verbs like: Believe, Think, Consider, Say, Report, Know,

Expect, Feel, Understand, Find
Subordinate subject + MAIN verb in passive + subordinate
active verb in INFINITIVE.
People say that he speaks English
● It is said that he speaks English (action in the Present)
● He is said to speak English (Infinitive)
People say that he started the fire
● It is said that he started the fire (action in the Past)
● He is said to have started the fire (Infinitive Perfect)
They think that she does not live in London
● It is thought that she doesn't live in London (Present)
● She is thought not to live in London (Infinitive Present)
Use impersonal uses of passive voice. Use IT in the first sentence
• People thought that he stole a lot of money
– It was thought that he stole a lot of money.
– He was thought to have stolen a lot of money.
• They said that he was killed in a fire
– It was said / reported that he was killed in a fire
– He was said / reported to have been killed in a fire.
• The government believes that the strike will begin tomorrow
– It is believed / expected that the strike will begin tomorrow
– The strike is believed / expected to begin tomorrow.
Use subordinate structures to rewrite the following sentences (use
IT in the first sentence and the same subject in the second one):
People say that we are having an exam tomorrow. (supposed)
It is supposed that we are having an exam tomorrow
We are supposed to be having an exam tomorrow.
Students believe that Mey is a very strict teacher. (believed)
It is believed that Mey is a very strict teacher
Mey is believed to be a very strict teacher
However, everybody thinks that students learn a lot. (tought)
However, it is thought that students learn a lot
However, students are thought to learn a lot.
The teacher wants that we have to read this book. (expected)
It is expected that we read this book
We are expected to read this book.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Most of the information has been taken from this website

https://sites.google.com/site/meyenglishclassb2/grammar/impersonal-passive

Have a look at it, it is great.

It has plenty of extra information, extra explanations and exercises
Thanks!!!!!
If you have any questions, just ask
me!