Grammar / B1+ Grammar lessons and exercises / The passive with reporting verbs: It is said that …
The Passive with Reporting Verbs – Grammar Chart
🟦Why Use the Passive with Reporting Verbs?
In news reports and formal writing, we often use the **passive voice with reporting verbs** to:
- Give information when we’re not sure if it’s true
- Distance ourselves from the source of the information
Common reporting verbs include: agree, announce, believe, claim, consider, expect, hope, know, report, say, suggest, think, understand, etc.
🟩Structure 1: It + passive reporting verb + (that) + clause
Use this pattern to introduce reported information in a general, impersonal way.
✅ It is said that they are in Las Vegas.
✅ 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.
🟪Structure 2: Subject + passive reporting verb + to + infinitive
Place the real subject at the beginning. The verb form after to changes depending on the time of the reported action.
🔹 Simultaneous Action (Present/General)
✅ He is said to have the biggest private art collection.
✅ They were believed to be secretly in love.
✅ She is expected to become a superstar. (future reference)
🔹 Ongoing Action (Continuous Infinitive)
✅ They are thought to be living under strict protection.
✅ The suspect is reported to be hiding in the mountains.
🔹 Completed Past Action (Perfect Infinitive)
✅ She was thought to have left the previous week.
✅ He is claimed to have hit another student.
✅ The documents are believed to have been destroyed.
📌 Key Rules:
🔸 It is said that... → impersonal, general reporting
🔸 They are said to... → focus on the subject
🔸 Use to + base verb for present/future
🔸 Use to be + -ing for ongoing actions
🔸 Use to have + past participle for past actions
🔸 Common verbs: believe, say, report, expect, claim, suggest, think
