2. • 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.
3. • Reporting verbs are verbs of saying or believing such
as agree, announce, believe, claim, consider, expect, h
ope, know, report, say, suggest, think, understand, et
c. And we can use their passive form for distancing in
two different ways.
Check the examples below:
They are in Las Vegas.
• It is said that they are in Las Vegas.
• They are said to be in Las Vegas.
4. Structure 1
It + reporting verb + that clause
(passive form)
It is thought that the criminal is highly dangerous.
(In other words, people think that the criminal is highly
dangerous)
ACTIVE: Everybody knows that my grandfather likes red wine.
PASSIVE: It is known that my grandfather likes red wine.
5. STRUCTURE 2
subject + passive reporting verb + to + base form
ACTIVE: Everybody knows that my grandfather likes red wine.
PASSIVE: My grandfather is known to like red wine.
• They were believed to be secretly in love.
• He is said to have the biggest private art collection in the country.
6. Exercises
• People know that she is a good swimmer.
It _______________________________
She _____________________________
• They say that Francis is in hospital.
It _______________________________
Francis ___________________________
• They think that the children are in bed.
It _______________________________
The children _______________________
• People believe that nuclear power stations are
dangerous.
It __________________________________________
Nuclear power stations __________________________
• People know that cars pollute the environment.
It ___________________________________________
Cars _________________________________________
7. PASSIVE VOICE WITH TWO OBJECTS
There are some verbs which can take two objects. Some of these verbs
are: bring, get, give, make, offer, promise, send, show, etc.
8. Active voice: I sent my friends a picture. (= I sent a picture to my
friends.)
With these verbs, it is possible to make two different passive sentences
because you can use either of the two objects as the subject of the
passive sentence:
• My friends were sent a picture.
• A picture was sent to my friends.
9. EXERCISES
• They offered him a good seat
⇒ He _________________________________
⇒ A good seat __________________________
• We will give a copy to our clients
⇒ A copy _______________________________
⇒ Our clients ____________________________
10. • I sent him a letter.
⇒ He _____________________________.
⇒ A letter _________________________.
• They did not offer her a seat.
⇒ She ____________________________.
⇒ A seat __________________________.
