Impersonal Passive

1. Personal Passive

When we put an object of an active sentence into passive, it becomes subject of the passive sentence.

Active sentence → Galileo invented the telescope. 

Passive sentence → The telescope was invented by Galileo.

We sometimes use a pronoun for the students or the books in its subject form (here: they).

Active sentence → The teacher gave them the books.
Passive sentence → They were given the books.

We very often leave out the by-agent in the passive sentence (here: by the teacher).

First of all, we should have some idea about the types of infinitives; study below table to grab the idea of forming infinitives.

	Active	Passive
Infinitive	to choose	to be chosen
Perfect infinitive	to have chosen	to have been chosen
Progressive / Continuous infinitive	to be choosing
Perfect Progressive / Continuous infinitive	to have been choosing

2. Impersonal Passive

Sometimes when you are reporting what people say, rumor, hope, claim or believe, you don´t know, or you don´t want to say, who exactly the `people´ are. So you use an impersonal construction:

• People believe that thousands of birds died.

The same idea can be expressed by using the passive in two different ways:

A) It + passive of reporting verb + that + clause

• It is believed that hundreds of thousands of birds died.

B) subject + passive of reporting verb + `to´ infinitive

• Hundreds of thousands of birds are believed to have died.

Most common reporting verbs that can be used in this way are:

allege, believe, calculate, claim, consider, discover, estimate, expect, feel, hope, know, presume, prove, report, rumor, say, show, think, understand, etc.

With present reference, the passive is followed by the infinitive:

• People consider that this surgeon is a brilliant doctor.
• It is considered that this surgeon is a brilliant doctor.
• This surgeon is considered to be a brilliant doctor.

• They think that the treasure dates from the 13th century.
• It is thought that the treasure dates from the 13th century.
• The treasure is thought to date from the 13th century.

With present or past continuous reference, the passive is followed by the progressive infinitive:

• People say that most small corner shops are losing business with the recession.
• It is said that most small corner shops are losing business with the recession.
• Most small corner shops are said to be losing business with the recession.

• Their parents thought that the teenagers were dancing at the disco.
• It was thought that the teenagers were dancing at the disco.
• The teenagers were thought to be dancing at the disco.

When the reporting verb is present with past progressive reference, the passive is followed by the perfect progressive infinitive:

• The children report that their friends were swimming when they disappeared.
• It is reported that their friends were swimming when they disappeared.
• The children are reported to have been swimming when they disappeared.

When the reporting verb is present with past reference, the passive is followed by the perfect infinitive:

• The police believe that a professional thief stole the statue.
• It is believed that a professional thief stole the statue.
• A professional thief is believed to have stolen the statue.

• People rumor that the Johnsons left London last month.
• It is rumored that the Johnsons left London last month.
• The Johnsons is rumored to have left London last month.

With present perfect or past perfect simple reference, the passive is followed by the perfect infinitive:

• Police reports that a man has helped them with their investigation.
• It is reported that a man has helped them with their investigation.
• A mas is reported to have helped them (police) with their investigation.

• People considered the government had spent too much.
• It was considered the government had spent too much.
• The government was considered to have paid too much.

With present perfect continuous or past perfect continuous reference, the passive is followed by the perfect progressive infinitive:

• People know that the suspect has been dealing with drugs.
• It is known that the suspect has been dealing with drugs.
• The suspect is known to have been dealing with drugs.

• They knew that Mr. Brown had been stealing iron from the factory for long.
• It was known that Mr. Brown had been stealing iron from the factory for long.
• Mr Brown was known to have been stealing iron from the factory for long

With modal reference, the passive is followed by the infinitive:

• They now think that some redundancy in the company will be inevitable.
• It is now thought that some redundancy in the company will be inevitable.
• Some redundancy in the company is now thought to be inevitable.

• Ancient people thought that the stars would fall on them.
• It was thought that the stars would fall on them.
• The stars were thought to fall on them.

With passive structure reference, the passive is followed by the passive infinitive:

• They think that the staff are given a bonus whenever they have to work overtime.
• It is thought that the staff are given a bonus whenever they have to work overtime.
• The staff are thought to be given a bonus whenever they have to work overtime.

• People expected that tax increases will be announced in tomorrow’s budget.
• It is expected that tax increases will be announced in tomorrow’s budget.
• tax increases are expected to be announced in tomorrow’s budget.

• People believe that the portrait was painted by Vermeer.
• It is believed that the portrait was painted by Vermeer.
• The portrait is believed to have been painted by Vermeer.

• People believed that animals had been killed during the night.
• It is believed that animals had been killed during the night.
• Animals are believed to have been killed during the night.

If the verb clause in the second part of the sentence contains a modal, or a verb form which does not have an infinitive form, you will have to use an alternative equivalent which can become an infinitive.

• Can/could forms of ‘to be able to’
• Will forms of ‘to be going to’
• Must forms of ‘to have to’

People don't think that the new party can win the election.
• It isn't thought that the new party can win the election.
• The new party isn´t thought to be able to win the election.

They expect that the brewers will raise the price of beer in the near future.
• It is expected that the brewers will raise the price of beer in the near future.
• The brewers are expected to be going to raise the price of beer in the near future.

There + passive + infinitive with to

There is claimed to be more unrest in the country following the presidential election.

Reporting with ‘seem’ and ‘appear’

‘seem’ and ‘appear’ are not used in the passive.

• we can use a that-clause after It seems/It appears.
• we can use an infinitive with to after seem/appear.

eg. It seems that he knows the whole story.
      It appears that you have made a big mistake.