THE PASSIVE

We use the passive to focus

attention on the person or thing
that is affected by the action of
the verb.
•when the identity of the
person/thing doing the action
(=the agent) is unknown or
unimportant:
My office was broken into last night.
Tonight’s football match has been
cancelled.
•When it is obvious who/what
the agent is:
He was arrested and charged
with murder. (Only the police
can arrest and charge people.)
If we want to mention the agent
in a passive sentence, we use
the preposition by:
The goods are imported by a
chain of supermarkets.
 REPORTING VERBS
The following structure can be
used with certain verbs to give
generalized opinions or facts.
Bill Gates is known to be one of
the world’s richest people.
With past reference, the perfect
infinitive is used.
Jenkins is said to have had
financial problems.
(People say that Jenkins had
financial problems.)
She was thought to have fled
the country.
(The police thought she had
fled the country.)
Common reporting verbs
admit consider explain say
advise decide feel show
agree declare find suggest
allow demand imagine suppose
announce discover insist think
ask estimate know understand
claim expect propose warn
 Now it’s your turn to try it!
People expect that the Prime
Minister will announce his
resignation later today.
 Now it’s your turn to try it!
People expect that the Prime Minister will announce his
resignation later today.

The Prime Minister is expected to

announce his resignation later today.
They understand that the 22-year-old
striker is considering a move to a
Spanish club.
They understand that the 22-year-old striker is
considering a move to a Spanish club.

The 22-year-old striker is understood

to be considering a move to a
Spanish club.
There’s a rumor going round that the
band have sacked their lead guitarist.
There’s a rumor going round that the band have
sacked their lead guitarist.

The band are rumored to have

sacked their lead guitarist.
The band is rumored to have sacked
its lead guitarist.
The police alleged that he had
been selling stolen goods.
The police alleged that he had been selling stolen
goods.

He was alleged to have been

selling stolen goods.
One report says that she was paid
over £2 million for her part in the
film.
One report says that she was paid over £2 million
for her part in the film.

She is reported to have been paid

over £2 million for her part in the
film.
 Extra on Passive Voice:

• https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/gramma
r/passive
• https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/engl
ish-grammar/verbs/active-and-passive-voice
• http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_li
st/passiv.htm