Impersonal Passive Constructions
PERSONAL AND IMPERSONAL PASSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS The verbs think, believe, say, report, know, expect, consider, understand,
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PERSONAL AND IMPERSONAL PASSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS The verbs think, believe, say, report, know, expect, consider, understand, etc. are used in the following passive patterns in impersonal constructions. Active: Passive:
People believe that he lied in court. It is believed (that) he lied in court. (It + passive + that-clause) He is believed to have lied in court. (Subject + passive + to-infinitive)
Active: Passive:
They expect him to arrive soon. It is expected (that) he will arrive soon. (It + passive + that-clause) He is expected to arrive soon. (Subject + passive + to-infinitive)
People believe that Mr Brown owns a lot of land in the north. Mr Brown is believed to own a lot of land in the north. People expect that a new law will be introduced next year. A new law is expected to be introduced next year. People believed that Mr Brown owned a lot of land in the north. Mr Brown was believed to have owned a lot of land in the north. They thought that the prisoners had escaped. The prisoners were thought to have escaped.