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Complete the sentences, as in the example. 1. It is said that this orchestra is the best in the world. This orchestra ...is said to be the best in the world. 2. It is believed that the thieves have left the country. The thieves ................................................................. 3. The fire is reported to have started by accident. It ................................................................. 4. He is known to be making a lot of money. It ................................................................. 5. It is expected that they will arrive in time for dinner. They ................................................................. 6. She is said to know a lot about gardening. It ................................................................. 7. It is thought that he will be attending the meeting. He ................................................................. 8. It is believed that we are able to win the competition. We ................................................................. 9. The company is thought to be making a big profit. It ................................................................. 10. It is reported that the government has reached a decision. The government ................................................................. 11. It is said that they were responsible for the damage. They ................................................................. 12. She is expected to break the world record. It ................................................................. 13. He is known to have several foreign bank accounts. It ................................................................. 14. They are reported to have financial problems. It .................................................................

I. Complete the sentences, as in the example. 2. ... are believed to have left the country. 3. ... is reported that the fire started by accident. 4. ... is known that he is making a lot of money. 5. ... are expected to arrive in time for dinner. 6. ... is said that she knows a lot about gardening. 7. ... is thought to be attending the meeting. 8. ... are believed to be able to win the competition. 9. ... is thought that the company is making a big profit. 10. ... is reported to have reached a decision. 11. ... are said to have been responsible for the damage. 12. ... is expected that she will break the world record. 13. ... is known that he has several foreign bank accounts. 14. ... is reported that they have financial problems.

Passive reporting structures In informal language we often use impersonal expressions like:   

People say that the minister is likely to resign. They expect him to announce his resignation this week. They think that there are two possible candidates for his job.

In newspapers, reports and other more formal writing, this idea is often expressed with a structure based on a passive reporting verb. This has the effect of distancing the information. In this post we look at three such structures:   

It is said that the minister is likely to resign. He is expected to announce his resignation this week. There are thought to be two possible candidates for his job. To do these exercises you need to know the basics of making passive structures. If you need reminding, you could look at my post - Introduction to the passive ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1. It is said that ...   

It is said that ... It was thought that ... It has been suggested that ... etc

Verbs used like this include: agree, announce, believe, calculate, claim, consider, discover, estimate, expect, feel, hope, know, report, say, show, suggest, think, understand 

Pattern: It + passive reporting verb + that + clause

Note: These verbs are most frequently used in simple and perfect tenses in the present and past. Remember that verbs like believe, hope, know, think, understand are not used in continuous tenses. Rewrite the sentences starting with It plus a passive structure. pay attention to tense, but don't add any punctuation. Don't use any contractions.

Exercise 1

They felt that the cost was too high. 1. . Forecasters have predicted that the weekend will be very cold. 2. . They don't think that the government will call an early election. 3. . Experts are suggesting that inflation will remain steady. 4. . We had understood that the hostages would be released yesterday. 5. . Officials have announced that the princess will leave hospital next week. 6. .

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. He is said to be ... We can also use a structure with a subject, a passive verb and a to-infinitive:   

The president is thought to be planning a trip to the area. The young actor was reported to have signed up for a new film. More engineers are expected to be taken on soon.

Verbs used like this include: believe, expect, report, say, think, understand 

Pattern: subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive clause

Infinitive forms We can use the to-infinitive in various forms. See if you can remember them (use the examples above to help you): Exercise 2a

Enter the six forms of the to-infinitive of the verb do.

standard

We need

continuous

She appears

perfect

He seems

it immediately. it right now. it already.

perfect continuous We seem passive

It needs

passive perfect

It appears

Exercise 2b

it for hours. before the end of the week. rather well.

Enter a suitable verb in the appropriate form of the infinitive. Each infinitive is in a different form.

announce · publish · consider · arrest · hide · escape 1. The minister is expected

his resignation tomorrow.

2. The government are understood 3. They are thought

an early election. in a deserted cottage.

4. The couple had earlier been believed 5. The results of the survey are expected 6. Two people are reported

from police custody. next week. in connection with the robbery.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. There is/are said to be ... We can use a third pattern with preparatory there and a passive reporting verb followed by a toinfinitive, especially when saying something exists or existed.    

There is understood to be a strong desire for peace talks. There are reported to have been several explosions. There was thought to be another entrance to the building. There were said to have been a lot of applicants for the job.

Note the use of tenses, the agreement between the passive reporting verb and the noun phrase, and the use of standard and perfect infinitives. 

Pattern: There is/are + passive verb + to be/to have been + noun phrase

Verbs used like this include: feel, presume, report, say, think, understand Make passive sentences starting with There is ... or There are ... using the Exercise 3 reporting verb in brackets in the tense given, plus a standard or perfect infinitive of be as instructed, plus the phrase given. many species still undiscovered (think - present simple) - standard 1. . considerable support for the idea (understand - present simple) - standard 2. . any need to act immediately (not feel - past simple) - standard 3. . enough supplies to go round (presume - past simple) - standard 4. . a shortage of medicines (report - past simple) - perfect 5. . several reasons for the failure (say - present simple) - perfect 6. .

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. Passive reporting structures - putting it all together Exercise 4

Make passive sentences starting with the words in italics. Don't use contractions and don't add any punctuation.

It is felt that the project is too expensive. 1. 2.

. It was said that the tax changes helped poorer people. It is alleged that a fight between rival fans broke out after the match.

3. . It has been reported that more bad weather is on the way. 4. . 5. It was believed that the company were about to announce redundancies.

It was later considered that his behaviour had been unacceptable. 6. . It is expected that new supplies will arrive soon. 7. . It had been claimed that the drug was perfectly safe. 8. . It is presumed that everybody escaped unharmed from the wreckage. 9. . It is now thought that the number of injured is lower than was feared. 10. .

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sharks (adapted from Wikipedia) Exercise 5 1.

Make sentences with passive reporting structures starting with the words in given in brackets. Don't use contractions and don't add any punctuation.

It is thought that there are more than 400 species of sharks. (There) Biologists say that sharks share a class with rays and skates. (Sharks)

2. . It is said that sharks have 5 to 15 rows of teeth in each jaw. (They) 3. . Experts estimate that sharks' teeth fall out after only a week.(It) 4. . There is said to be one species that grows to a length of 12 metres. (There) 5. . Experts believe that these whale sharks can live for more than 100 years.(It) 6. . It was reported that there had been 118 shark attacks in 2011. (There) 7. . Experts consider that the danger has been exaggerated (The danger) 8. . They consider that only ten shark species are dangerous to humans. (Only) 9. . They say that humans are a greater threat to sharks than vice versa. (Humans) 10. .

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Bats (adapted from Wikipedia)

Photo of Big-eared Townsend bat from Wikipedia Exercise 6 - Read the text, then fill each gap with one word. It is said

(1) the only mammal naturally capable of true and sustained flight is the

bat. Other mammals said (2) fly, such as flying squirrels and gliding possums glide rather than fly, and can only glide for short distances.

Bats

(3) thought to represent about 20% of all classified mammal species

worldwide and

(4) are calculated to be about 1,240 bat species in the world. There

(5) sometimes thought to have been one single common bat ancestor, from which all bat species have evolved.

It

(6) believed that about 70% of bats are insectivores, with most of the rest thought

(7) be fruit eaters, and a very few carnivores. There (8) thought to be bats in almost every habitat available on Earth, with the exception of the two polar regions. In many places they (9) considered to play a vital role in pollinating seeds and controlling the numbers of insects pests.

It has

(10) contended that Kitti's hog-nosed bat is the smallest extant species of

mammal, although claims have also been made for the Etruscan shrew. (11) is generally agreed that the largest species of bat is the giant golden-crowned flying fox, which (12) said to have a wingspan of 1.5 m.

ANSWER KEY:

Exercise 1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

It was felt that the cost was too high. It has been predicted that the weekend will be very cold. It is not thought that the government will call an early election. It is being suggested that inflation will remain steady. It had been understood that the hostages would be released yesterday. It has been announced that the princess will leave hospital next week.

Exercise 2a To do To be doing To have done To have been doing To be done To have been done

Exercise 2b 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

to announce to be considering to have been hiding to have escaped to be published to have been arrested

Exercise 3 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

There are thought to be many species still undiscovered. There is understood to be considerable support for the idea. There was not felt to be any need to act immediately. There were presumed to be enough supplies to go round. There was reported to have been a shortage of medicines. There are said to have been several reasons for the failure.

Exercise 4 1. The project is felt to be too expensive. 2. The tax changes were said to help poorer people. 3. A fight between rival fans is alleged to have broken out after the match. 4. More bad weather has been reported to be on the way. 5. The company was believed to be about to announce redundancies. 6. His behaviour was later considered to have been unacceptable. 7. New supplies are expected to arrive soon. 8. The drug had been claimed to be perfectly safe. 9. Everybody is presumed to have escaped unharmed from the wreckage. 10. The number of injured is now thought to be lower than was feared.

Exercise 5 1. There are thought to be more than 400 species of sharks. 2. Sharks are said to share a class with rays and skates. 3. They are said to have 5 to 15 rows of teeth in each jaw. 4. It is estimated that sharks' teeth fall out after only a week. 5. There is said to be one species that grows to a length of 12 meters. 6. It is believed that these whale sharks can live for more than 100 years. 7. There were reported to have been 118 shark attacks in 2011. 8. The danger is considered to have been exaggerated. 9. Only ten shark species are considered to be dangerous to humans. 10. Humans are said to be a greater threat to sharks than vice versa.

Exercise 6 1. That 2. To 3. Are 4. There 5. Is 6. Is 7. To 8. Are 9. Are 10. Been 11. It 12. is