Impersonal passive: it is said that
Reporting what people believe: it is said that he is rich, he is said to be rich, she is thought to have left.
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To report what people in general say, think or believe, English often uses the passive of a reporting verb. There are two patterns: It is said that + a sentence, and subject + is said to + verb. Both are common in news and formal writing.
Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
active | People say that he is rich. |
it + passive + that | It is said that he is rich. |
subject + passive + to | He is said to be rich. |
The verbs used this way include say, think, believe, know, report, expect, consider, understand, claim and estimate.
It + passive + that
Start with it, then the passive of the reporting verb, then that and a full sentence. The reporting verb can be in any tense.
- It is said that the castle is haunted.
- It is believed that the painting was stolen in 1990.
- It was thought that the plan would fail.
- It has been reported that two people were injured.
- Incorrect: Is said that he lives in Spain.
- Correct: It is said that he lives in Spain.An English sentence needs a subject. Here the subject is it.
Subject + passive + to + verb
The person or thing you are talking about can be the subject. Then the reporting verb is followed by to + verb.
- He is said to be very rich.
- The president is expected to arrive at noon.
- She is thought to be in her forties.
- The company is believed to have about 500 employees.
- Incorrect: He is said that he is very rich.
- Correct: He is said to be very rich. / It is said that he is very rich.Choose one pattern: it ... that + sentence, or subject ... to + verb. Don't mix them.
To be doing: something in progress
If the report is about something happening now, use to be + -ing.
- He is said to be living in Spain now.
- The two companies are thought to be planning a merger.
To have done: something earlier
If the report is about something that happened before the time of speaking, use to have + past participle.
- The thief is believed to have left the country.
(People believe that he left the country.)
- The fire is thought to have started in the kitchen.
- She is said to have written the book in three weeks.
- Incorrect: He is believed to leave the country last week.
- Correct: He is believed to have left the country last week.The leaving is in the past, so use to have + past participle.
If the reporting verb is in the past too, the same rule works one step back: He was thought to have died in the war. (People thought then that he had died earlier.)
There is said to be
With there, the second pattern becomes there is / are + passive + to be.
- There are thought to be about 200 species of bird on the island.
- There is said to be a secret tunnel under the castle.
In speech: people say, they say, apparently
The impersonal passive sounds formal. In conversation, people usually say people say, they say or apparently. Be supposed to also means "people say", as you saw at B1.
- People say the new café is very good.
- Apparently, the new café is very good.
- The new café is supposed to be very good.
Between friends, It is said that you've got a new job would sound like a news report. Say I hear you've got a new job, or apparently.