Passive Voice: verbs of "saying" , " thinking" etc.

 

The passive is used to change the focus of the sentence, to avoid generalized subjects (when things are too vague), and to make an action impersonal. It is common in descriptions of processes, and in scientific and technical language in general.

To say, to think, to believe, to consider, to find, to understand, to suppose, to know.

Examples:

-Present reference:

With verbs such as believe, know, say, think which report people’s opinions, a passive construction is often used to avoid a weak subject, and to give a generalized opinion:

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

People think that Smith is in England.

Think (S. Present) = is (S. Present): present infinitive

Smith is thought to be in England.

 

-Past reference:

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

 

 

 

People believe that Smith left England last week.

Believe (S. Present) ≠ left (S. Past): past infinitive

Smith is believed to have left England last week.

-Past reporting verb:

If the reporting verb is in the past, the past infinitive tends to follow, though not always if the verb be is used.

People thought Sue had paid too much.

Thought (S. Past) ≠had paid (Past Perfect): past infinitive

Sue was thought to have paid too much.

***The police thought that the thief was still in the house.

*** The thief was thought to still be in the house.

-With passive infinitive: (2 objects)

Everyone knows the portrait was painted by an Italian.

The portrait is known to have been painted by an Italian.

An Italian is known to have painted the portrait.

Extras:

  1. People think that neither side wanted war.

    2. Neither side is...

    It...

  2. Everyone knows that eating fruit is good for you.

    3. Eating fruit...

    It...

  3. Everyone thought the painting had been destroyed.

The painting...

It...

  1. People say the company bid fifty million pounds for the shares.

    2. The company...

    It...

  2. People say the late Mr. Johnson was difficult to work with.

    3. The late...

  3. People think the jewels were stolen by one of the guests.

    4. One of the guests...

  4. It is believed that the Chinese invented gunpowder.

    5. The Chinese...

  5. Apparently the ship did not sustain any damage.

    6. The ship...

  6. It is thought that the two injured men were repairing high-tension cables.

    7. The two injured men...

  7. There is a rumor that the escaped prisoner is living in Spain.

    8. The escaped prisoner...

  8. ***It is now believed that foreign languages are most easily taught to young children.

Foreign languages...

L) People assume intelligence is important.

Intelligence ...

m) People say he died a natural death.

He...

n) Everyone believes he fled to France.

He ...

o) It was said that some of them had become insane.

Some ...

p) Everyone said he was the oldest man in the firm.

He ...

 

 

 

 

ANSWER KEY:

  1. Neither side is thought to have wanted war.

    2. It is thought that neither side wanted war.

  2. Eating fruit is known to be good for you.

    3. It is known that eating fruit is good for you.

  3. The painting was thought to have been destroyed.

    4. It was thought the painting had been destroyed.

  4. The company is said to have bid fifty million pounds for the shares.

  5. The late Mr Johnson is said to have been difficult to work with.

  6. One of the guests is thought to have stolen the jewels.

  7. The Chinese are believed to have invented gunpowder.

  8. The ship appears not to have sustained any damage.

    9. The ship does not appear to have sustained any damage.

  9. The two injured men are thought to have been repairing high-tension cables.

  10. The escaped prisoner is rumored to be living in Spain.

k) Foreign languages are now believed to be most easily taught to young children.

l) Intelligence is assumed to be important.

m) He is said to have died a natural death.

n) He is believed to have fled to France.

o) Some of them were said to have become insane.

p) He was said to be the oldest man in the firm.
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