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Patricia'S Revision: Personal and Impersonal Passive Contructions

The document discusses personal and impersonal passive constructions using verbs like think, believe, say, report, know, expect, and understand. There are 4 main patterns: 1) impersonal with "it" and a that-clause, 2) personal with the subject followed by a passive form and to-infinitive, 3) impersonal with "it" and a that-clause, and 4) personal with the subject followed by a passive form and to-infinitive. Different tenses can be used in personal passive constructions, including present, future, and past forms. Examples are provided to illustrate each pattern and tense.

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Sofia Ferreyol
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144 views2 pages

Patricia'S Revision: Personal and Impersonal Passive Contructions

The document discusses personal and impersonal passive constructions using verbs like think, believe, say, report, know, expect, and understand. There are 4 main patterns: 1) impersonal with "it" and a that-clause, 2) personal with the subject followed by a passive form and to-infinitive, 3) impersonal with "it" and a that-clause, and 4) personal with the subject followed by a passive form and to-infinitive. Different tenses can be used in personal passive constructions, including present, future, and past forms. Examples are provided to illustrate each pattern and tense.

Uploaded by

Sofia Ferreyol
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PATRICIAS REVISION

PERSONAL AND IMPERSONAL PASSIVE CONTRUCTIONS

The verbs think, believe, say, report, know, expect, consider, understandetc are used in the following
passive patterns in personal and impersonal constructions.
Active: People believe that he lied in court.
Passive: 1. It is believed (that) he lied in court. (impersonal)
It + passive + that-clause
2. He is believed to have lied in court. (personal)
Subject + passive + to-infinitive

Active: They expect him to arrive soon.


Passive: 3. It is expected (that) he will arrive soon. (impersonal)
It + passive + that-clause
4. He is expected to arrive soon. (personal)
Subject + passive + to-infinitive

DIFFERENT TENSES IN PERSONAL PASSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS.


Present active:
People believe that Mr Brown owns a lot of land in the north.
Present personal passive construction:
Mr Brown is believed to own a lot of land in the north.

Future active:
people expect that a new law will be introduced next year.
Future personal passive construction:
A new law is expected to be introduced next year.

Past active:
People believed that Mr Brown owned a lot of land in the north.
They thought that the prisoners had escaped.

Present personal passive construction:


Mr Brown was believed to have owned a lot of land in the north.
The prisoners were thought to have escaped.

1. It is said that this orchestra is the best in the world

9. The company is thought to be making a big profit.

2. It is believed that the thieves have left the country.

10. It is reported that the government has reached a

3. The fire is reported to have started by accident. decision

4. He is known to be making a lot of money 11. It is said that they were responsible for the damage.

5. It is expected that they will arrive in time for dinner. 12. She is expected to break the world record.

6. She is said to know a lot about gardening. 13. He is known to have several foreign bank accounts.

7. It is thought that he will be attending the meeting.


14. They are reported to have financial problems.

8. It is believed that we are able to win the competition.

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