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In this section we will be dealing with impersonal passive constructions with verbs of saying or
believing. These constructions are then a mixture of passive constructions and reported speech.
I have taken this information and many of the examples from The Grammar of Spoken and Written
English (Biber et al., 1999)1, New Proficiency Gold (Newbrook and Wilson, 2001)2, Advanced
Language Practice (Vince, 2003)3, Alexander (1990)4.
1. Active:
Passive:
2. Active:
People say: ‘There is plenty of oil off our own coast.’ People say that there is plenty of oil
off our own coast.
Passive:
2.a. It is said that there is plenty of oil off our own coast. (It + passive verb + that-clause +
existential there-clause )
1 BIBER, D., L. Johanson, G.Leech, S. Conrad, E.Finegan. (1999) Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English.
Longman.
3 VINCE, M 2009 Advanced Language Practice: English Grammar and Vocabulary. Macmillan
4
ALEXANDER, L. G. (1990) Longman English Grammar Practice. Longman.
2.b. There is said to be plenty of oil off our own coast. (There + passive verb + to be)
When the reported action/state has the same temporal reference as the passive reporting
verb, or to a time which is future in relation to the passive reporting verb, the verb referring
to the reported action/state is used in the to-infinitive.
When the reported action/state took place/will take place before the action/state denoted
by the passive verb of thinking or saying, the reported action is expressed with the perfect
infinitive.
When the action in the subordinate clause refers to the future, the second pattern above is
only possible if the verb in the active sentence has an object and an infinitive.
Compare:
Note:
These passive constructions, especially (1.b) and (2.b)above, are rare in conversation and infrequent
in fiction, but they occur quite frequently in news and academic prose.
An unemployed teenager sharing a house with a family was assumed to have a separate ,
and often lower, income. (NEWS)
Tens of thousands of phantom azalea bushes and geraniums are believed to be alive and
growing in the gardens of Northern Ireland. (NEWS)
Of the various materials used, wooden slats, asphalt, rubber mats or damp straw can be said
to be neutral types of floor. (ACAD)