Unit 7
The impersonal passive
The impersonal passive is a formal way of reporting thoughts, sayings, beliefs and opinions. Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction – Therefore, this passive is called Impersonal Passive.
Impersonal Passive is only possible with certain verbs such as say, think, prove, claim, know, expect, suggest, assume and believe.
There are two ways for forming impersonal passive:
The first way is:
- Using ‘It’
- Changing the verb of perception into passive construction
- Using ‘that’
- Writing the completion of the sentence found after ‘that’
Examples
- They say that women live longer than men.
It is said that women live longer than men.
- They say that dolphins are highly intelligent.
It is said that dolphins are highly intelligent.
- They used to think that the Earth was flat.
It used to be thought that the Earth was flat.
- They believe that learners will absorb the grammar as they learn the vocabulary.
It is believed that learners will absorb the grammar as they learn the vocabulary.
The second way is formed with the subject + passive verbs+ infinitive
Examples
- They believe that the story is true.
The story is believed to be true.
The subject of the subordinate clause (the story) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are omitted).
- So, People know that he is talented.
He is known to be talented.
The infinitive form we use depends on the tense we have in the active sentence.
Simple present/Future to +V1
present continuous to be V-ing
Simple past/ present perfect/Perfect to have +V3
Example:
They think that he is in Turkey.
He is thought to be in Turkey.
Let's study these examples.
People believe that English is the most widely spoken language
- It is believed that English is the most widely spoken language.
- English is believed to be the most widely spoken language.
The journalists have reported that it was Ahmad who caused the accident.
- It has been reported that it was Ahmad who caused the accident.
- Ahmad has been reported to have caused the accident.
Linguists have claimed that learning foreign languages didn't need much time.
- It has been claimed that learning a foreign language didn't need much time.
- Learning a foreign language has been claimed not to have needed much time.
People say that speaking with foreigners improves social skills.
- It is said that speaking with foreigners improves social skills.
- Speaking with foreigners is said to improve social skills.
Scientists have proved that patients with a coma had a conscious mind.
- It has been proved that patients with a coma had a conscious mind.
- Patients with a coma have been proved to have had a conscious mind.