8.1.8 Passive voice with reporting verbs
If we want to avoid mentioning the generalised agents we, they, people, everybody, one etc. with reporting verbs, we can use the following passive patterns:
- it + passive reporting verb + that-clause
In this pattern, the generalised agent + active reporting verb is replaced with it + passive reporting verb:
Everybody knows that my grandfather likes red wine.
It is known that my grandfather likes red wine. - subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive
In this pattern we start with the subject of the reported clause, which is followed by the passive reporting verb and the to-infinitive form of the verb in the reported clause:
Everybody knows that my grandfather likes red wine.
My grandfather is known to like red wine.The reporting verb (is known) is in the same tense as it was in the active sentence (knows). The type of to-infinitive we use (to like) corresponds to the temporal relationship between the action of reporting and the reported event. This temporal relationship can be of two basic types:
- The reporting and the reported event happen simultaneously (as in the example above).
- The reported event happens before the reporting.
The following table shows examples of reporting verbs which can be used with the patterns above:
| Examples of reporting verbs used in the passive voice | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| allege assume believe claim consider declare |
discover estimate expect feel find intend |
know observe presume prove report reveal |
say see show suppose think understand |
Reporting a simultaneous event in the passive voice
subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive (simple)
If the reporting and the reported event happen simultaneously, i.e. in the same time frame, we use the simple to-infinitive:
If the time frame is the present:
My son's football coach is said to be very strict. (They say my son's football coach is very strict.)
If the time frame is the past:
Paul was thought to be in the house. (Everybody thought Paul was in the house.)
Reporting an earlier event in the passive voice
subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive (perfect)
If the reported event happens before the reporting, we use the perfect to-infinitive.
If the reporting happens in the present and the reported event in the past:
He is believed never to have smiled at anyone. (They believe he never smiled / has never smiled at anyone.)
If the reporting happens in the past and the reported event in an earlier past:
Lucy was assumed to have left the day before. (They assumed Lucy had left the day before.)