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It is said that… / He is believed to…
B2 B2 grammar · lesson 17 of 21
News reports and formal texts often say what people in general think or believe. This lesson teaches you two passive patterns that do this without naming who said it.
Two patterns
We use these patterns with reporting verbs like say, think, believe, know, expect, report, consider and understand. They sound formal and careful, so they are common in news. You know the passive from Lesson 6.
Active: People say that the castle is 800 years old.
| Pattern | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | It + passive + that + clause | It is said that the castle is 800 years old. |
| 2 | Subject + passive + to-infinitive | The castle is said to be 800 years old. |
Pattern 2 and time
In pattern 2, the infinitive changes to show the time of the action:
| Time of action | Infinitive | Example |
|---|---|---|
| same time as the reporting | to + infinitive | He is believed to live in Rome. |
| in progress now | to be + -ing | She is thought to be working abroad. |
| before the reporting | to have + past participle | The thief is believed to have escaped by car. |
It is expected that prices will rise next year.
It was reported that two people were hurt.
Ten people are thought to be missing.
The singer is said to have a beautiful house by the sea.
The ship is believed to have sunk in 1850.
The new bridge is expected to open in June.
The company was known to be in trouble.
It is understood that the talks have ended.
The reporting verb can be in the past too: He was thought to be the best player in the team.
Common mistakes
✗ It is said the president to be ill.
✓ It is said that the president is ill. / The president is said to be ill.
✗ She is believed that she lives in Paris.
✓ She is believed to live in Paris.
✗ The man is thought to steal the car last night.
✓ The man is thought to have stolen the car last night.