The Passive Structure is used when we want
to talk about an action, but are not
interested in saying who or what does / did
it.
Personal / Impersonal Passive
 Passive Structures are often used in news reports.
 They are used to express thoughts, beliefs,
considerations, expectations, suppositions.
 What we want to express is made clear by the verbs we
use: said, thought, believed, considered, reported,
understood, expected, alleged, supposed, known.
How to form the Impersonal /
Personal Passive
 Look at the sentences:
 People say that Harlem is a must-see destination.
 It is said that Harlem is a must-see destination.
 Harlem is said to be a must-see destination.
Impersonal / Personal Passive
 The police alleged that he stole the car.
 It was alleged that he stole the car.
 He was alleged to have stolen the car.
 People said that he sold drugs.
 It was said that he sold drugs.
 He was said to have sold drugs.
Impersonal / Personal Passive
Exercises
 People say that the Japanese work harder than
anybody else.
 People think that Chinatown is a lively
neighbourhood.
 People consider that the British are very polite.
 Some thought that he took advantage of his political
situation.
Impersonal / Personal Passive Key
 It is said that the Japanese work harder than anybody else.
 The Japanese are said to work harder than anybody else.
 It is thought that Chinatown is a lively neighbourhood.
 Chinatown is thought to be a lively neighbourhood.
 It is considered that the British are very polite.
 The British are considered to be very polite.
 It was thought that he took advantage of his political
situation.
 He was thought to have taken advantage of his political
situation.