What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to use the personal passive "subject + is believed to..." as an alternative to "It is believed that...".
When do I use it?
When you want to make the person or thing the subject of the sentence, use "subject + is/are + believed/said/thought/reported + to + verb". It is more direct than "It is believed that..." and very common in news and formal writing:
- "The minister is said to have resigned."
- "They are believed to be hiding abroad."
- "The painting is thought to be a fake."
How do I form it?
subject + is/are + believed/said/thought/reported + to + base verb ... + to have + past participle (for past beliefs)
- He is believed to earn a million a year.
- The team is said to be improving.
- She is thought to have left the country.
- Two people are reported to have died.
For a belief about the past, use "to have + past participle": "The thief is believed to have escaped at night."
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
The tricky part is the infinitive after "to": Spanish would say "se cree que se fue" → speakers write "is believed that he left". In the personal passive, the subject moves to the front and "that" disappears: "He is believed to have left". Remember the tense shift: for past events, "to have + participle", not "to + past simple". Keep "to" — "is believed live here" is wrong.
subject + is believed to + verb (present) / to have + participle (past). No "that".
Practice
Multiple Choice
B2Which sentence is correct?
Fill in the Blank
B2The singer is said earn millions.
Hint: subject + is said + to + verb.
Find the Error
B2Sentence Transformation
B2Task: Rewrite with the personal passive
Hint: subject + are believed + to have + participle.
Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: B2