What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to report what people say or believe using impersonal passive structures.
When do I use it?
When you want to report a general belief, rumour or fact without saying exactly who believes it, use the passive with verbs like say, believe, think, know, report, consider:
- "It is said that the company is expanding."
- "The town is known for its festivals."
- "He is believed to be innocent."
The doer is unknown, obvious or irrelevant — what matters is the claim itself.
How do I form it?
It + is/are + past participle + that + clause subject + is/are + past participle + to + verb
- It is believed that the project will finish early.
- It is reported that prices are rising.
- The film is said to be very good.
- They are thought to be the best team.
There are two patterns: "It is said that..." (followed by a clause) and "subject is said to..." (followed by an infinitive).
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
Spanish uses "se dice que" / "se cree que" naturally, so the "It is said that..." pattern is easy. The trap is the second pattern: Spanish keeps the subjunctive ("se dice que sea bueno"), so "It is said the film to be good" or "the film is said that is good" appear. Use either "It is said that the film is good" OR "The film is said to be good" — never mix them.
It + is said/believed/reported + that + clause, or subject + is said + to + verb. Choose one pattern.
Practice
Multiple Choice
B2Which sentence is correct?
Fill in the Blank
B2It is that the company will grow.
Hint: It + is + past participle + that + clause.
Find the Error
B2Sentence Transformation
B2Task: Rewrite with the passive reporting structure
Hint: subject + is said + to be.
Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: B2