English Impersonal Passive Forms

Common verbs used in impersonal passive forms You will use passive forms in essay writing. Present Be ". To have been. To have left. To have deserted. To be waiting. To have been working. To be stolen. To have been killed. Let us practise.

Active: They say (that) the man is a thief.Passive 1: It’s said that the man is a thief.Passive 2: The man is said to be a thief.Simple Present Clause:

Active: We understand that he dislikes children.Passive 1: It’s understood that he dislikes children.Passive 2: He is understood to dislike children.Past "Be":

Active: They say that he was very rich in the past.Passive 1: It’s said that he was rich in the past.Passive 2: He is said to have been very rich in the past.Simple Past Clause :

Active: People claim that he left the country two months ago.Passive 1: It’s claimed that he left the country two months ago.Passive 2: He is claimed to have left the country two months ago.

Active: People think that he has deserted his family.Passive 1: It’s thought that he has deserted his family.Passive 2: He is thought to have deserted his family.Present Continuous Clause :

Active: We think he is waiting there now.Passive 1: It’s thought that he is waiting there now.Passive 2: He is thought to be waiting there now.Past Continuous Clause :