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We use reporting structures with reporting

verbs such as said, thought, believed,


claimed, reported, suggested. The
speaker in passive reporting structures is
often unknown or unimportant. Passive
reporting structures are also used when
someone wishes to remain anonymous.

It + be + past participle of reporting


verb + (that) clause

People say (that) there is plenty of oil off our


own coast. (Active voice)
It is said (that) there is plenty of oil off our
own coast. (Passive voice)

Paul agreed (that) he would come and see


us again the next day. (Active voice)
It was agreed (that) he would come and
see us again the next day.

Somebody rumoured (that) he had been


sentenced to life imprisonment.
It was rumoured (that) he had been
sentenced to life imprisonment.

He/She/They + be + past participle of


reporting verb + infinitive (to infinitive or
perfect infinitive as appropriate)

People say she is unhappy here.


She is said to be unhappy here.

Somebody has rumoured (that) they are dating


out.
They are rumoured to be dating out.
People believed they stole over a million pounds.
They were believed to have stolen over a
million pounds.
Everybody thinks she will get her degree quite
soon.
She is thought to get her degree quite soon.

B) There is a group of transitive verbs which


can have a complement after their object
(the object complement). When these verbs
are used in the passive, the complement is
put immediately after the verb:

People elected him President in August.


D.O. O.C.
In August, he was elected President.
S
Cs

C. In some cases, the object of a preposition


is moved into subject position, as in:

Herbert Hoover slept in this bed. (active


voice)
This bed was slept in by Herbert Hoover.
(passive voice)

fly - run - stand - walk

The goods will be flown to England


tomorrow.
Special means of transport will be run next
weekend.
Some more pieces of wood should be
stood in the chimney.
My dog is usually walked twice a week.

a. SEE + SOMEBODY + DO + SOMETHING


We saw the girl enter the old building.
The girl was seen to enter the old building.
b. MAKE + SOMEBODY + DO +
SOMETHING
The teacher made the students read the
poem aloud.
The students were made to read the poem
aloud (by the teacher)

c. LET + SOMEBODY + DO +
SOMETHING
Pauls father let him drive his new car.
Paul was allowed to drive his fathers new
car.
d. STEAL
Somebody stole Mrs. Parkers gold bracelet.
Mrs. Parkers gold bracelet was stolen.
Mrs. Parker was robbed of her gold bracelet.

Not all transitive verbs can occur in the


passive in certain cases. For example, the
passive is not possible for many idioms in
which the verb and the object form a close
unit.
The ship set sail.
*Sail was set (by the ship)
We changed trains.
*Trains were changed.

The king possessed great wealth.


*Great wealth was possessed by the king.

The jar holds water.


*Water is held in the jar.

The bottle contains water.


*Water is contained in the bottle.

Those shoes do not fit me.


*I am not fit by those shoes.

I have a cat.
*A cat is had by me.

The police held the thief.


The thief was held by the police.

The police contain the crowd.


The crowd is contained by the police.

The enemy soon possessed the city.


The city was soon possessed by the enemy.

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