The Passive with Reporting Verbs: It Is Said That… Structures

English speakers often discuss rumors or widely held beliefs by using passive constructions with reporting verbs, which allows them to present information without citing a specific source. This technique is particularly useful for making statements sound more formal, objective, or authoritative. For example, phrases like "It is said that..." or "She is believed to..." enable speakers to convey information that is commonly accepted or rumored, while maintaining a sense of neutrality and avoiding direct attribution. Such structures are frequently found in news reports, academic writing, and everyday conversation.

Form and use of the reporting passive

Reporting passives are widely used in English to introduce information without stating the specific source. They’re especially common in news, academic writing, and formal contexts. This structure allows speakers and writers to focus on the information or belief itself, rather than the person expressing it. In these passive sentences, verbs like say, believe, report, think, and expect are frequently used.

Common Patterns

There are two main patterns for reporting passives:

• It + passive reporting verb + that-clause
  Example: It is said that the company will expand soon.
• Subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive
  Example: The company is said to be expanding soon.

Typical Reporting Verbs

A variety of verbs can be used in these constructions. Here are some of the most common:

• say
• think
• believe
• report
• expect
• know
• consider
• suppose
• understand
• allege
• claim
• estimate
• assume
• find
• hope
• fear
• feel
• rumor

When to Use Reporting Passives

These structures are preferred when the origin of the information is unknown, unimportant, or meant to be impersonal. They’re also useful for summarizing public opinion, research findings, or news reports.

Key Points

• Use the reporting passive to remove focus from the person or group giving the information.
• The it + passive verb + that structure is more formal and common in written English.
• The subject + passive verb + to-infinitive form is concise and often used in headlines or summaries.
• Choose the verb tense in the infinitive to match the original meaning (e.g., to be, to have been).

Overall, these passive forms are a practical way to present information with a neutral, objective tone. They help writers and speakers share facts, opinions, or rumors without attributing them directly, which can be especially useful in formal or academic contexts.

Patterns with say, believe, expect, report

Understanding how to use reporting verbs like "say," "believe," "expect," and "report" in passive structures helps you make your English more formal and objective. These verbs often appear in academic writing, news reporting, and formal statements to express information without specifying the source directly.

Common Passive Patterns

The two main passive constructions with these verbs are:

• It is said that… (or believed/expected/reported): Used to present information impersonally.
• Subject + is said to… (or believed/expected/reported): Shifts focus to the subject of the following clause.

Examples of Usage

These structures allow you to report information or opinions in a neutral way:

• It is said that the company will expand next year.
• The company is said to be expanding next year.
• It is believed that the painting is over 500 years old.
• The painting is believed to be over 500 years old.
• It is expected that prices will rise soon.
• Prices are expected to rise soon.
• It is reported that the bridge is unsafe.
• The bridge is reported to be unsafe.
• It is thought that she speaks six languages.
• She is thought to speak six languages.
• It is known that the law has changed.
• The law is known to have changed.
• It is understood that negotiations are ongoing.
• Negotiations are understood to be ongoing.
• It is alleged that the suspect left the country.
• The suspect is alleged to have left the country.
• It is hoped that the weather will improve.
• The weather is hoped to improve.

Comparing the Two Structures

The two forms often mean the same thing, but the second pattern is more concise and commonly used in news headlines or formal writing. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the information (using "It is said that…") or the subject (using "Subject + is said to…").

Verb Forms in the Passive

Note that when using the passive with reporting verbs, the verb form after "to" changes depending on the tense or aspect you want to express:

• To be + present participle: "is said to be moving"
• To have + past participle: "is believed to have left"
• To have been + past participle: "is thought to have been completed"

Using these passive patterns effectively lets you present information in a more formal and objective manner, which is especially useful in academic, journalistic, and professional contexts.

It is said that vs he is said to

Understanding the difference between “It is said that…” and “He is said to…” helps you use passive reporting verbs more naturally in English. Both structures are used to report information when the original source is unknown or unimportant, but they are not always interchangeable. The choice depends on sentence structure, the subject, and the flow of information.

When to Use Each Structure

“It is said that…” introduces a clause and is followed by a full sentence. This pattern is often used when the subject is not specified or when you want to focus on the information itself rather than the person or thing involved. In contrast, “He is said to…” (and similar forms: “She is believed to…”, “The building is thought to…”) puts the person or thing as the subject and uses an infinitive verb, making the sentence more direct and concise.

• It is said that the castle is haunted. (Focus on the information)
• The castle is said to be haunted. (Focus on the castle)
• It is believed that she speaks five languages.
• She is believed to speak five languages.
• It is reported that the company will expand.
• The company is reported to be expanding.
• It is thought that the painting is valuable.
• The painting is thought to be valuable.
• It is expected that prices will rise.
• Prices are expected to rise.
• It is known that the author lives in Paris.
• The author is known to live in Paris.

Key Differences and Usage Tips

The “It is said that…” construction is more formal and common in written English, especially in news reports or academic writing. “He is said to…” is more concise and often preferred in spoken English or headlines. Additionally, the infinitive structure (“is said to…”) allows for more complex tenses using “to have + past participle” for past events (e.g., “He is said to have left the country”).

Side-by-Side Comparison

Summary

Choosing between these two passive reporting structures depends on what you want to emphasize: the information itself, or the person or thing involved. Both forms are useful for indirect and objective statements, especially when the original source is unknown or irrelevant.

Advantages in academic and news writing

Using passive constructions with reporting verbs—such as "it is said that," "it has been reported that," or "it is believed that"—offers a range of benefits for writers in scholarly and journalistic contexts. These structures help maintain objectivity, distance the author from the claim, and allow a focus on information rather than the source.

Objectivity and Impartiality

Writers often choose passive forms to avoid attributing opinions directly. This is especially valuable when the source of information is unclear or when the writer wishes to present information neutrally. For example, "It is claimed that the results are inconclusive" sounds less biased than "Researchers claim the results are inconclusive."

Emphasizing Information Over the Source

In academic papers and news articles, the central message or fact is often more important than who stated it. Passive reporting verbs let the writer foreground the information itself. This is useful when summarizing research, discussing controversial topics, or presenting widely held beliefs.

• It is believed that climate change will impact agriculture.
• It has been reported that the policy will change next year.
• It is estimated that the population will double by 2050.
• It is understood that negotiations are ongoing.
• It is assumed that the data are reliable.
• It was suggested that more research is needed.
• It is thought that the species is extinct.
• It is rumored that a new law is coming.
• It is known that the experiment failed.
• It is expected that the results will be published soon.
• It was announced that the event is postponed.
• It is feared that the disease will spread.
• It is hoped that progress will continue.
• It is agreed that the findings are significant.
• It has been confirmed that the document is authentic.

Comparison: Direct vs Passive Reporting

The passive with reporting verbs can subtly shift the tone and focus. Here’s a comparison:

Managing Uncertainty and Attribution

Writers frequently employ these structures to handle information that is unverified, speculative, or based on consensus rather than direct evidence. This approach helps avoid legal or ethical risk and clearly signals to readers that the statement is not the author's original claim.

Summary

In sum, using passive reporting verbs enables more formal, cautious, and balanced writing. It suits genres where neutrality and clarity are priorities, such as academic research, journalistic reporting, and formal documentation.

Avoiding unclear or overused passives

When using passive constructions with reporting verbs, clarity and variety are important. Although forms like “It is said that…” or “He is believed to…” sound formal and impersonal, they can become vague or repetitive if not used thoughtfully. Overusing these structures may make your writing distant, wordy, or hard to follow, especially if the agent (the person who said or did something) is never mentioned.

When passives with reporting verbs cause problems

Frequent reliance on impersonal passives can lead to sentences that feel disconnected or ambiguous. For example, “It is claimed that the project will succeed” leaves the reader wondering who claims this. While this is sometimes useful (when the agent is unknown or unimportant), it’s best not to default to this style in every situation.

Clearer alternatives: Making your writing more direct

Instead of always using impersonal structures, consider these approaches:

• Name the source: “Experts say the project will succeed.”
• Use direct speech or attribution: “The spokesperson announced, ‘The project will succeed.’”
• Choose active voice with reporting verbs: “Many believe the project will succeed.”
• Be specific about groups or individuals: “The committee has stated that the project will succeed.”

Common pitfalls with passive reporting forms

Writers often fall into these traps when overusing impersonal passives:

• Using them repeatedly in one paragraph, leading to monotony
• Failing to identify the agent, resulting in unclear meaning
• Adding unnecessary length: “It is thought that…” instead of “People think…”
• Sounding overly formal or detached from the subject matter

Comparing passive and active reporting styles

Below is a comparison of passive and active reporting verb structures. Notice how active forms are often shorter and more engaging.

In summary, knowing when to use passive reporting verbs—and when to avoid them—will help your writing stay precise, engaging, and easy to read.

Practice: rewrite texts using reporting passives

Mastering the use of reporting passive structures helps you sound more objective and formal in English. Below, you’ll find exercises and examples that encourage you to transform active statements with reporting verbs into passive forms, particularly the “It is said that…” and “He is believed to…” patterns. This practice will help you develop flexibility in expressing reported information.

Rewrite the Sentences

Change each of the following active statements into a passive structure using a reporting verb (such as say, believe, think, report, expect, know, consider, claim, estimate, allege, suppose, understand).

1. People say that the company will launch a new product next year.
2. Experts believe that the painting is a genuine Picasso.
3. They report that the weather will improve tomorrow.
4. Many think that the plan is too risky.
5. Journalists claim that the actor has moved abroad.
6. Some estimate that the population will double by 2050.
7. They allege that the official accepted bribes.
8. Authorities consider the building unsafe.
9. Everyone expects that the results will be announced soon.
10. People suppose that she knows the answer.

Patterns with Reporting Passive Structures

Here are some common verbs used in reporting passives, along with example passive structures for each:

• say: It is said that… / X is said to…
• believe: It is believed that… / X is believed to…
• think: It is thought that… / X is thought to…
• report: It is reported that… / X is reported to…
• expect: It is expected that… / X is expected to…
• know: It is known that… / X is known to…
• consider: It is considered that… / X is considered to…
• claim: It is claimed that… / X is claimed to…
• estimate: It is estimated that… / X is estimated to…
• allege: It is alleged that… / X is alleged to…
• suppose: It is supposed that… / X is supposed to…
• understand: It is understood that… / X is understood to…

Spot the Reporting Passive

Identify which sentences below use a reporting passive structure:

• The city is known for its museums.
• It is believed that the treasure was hidden centuries ago.
• The chef cooked a delicious meal.
• She is said to speak six languages.
• It is thought that the document is authentic.
• They are reported to have left early.
• The garden was designed by professionals.
• He is expected to win the award.
• The company announced new regulations.
• It is understood that negotiations will continue.
• The book was written in the 19th century.
• She is rumored to be moving abroad.

Transforming Direct to Passive: Comparison Table

See how direct (active) reporting changes to passive forms: