Advanced Impersonal and Reporting Passive Voice
When you watch a news report or read an academic paper, you rarely see phrases like "A reporter said that the stock market will crash" or "Scientists believe that the earth is warming." Instead, you see: "It is reported that the stock market will crash," or "The earth is believed to be warming." This formal, objective style is achieved using the Impersonal and Reporting Passive Voice.
The standard passive voice (be + past participle) shifts focus from the "doer" to the "receiver." The impersonal and reporting passive takes this a step further by using specific reporting verbs to state beliefs, claims, or known facts formally, without attributing them to a specific person.
1. The Impersonal Passive with 'It'
This structure uses the empty pronoun "It" as a placeholder subject to report general statements or beliefs.
Structure: It + passive reporting verb + that-clause
✅ It is widely believed that regular exercise improves mental health.
✅ It was reported that the CEO had resigned.
Common reporting verbs used in this structure include: believe, say, know, think, report, claim, allege, assume, expect, fear, find, understand, consider, estimate, suggest.
2. The Personal Passive (Raised Subject)
Instead of starting with "It," you can take the subject of the that-clause and make it the subject of the main sentence. This is highly common in journalistic writing.
Structure: Subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive
✅ The suspect is believed to be hiding in Chennai. (Active: Police believe the suspect is hiding in Chennai.)
✅ Scientists are said to have discovered a new element.
Past Reference in Raised Subjects
If the action in the infinitive clause happened before the reporting verb, you must use the perfect infinitive (to have + past participle).
✅ She is reported to have resigned from her position yesterday.
3. The 'Get' Passive
While the "be" passive is formal, the "get" passive (get + past participle) is much more informal. It is often used for accidents, sudden events, or unplanned outcomes.
✅ He got fired after missing the deadline. (Informal/sudden)
✅ She got promoted unexpectedly.
| Type | Tone | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Be Passive | Formal, objective, academic | The window was broken during the storm. |
| Get Passive | Informal, conversational, accidental | The window got broken during the storm. |
4. IELTS Task 1 & Academic Writing
Mastering these structures is critical for IELTS Academic Task 1 (describing processes or maps) and Task 2 essays. Using phrases like "It is often argued that..." or "The population is estimated to reach..." instantly elevates your grammatical range and score.
5. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Do not confuse the impersonal "it" with a real pronoun referring to an object.
❌ He is said that he is a genius.
✅ It is said that he is a genius. OR He is said to be a genius.
Be careful with tenses when raising the subject.
❌ She is reported to resign yesterday.
✅ She is reported to have resigned yesterday. (Action happened in the past)
✏️ Quick Practice — Reporting Passives
- Convert to impersonal passive: People think that the economy will recover soon. -> It...
- Convert to personal passive (raised subject): They say that Virat is the best player. -> Virat...
- Identify the correct tense: The thief is believed _____ (to escape / to have escaped) last night.
Answers: 1. It is thought that the economy will recover soon. | 2. Virat is said to be the best player. | 3. to have escaped
Summary
- Use It is [verb]ed that... for formal, objective statements.
- Use Subject is [verb]ed to [verb]... to focus on the person or thing being discussed.
- Use to have + past participle if the action happened before the reporting time.
- Use the get passive for informal, accidental events.