1. Why the sentence needs a dummy subject
An ordinary English declarative clause needs a subject. When the source of an opinion is not the subject, formal it can fill that position: It is believed that… It does not name a particular item; the content of the belief appears in the subordinate clause.
Compare Some analysts believe that demand will fall, with a named source, and It is believed that demand will fall, where the source is omitted and the belief itself becomes the focus. This is a distinct construction with its own structure, rather than a shortened version of the first sentence.
It is believed that flexible schedules boost staff morale.
It is believed that flexible schedules boost staff morale.
It does not refer to a particular person. The people who hold the belief remain unnamed.
It was reported that the flight had been delayed for several hours.
It was reported that the flight had been delayed for several hours.
The source of the report, such as the airline or airport, is not named. The sentence reports that the information was reported.
2. The exact construction
The basic pattern is dummy it + a passive reporting verb + a clause giving the content. Formal writing commonly introduces that clause with that. That can be omitted in some uses, as in It is said she knows, but this lesson practises the full pattern.
The form of be changes with the time reference, while the participle stays the same: is estimated, was estimated, has been estimated and will be estimated all retain estimated.
V3 means the past participle: reported, believed or shown. Is, was, has been and will be locate the passive reporting in time; the time of the event inside the that-clause is determined separately.
it + is/was/has been/will be + past participle + that + subject and predicate of the subordinate clause
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- V3 / past participle —
- The third verb form: worked, gone, seen. Used after have/has or in the passive, for example; it is not always the same as V2.
- clause —
- A construction with a verb, often with its own subject: when I arrived. A non-finite clause may leave the subject unspoken: to get home.
It is estimated that the renovation project will take two years.
It is estimated that the renovation project will take two years.
Present passive is estimated presents a current estimate.
It has been shown that short breaks restore concentration.
It has been shown that short breaks restore concentration.
Has been shown presents a conclusion as an established result relevant now. The reliability and limits of that conclusion depend on the evidence, not on the Present Perfect itself.
It will be argued in this report that the current system is inefficient.
It will be argued in this report that the current system is inefficient.
Future passive will be argued announces an argument the author will develop later in the report.
3. Choosing a reporting verb
Not every passive verb fits this pattern. It uses verbs of speech, thought or perception, including believe, think, argue, claim, suggest, estimate, report, acknowledge, assume, understand, expect, consider, show, reveal, note, feel, accept, confirm, find, recognise and rumour. Each conveys a different source or character of the claim.
Believe and think convey an opinion; estimate an assessment; report a report; acknowledge an admission; and assume an assumption. Suggest can introduce a proposal or a tentative conclusion. Show and reveal present content as established by evidence, but the words alone do not guarantee truth.
It is acknowledged that the initial estimate was too optimistic.
It is acknowledged that the initial estimate was too optimistic.
Acknowledge conveys recognition of an already known shortcoming, rather than a newly proposed opinion.
It is suggested that further research is needed before any changes are made.
It is suggested that further research is needed before any changes are made.
Suggest cautiously introduces the conclusion that research is needed. It is not necessarily a direct command.
It is assumed that all participants have read the safety instructions.
It is assumed that all participants have read the safety instructions.
Assume presents an assumption without direct confirmation, unlike know or confirm.
4. Adverbs of extent, emphasis and hedging
Widely, generally, increasingly, commonly and largely often come before the participle: is widely believed, has been widely reported. Other positions can be possible, but may change which part of the sentence the adverb modifies.
Widely believed means many people share the belief; increasingly recognised means recognition is growing over time; generally accepted describes broad, near-consensus acceptance.
It is generally understood that first impressions form within seconds.
It is generally understood that first impressions form within seconds.
Generally immediately precedes understood, rather than it.
It is increasingly recognised that hybrid work is here to stay.
It is increasingly recognised that hybrid work is here to stay.
Increasingly describes recognition changing over time, rather than a fixed fact.
5. Negation and its scope
Formally, not in is believed negates the existence of the belief, whereas not inside the that-clause negates its content. In ordinary use, It isn't believed that… is also often understood as a belief that something is not so, through negative raising. If the distinction matters, spell out the position clearly.
Believed and estimated are part of a passive chain with be, so use isn't, is not or wasn't to make it negative. Do not use auxiliary do: doesn't believed and didn't reported are not grammatical verb chains.
It isn't believed that the delay will affect the launch date.
It isn't believed that the delay will affect the launch date.
The formal negation applies to is believed. Context often also conveys a belief that the delay will not affect the date. State the position explicitly if ambiguity matters.
It is believed that the delay will not affect the launch date.
It is believed that the delay will not affect the launch date.
The reporting of the belief remains affirmative. The content of the that-clause is negative.
6. Register: when to choose this construction
Impersonal passives are common in reports, news and academic writing. The same content can have a named source: Analysts think…; The report states… Conversation also commonly uses people think or some say.
A named source is entirely suitable in a formal report and often makes it more precise. Choose active or passive according to the intended focus, rather than a supposed ban on personal subjects.
People think the new manager is very strict.
People think the new manager is very strict.
This conversational pattern has an expressed, though general, subject: people.
It is thought that the new manager maintains high standards.
It is thought that the new manager maintains high standards.
This is a more formal construction, but the content has changed too: maintains high standards does not mean exactly very strict. A precise transformation must retain the original description.
7. Neighbouring it-constructions
It also appears in two other constructions in this topic. It + adjective + that/to, as in It is likely that… or It is important to…, contains an adjective, not a passive reporting verb. It evaluates likelihood or importance rather than reporting an opinion. That rule is not practised here.
Cleft it, as in It was the finance team that raised the concern, does a different job: it focuses or contrasts part of a sentence instead of leaving an opinion's source unnamed. These constructions are covered in neighbouring rules in the topic.
A third related structure offers another way to express the content: X is believed to be Y instead of It is believed that X is Y. X itself becomes the subject rather than dummy it. Compare the two frames to decide how to arrange the information.
It is likely that the meeting will be postponed.
It is likely that the meeting will be postponed.
Likely is an adjective, not a passive reporting verb. This belongs to another rule in the topic.
It was the finance team that raised the concern.
It was the finance team that raised the concern.
The cleft highlights the finance team. It does not omit the source of a belief.
The bridge is believed to have been constructed in the 1920s.
The bridge is believed to have been constructed in the 1920s.
The same content is expressed without dummy it. The bridge becomes the subject, and believed takes the infinitive to have been constructed.
8. Why leave the source unnamed?
In scientific or journalistic writing, an author may report an opinion, estimate or rumour without naming its source because there are many sources, the source is unofficial, the author distances themselves from responsibility for the claim, or the content matters more than who holds the view.
The passive permits omission of a source, but does not determine the report's honesty or reliability. If the source matters, add it, as in It is believed by some economists that…, or use an active sentence.
It has been reported that the company plans to relocate its headquarters.
It has been reported that the company plans to relocate its headquarters.
The source is unnamed. The grammar alone does not explain why it was omitted or how important it is.
It is felt among staff that the new policy is unfair.
It is felt among staff that the new policy is unfair.
Among staff identifies a group rather than particular people. The sentence does not tell us whether a survey took place or how the opinions were collected.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:It is believe that remote work increases productivity.
Correct:It is believed that remote work increases productivity.
The impersonal passive needs the participle believed after is. It believes can be grammatical when it refers to a particular institution or other entity capable of believing; that is a different construction.
Incorrect:It has been widely report that inflation will slow next year.
Correct:It has been widely reported that inflation will slow next year.
The perfect passive has been needs the past participle reported, not the base form report. Widely between been and reported does not change that requirement.
Incorrect:It is widely assume that the policy will fail.
Correct:It is widely assumed that the policy will fail.
After is or was in this passive, use the participle assumed rather than the base form assume.
Incorrect:Is believed that the new vaccine reduces transmission significantly.
Correct:It is believed that the new vaccine reduces transmission significantly.
This impersonal declarative needs dummy it before is believed. This is not a general ban on clauses without an expressed subject, such as imperatives.
Incorrect:It doesn't believed that the treaty will be signed this year.
Correct:It isn't believed that the treaty will be signed this year.
Believed belongs to a passive with be, so form its negative with isn't or is not. Auxiliary do instead requires a base verb form and does not build this passive.
Incorrect:The results are believed that they are accurate.
Correct:It is believed that the results are accurate.
The impersonal frame with believed that needs dummy it. If the results becomes the subject, use the distinct infinitive frame are believed to be accurate, rather than mixing the two as are believed that.