Two ways to present the same idea
Passive reporting constructions convey what other people say, believe or report. They do not turn a rumour into a proven fact.
Impersonal It is said (that)… introduces the report as a whole. Beginning with a person or thing is useful when they are already being discussed. This is a choice about text organisation, not an absolute prohibition of the other option.
It is believed that the island is uninhabited.
It is believed that the island is uninhabited.
The report as a whole is central; the source is unnamed.
The island is believed to be uninhabited.
The island is believed to be uninhabited.
The same belief is presented as a report about the island. The subject need not be a person.
Do not mix the two frames
An impersonal frame is followed by a subordinate clause with its own subject and verb. That can often be omitted; including it makes the clause boundary easier to see.
When the person or thing being reported becomes the subject, put a to-infinitive after the passive verb. Do not add that plus a repeated subject.
It + be + reporting V3 + (that) + subject + verb ↔ subject + be + reporting V3 + to-infinitive
- 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.
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- 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.
- infinitive —
- The base verb form. With to: to work; without to: work. The pattern determines whether to is needed.
It is said the café serves breakfast.
It is said the café serves breakfast.
Omitting that does not make the sentence incorrect.
The café is said to serve breakfast.
The café is said to serve breakfast.
After is said, use to serve, not that it serves.
The topic need not be a person
To continue discussing an object already mentioned, place it or its pronoun first. The impersonal version is also grammatical but introduces the report differently.
An exercise may request a particular opening to practise a specific perspective. Not using that opening fails the condition, but is not necessarily a grammatical error.
The old tunnel needs repairs. It is believed to be unstable.
The old tunnel needs repairs. It is believed to be unstable.
It in the second sentence refers to the tunnel: it is a referential subject before to be, not impersonal it.
It is believed that the old tunnel is unstable.
It is believed that the old tunnel is unstable.
Here it is impersonal; the full content is in the subordinate clause.
The time of the report and the time of the event
Is/are or was/were shows when a report or belief exists. The infinitive gives the event’s time relative to the report: to work for a state or usual action, to be working for a process, and to have worked for an earlier action. A simple infinitive can also refer to the future: is expected to open tomorrow expresses an expected opening tomorrow. The reporting verb and context establish the perspective.
Do not move a past report into the present when restructuring. If the object underwent an earlier action, use to have been + V3.
It was believed that Lena was working abroad.
It was believed that Lena was working abroad.
A past belief about a simultaneous process: Lena was believed to be working abroad.
The mural is thought to have been painted in 1980.
The mural is thought to have been painted in 1980.
The belief exists now; the painting happened earlier. The mural receives the action, so use have been painted.
Verb compatibility and accurate meaning
Say, believe, think, report, estimate and expect allow both frames in suitable meanings. Not all reporting verbs behave alike: do not mechanically transfer announce or suggest into subject + passive + to-infinitive.
When paraphrasing, retain who is being discussed, who expresses the opinion, negation and numbers. Do not add widely, certainty or universal agreement if they were absent.
It was announced that the office would close.
It was announced that the office would close.
Do not turn announce into the frame The office was announced to close.
According to the survey, the route is believed to be safe.
According to the survey, the route is believed to be safe.
The source is retained; believed does not mean the safety is proven.
How to make your own choice
First identify the content and source. Then choose the sentence topic. Check verb compatibility, be agreement and temporal relationships.
An active version is often natural in conversation. If the task specifically requires passive reporting, an active version may convey the meaning correctly but does not practise the required construction.
People say the market opens at six.
People say the market opens at six.
A natural active version, not a language error.
The market is said to open at six.
The market is said to open at six.
A passive report about the market; the meaning remains without invented details.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:The station is believed that it is closed.
Correct:The station is believed to be closed.
The subject station already belongs to the infinitive frame; that it is incorrectly mixes the two constructions.
Incorrect:It is report that the train has arrived.
Correct:It is reported that the train has arrived.
After is in a passive, use the third form reported.
Incorrect:The repairs is expected to take a week.
Correct:The repairs are expected to take a week.
The plural subject repairs requires are.
Incorrect:Maya is thought to have wrote the guide.
Correct:Maya is thought to have written the guide.
After to have, use the third form written, not wrote.
Incorrect:The team is said to working late.
Correct:The team is said to be working late.
For a process, the infinitive is to be working; be cannot be omitted.