Two time references
First ask when the report or belief exists. Is/are believed refers to the present; was/were believed to the past. Separately establish whether the described state or action coincides with that point, precedes it or is expected later.
These parts do not mechanically require the same tense. An infinitive does not change for person; its form relates the content to a time point established by context.
subject + is/are/was/were + reporting participle + 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.
- infinitive —
- The base verb form. With to: to work; without to: work. The pattern determines whether to is needed.
The guide is believed to have left before dawn.
The guide is believed to have left before dawn.
A present belief about an earlier event: is and to have left combine correctly.
The guide was believed to have left before dawn.
The guide was believed to have left before dawn.
The departure preceded the past belief. The sentence alone does not say what is believed now.
A state at the reporting time
Simple to be or to + base verb often expresses a state or habitual activity simultaneous with the belief. Do not automatically add have after was: was already supplies past reporting time.
To have been places the state earlier than the selected reference point. It changes meaning rather than universally correcting to be.
In April, the office was believed to be empty.
In April, the office was believed to be empty.
The office was empty at the time of the April assessment.
In April, the office was believed to have been empty in March.
In April, the office was believed to have been empty in March.
The assessment was in April and the state in the earlier March, requiring a perfect infinitive.
An earlier completed action
To have + V3 presents an action as earlier. Today’s report can concern yesterday; yesterday’s report can concern an event earlier still.
Use have after to, not has or had. A past participle follows: have taken, have written, have gone.
to have + V3
- 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.
The parcel is reported to have arrived on Monday.
The parcel is reported to have arrived on Monday.
The report is current; arrival has already occurred.
On Tuesday, the parcel was reported to have arrived on Monday.
On Tuesday, the parcel was reported to have arrived on Monday.
Arrival preceded the past report. Have does not become had after was.
A process now or then; an earlier continuing process
To be + -ing emphasises a process at the relevant time: is thought to be working concerns work now; was thought to be working concerns work then.
To have been + -ing combines anteriority and duration. The task context explicitly identifies the period. Distinguish have been waiting from have been tired: tired describes a state, waiting a process.
to be + V-ing / to have been + V-ing
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- V-ing / -ing —
- The verb form ending in -ing: working, going. Its role depends on the construction.
At noon, the team was said to be testing the lift.
At noon, the team was said to be testing the lift.
Testing is in progress at the time of that report.
At noon, the team was said to have been testing the lift all morning.
At noon, the team was said to have been testing the lift all morning.
The prolonged process started before the noon report; the earlier morning is in focus.
Future time with expected and limits of a short formula
A simple infinitive does not mean “always now”. Expected often points it towards the future: a present expectation of a later event. With was expected, the future event is viewed from a past point.
Even a perfect infinitive can express completion by a future deadline, such as by Friday. Do not identify time from have alone; read the full context.
The new library is expected to open next month.
The new library is expected to open next month.
To open concerns the future although the infinitive is simple.
On Monday, the train was expected to arrive on Tuesday.
On Monday, the train was expected to arrive on Tuesday.
Arrival is later than the past expectation; the actual outcome is unknown.
The team is expected to have finished by Friday.
The team is expected to have finished by Friday.
Have finished means completion by a future deadline here, rather than by today.
The same information with It is/was reported that
The it + passive verb + that pattern retains a full subordinate clause with its own subject and tense. When converting to subject + passive + infinitive, preserve both time references.
Not every verb allows both patterns. Said, believed, thought, reported and expected allow subject + to-infinitive. Do not mechanically transfer announced or suggested to that pattern; retain it ... that for them here.
It is reported that the bridge collapsed last night.
It is reported that the bridge collapsed last night.
This present report of a past event can also be The bridge is reported to have collapsed last night.
It was suggested that the meeting should start later.
It was suggested that the meeting should start later.
Suggested requires another pattern here, rather than mechanical The meeting was suggested to start later.
Reporting a belief does not prove a fact
Said, believed and alleged mark information as reported or believed true. Do not turn them into a guarantee of truth when paraphrasing. Known is stronger, so do not replace believed with it without justification.
Was believed does not itself mean “now disproved”. State any change from new evidence separately. Do not remove an important source such as by the inspectors or according to the report.
The file was believed to be missing, and that is still the current view.
The file was believed to be missing, and that is still the current view.
The past form is compatible with an unchanged present assessment.
The painting is believed by the museum team to have arrived in 1980.
The painting is believed by the museum team to have arrived in 1980.
The belief’s source is preserved; believed has not become known.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:The driver is believed to has left.
Correct:The driver is believed to have left.
To requires base-form have regardless of singular driver.
Incorrect:The guests were reported to have went home.
Correct:The guests were reported to have gone home.
Have requires participle gone, not past-form went.
Incorrect:The engineer was thought to working upstairs.
Correct:The engineer was thought to be working upstairs.
The progressive infinitive needs be before -ing.
Incorrect:The team is said to have been work all night.
Correct:The team is said to have been working all night.
The perfect progressive infinitive requires working after have been.
Sources
- Martin Hewings — Advanced Grammar in Use, 4th ed., Unit 25, pp. 50–51 (original source review: official Cambridge PDF; full unit read)
- Martin Hewings — Advanced Grammar in Use, Unit 32 (original source review: full unit in an open PubHTML5 copy)
- British Council — Advanced passives review (original source review: full explanation read through a comment page)
- Cambridge English Grammar Today — Perfect infinitive
- EF — Perfect continuous infinitive (original source review: full article on form and an earlier process read)