It is said that…, he is thought to… (passive reporting): B2 ESL grammar lesson (PDF)

What's in the lesson

1Warm-up
2Reading: gold under the kitchen floorReading comprehension
3What does it mean?Grammar exercise
4Now or earlier?Grammar exercise
5Passive reportingGrammar rule
6Choose the right formGrammar exercise
7Say it the other wayGrammar exercise
8Build the sentencesGrammar exercise
9Say it naturallySpeaking practice
10The evening newsSpeaking practice
11About youGrammar exercise
12Wrap-up

Homework

1Homework: a bear at the mallGrammar exercise
2Homework: which is right?Grammar exercise
3Homework: a news storyDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

Have you ever found something valuable or surprising in an old house, a book or a pocket?
Are there any legends or mysteries in your family or your town?
What kind of news stories do you like best: serious ones, or strange and surprising ones?

Grammar rule

Passive reporting

Use a passive reporting verb when the source is not important, not known, or "people in general." It is common in news reports and formal writing. Common verbs: believe, consider, estimate, expect, know, report, rumor, say, think, and hope (usually It is hoped that…).

Pattern	Example
It + is said / thought… + that + clause	It is expected that the new stadium will open in May.
subject + is said / thought… + to…	The new stadium is expected to open in May.
There + is / are said / thought… + to be…	There are thought to be fewer than 100 of these birds left in the wild.

The time after to

Form	Time	Example
to + verb	now or always (after expect: the future)	She is said to speak six languages.
to be + -ing	in progress now	Police are reported to be looking for two men.
to have + past participle	earlier, or up to now	The band is said to have recorded its first album in a garage.
to have been + past participle	earlier, and passive	The letter is thought to have been written in prison.

Notes

For a report in the past, put the reporting verb in the past: It was thought that the house was empty. = The house was thought to be empty. · For the negative, put not before to: He is believed not to have known. · Don't mix the two patterns: not He is said that he… and not It is said him to…

In conversation, people usually say Apparently,…, They say (that)… or I heard that… The passive forms are more common in the news and in formal writing.

Teach it live with video and a whiteboard, or print it: the PDF has every slide, the homework and the answers.

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