Reporting with passives Flashcards
Use passive to report what people say or think when it is not important who said the things.
People in the area have been told that they should stay indoors.
Everyone was asked to bring some food to the party.
Use IT+PASSIVE FORM+THAT to leave important information at the end of the sentence.
Report, decide, allege, announce, assume, believe, calculate, claim, consider, demonstrate, discover, establish, estimate, expect, feel, find, know, mention, recommend, reveal, say, show, suggest, suppose, think, understand, agree, decide, hope, intend, plan, propose.
It is reported that the damage is extensive.
It was decided that the meeting should be canceled. (or It was decided to cancel the meeting).
Verbs that are not used in the IT+PASSIVE FORM+THAT:
Inform, encourage, persuade, reassure, remind, tell, warn.
We have been informed that we have to leave. (not it has informed us….).
SUBJECT+PASSIVE FORM+TO INFINITIVE if we want the subject to be the topic of the sentence.
It is reported that the damage is extensive.
The damage is reported to be extensive.
The verb TELL+ORDER is used in the SUBJECT+PASSIVE+TO INFINITIVE
It was told (ordered) to go with them to the rail station.
But not: The accident was told to have happened before midnight.
IT+PASSIVE+WH CLAUSE:
Reveal, establish, discover, explain, find, know, show, understand.
It has now been revealed who was responsible for the accident.
THERE+PASSIVE+TO BE/TO HAVE BEEN:
Report, decide, allege, announce, assume, believe, calculate, claim, consider, demonstrate, discover, establish, estimate, expect, feel, find, know, mention, recommend, reveal, say, show, suggest, suppose, think, understand, agree, decide, hope, intend, plan, propose.
It is thought there are too many obstacles to peace.
There are thought to be too many obstacles to peace.
