⚙️ C1 Lesson 1: Advanced Passive Structures (Impersonal Passive)
Welcome to the C1 Mastery level! We begin by exploring advanced passive structures that are essential for formal and academic writing. The Impersonal Passive1 is used to report general opinions, beliefs, and thoughts without stating exactly who holds them. This creates a more formal and objective2 tone.
Structure 1: "It is said that..."
This structure introduces a general belief or report. The word 'It' acts as an impersonal subject. It is commonly used with verbs like believe, say, think, report, know, expect, allege, understand.
Formula: It + passive reporting verb + that + clause
Simple Idea: "People say that the old temple is haunted."
Impersonal Passive: "It is said that the old temple is haunted."
Simple Idea: "Experts expect the economy will grow this year."
Impersonal Passive: "It is expected that the economy will grow this year."
Structure 2: "Subject + is said to..."
This is a more sophisticated way to express the same idea. We move the subject of the reported belief to the front of the sentence. The verb that follows changes to an infinitive.
Use a simple infinitive (to be/to do) if the belief and the action are at the same time:
→ "It is believed that he is very wealthy."
→ "He is believed to be very wealthy."
Use a perfect infinitive (to have been/to have done) if the reported action happened in the past:
→ "It is reported that the company lost millions last year."
→ "The company is reported to have lost millions last year."
Why use it?
The impersonal passive makes your writing sound more authoritative3. Instead of writing "I think..." or "Some people say...", using "It is believed that..." presents the information as a widely accepted fact. It's also a way to hedge4, allowing you to report a claim without personally guaranteeing its truth.
🧠 Practice Quiz: Sentence Transformation
Rewrite the sentences using the impersonal passive structure indicated.
- Simple: People believe he is the best chef in Battambang.
Rewrite with "It is...": _______ he is the best chef in Battambang.
Answer: It is believed that - Sentence: It is said that the old house is empty.
Rewrite with "The old house...": The old house _______.
Answer: is said to be empty - Sentence: It is thought that the ancient kings built this road.
Rewrite with "The ancient kings...": The ancient kings _______.
Answer: are thought to have built this road (Use perfect infinitive because 'built' is in the past). - Which sentence is more formal and objective?
a) Some people told me the project failed.
b) It is reported that the project failed.
Answer: b
📝 Homework: Make it Formal
Rewrite these simple statements into more formal, objective sentences using the impersonal passive.
- Everyone knows that exercise is good for your health. (Use "It is known that...")
Answer: It is known that exercise is good for your health. - People say that the temple was built 500 years ago. (Use "The temple is said...")
Answer: The temple is said to have been built 500 years ago. - The newspapers reported that the government will create a new national park. (Use "It was reported that...")
Answer: It was reported that the government will create a new national park.
Vocabulary Glossary
- Impersonal Passive: (Noun Phrase) - កម្មវាចកអរូបិយ (kâm'mâ'véa'chôk â'ru'pi'yâ) - A passive structure used to report general thoughts, beliefs, or opinions without stating who holds them. ↩
- Objective: (Adjective) - អព្យាក្រឹត (âp'pya'krət) - Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions; based on facts. ↩
- Authoritative: (Adjective) - ដែលមានអំណាច (dael méan âm'nach) - Able to be trusted as being accurate or true; reliable. ↩
- Hedge: (Verb) - និយាយបែបប្រយ័ត្ន (ni'yéay baep prâ'yăt) - To use cautious or vague language to avoid making a direct or absolute statement. ↩
- Clause: (Noun) - ឃ្លា (khléa) - A group of words consisting of a subject and a verb. ↩