8A GRAMMAR BANK - the passive (all forms); it is said that…, he is thought to.., etc.

the passive (all forms)

Present simple	Murderers are usually sentenced to life imprisonment.
	Mordercy są zwykle skazywani na dożywocie.
Present continuous	The trial is being held at the moment.
	Proces jest przeprowadzany w tym momencie.
Present perfect	My car has been stolen.
	Mój samochód został skradziony.
Past simple	Jim was arrested last month.
	Jim został aresztowany w zeszłym miesiącu.
Past continuous	The cinema was being rebuilt when it was set on fire.
	Kino zostało odbudowane po tym jak zostało podpalone.
Past perfect	We saw that one of the windows had been broken.
	Zauważyliśmy, że jedno z okien zostało rozbite.
future	The prisoner will be released next month. The verdict is going to be given tomorrow.
	Więzień zostanie wypuszczony w następnym miesiącu. Wyrok zostanie wydany jutro.
Infinitive with to	People used to be imprisoned for stealing bread.
Infinitive without to	You can be fined for parking on a yellow line.
	Możesz być ukarany mandatem za parkowanie na żółtej linii.
gerund	He paid a fine to avoid being sent to jail.
	On zapłacił mandat żeby uniknąć wysłania do więzienia.

• Use the passive when you want to talk about an action, but you are not so interested in saying who or what does/did the action. / Użyj strony biernej kiedy chcesz powiedzieć o czynności, ale nie interesuje cię mówienie kto lub co wykonało czynność.

• If you also want to mention the person or thing that did the action (the agent), use by. However, in the majority of passive sentences the agent is not mentioned. /Jeśli chcesz wspomnieć osobę lub rzecz która wykonała czynność, użyj by. Jednakże, w większości zdań w stronie biernej osoba nie jest wspominana.

it is said that…, he is thought to… etc.

active	passive
1.      They say that the fire was started deliberately. People think that the mayor will resign.	It is said that the fire was started deliberately. It is thought that the mayor will resign.
2.      People say the man is in his 40s. The police believe he has left the country.	The man is said to be in his 40s. He is believed to have left the country.

• This formal structure is used especially in news reports and on TV with the verbs know, tell, understand, report, expect, say, and think. It makes the information sound more impersonal. / Ta formalna konstrukcja jest używana szczególnie w reportażach oraz w telewizji z czasownikami know, tell, understand, report, expect, say, i think. To sprawia, że informacje brzmią bardziej bezosobowo.

• You can use It is said, believed, etc. + that + clause. / Możesz użyć It is said, believed, etc. + that + zdanie składowe.

• You can use He, The man, etc. (i.e. the subject of the clause) + is said, believed, etc. + to + infinitive (e.g. to be) or perfect infinitive (e.g. to have been). / Możesz użyć He, The man, etc. (podmiot zdania) + is said, believed, etc. + to + infinitive (np. to be) or perfect infinitive (np. to have been). 

1. Present simple – to+ infinitive

They said his health is very poor.  Ø His health is said to be very poor.

2. Present continuous – to + be +ing

They think he’s lying. Ø He is thought to be lying.

3. Past simple – to + have + III

They believe he got lost in the forest. Ø He is believed to have got lost in forest.

4. Past continuous – to + have + been +ing

They believe she was taking drugs. Ø She is believed to have been taking drugs.

5. Present perfect – to + have + III

They say she has been very ill. Ø She is said to have been very ill.

6. Past perfect – to + have + been +III

They said the president had been shot. Ø The president is said to have been shot.

7. Future simple – to + infinitive

They expect he will pass his driving test. Ø He is expected to pass driving test.

1. It is thought that + clause

It is thought that he’s lying.

In this construction we don’t change anything after that

Ex. a

The police caught the burglar immediately.

The burglar was caught immediately.

1. Police closed the road after the accident.

The road was closed after the accident.

2. Somebody has stolen my handbag.

My handbag has been stolen.

3. They are painting my house.

My house is being painted.

4. They’ll hold a meeting tomorrow to discuss the problem.

A meeting will be held tomorrow to discuss the problem.

5. If they hadn’t found the bomb in time, it would have exploded.

If the bomb hadn’t been found in time, it would have exploded.

6. The police can arrest you for driving without a licence.

You can be arrested for driving without a licence.

7. Miranda thinks someone was following her last night.

Miranda thinks she was being followed.

8. I hate somebody waking me up when I’m fast asleep.

I hate being woken up when I’m fast asleep.

9. They’re going to close the local police station.

The local police station is going to be closed.

Ex. b

People think the murderer is a woman.

It is thought that the murderer is a woman.

The murderer is thought to be a woman.

1. Police believe the burglar is a local man.

It is believed that the burglar is a local man.

The burglar is believed to be a local man. 
2. People say the muggers are very dangerous.

It is said that the muggers are very dangerous.

The muggers are said to be very dangerous.
3. Police think the robber entered through an open window.

It is thought that the robber entered through an open window.

The robber is thought to have entered through an open window. 
4. Police say the murderer has disappeared.

It is said that the murderer has disappeared.

The murderer is said to have disappeared. 
5. Lawyers expect that the trial will last three weeks.

It is expected that the trial will last three weeks.

The trial is expected to last three weeks.