Impersonal Impersonal ReportingReportingStructuresStructures

It + It + passive form of reporting passive form of reporting verb verb + that+ that

It is often claimed that It is often claimed that stress is a fact of stress is a fact of life.life.

It has been estimated that It has been estimated that 85 percent of 85 percent of all illness and disease all illness and disease is caused by stress.is caused by stress.

It has been demonstrated that It has been demonstrated that music music which is slower than 72 beats per minute can which is slower than 72 beats per minute can help us unwind.help us unwind.

It was declared that It was declared that the disease had the disease had spread.spread.

It is thought that It is thought that endorphins are released endorphins are released during exercise.during exercise.

This positionThis position isis believed to be believed to be effective in stimulating effective in stimulating the brain.the brain.

Repetitive rhythmsRepetitive rhythms areare also also supposed to calmsupposed to calm the the nerves.nerves.

Listening toListening to music that has 60 beats per minute music that has 60 beats per minute has has been shown been shown to increaseto increase alpha waves.alpha waves.

In ancient Greece In ancient Greece saffronsaffron was believed to be was believed to be an an effective effective remedy for anxiety.remedy for anxiety.

EndorphinsEndorphins are thought to be released are thought to be released during exercise. during exercise. (passive)(passive)

subject + passive form of reporting verb + to

infinitive

To emphasise that a situation/fact happened To emphasise that a situation/fact happened before the time it was reportedbefore the time it was reported we use we use a a perfect infinitive perfect infinitive ((to have + Past to have + Past ParticipleParticiple).).

The Chinese The Chinese are thought to have known are thought to have known about the properties of tea as long ago as about the properties of tea as long ago as 2000BC.2000BC.

Infectious diseases Infectious diseases werewere once once thought to thought to have beenhave been aa punishment for people's punishment for people's sins.sins.

To emphasise that a situation/trend To emphasise that a situation/trend is/was continuing at the time it was is/was continuing at the time it was reported reported we can use the continuous we can use the continuous form of the infinitive form of the infinitive (to be+ -ing).(to be+ -ing).

More and more young people More and more young people are are thought to be skipping thought to be skipping breakfast. breakfast. (an ongoing trend)(an ongoing trend)

He He was rumoured to be living was rumoured to be living in in London.London. (a continuing situation at that (a continuing situation at that time in the past)time in the past)

Rewrite the sentences in two different ways, replacing the underlined phrases with an impersonal reporting form and the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

1 Apparently the Amy Winehouse concert has been cancelled! (rumour)

The Amy Winehouse concert is rumoured to have been cancelled.

It is rumoured that the Amy Winehouse concert has been cancelled.

2 The government is 2 The government is likelylikely to lose the next election. to lose the next election. (expect)(expect)

The government The government

is expected to lose the next election.is expected to lose the next election.

It is likely It is likely

that the government will lose the next election.that the government will lose the next election.

3 3 SupposedlySupposedly they’re getting married. (think) they’re getting married. (think)

They They

are thought to be getting married.are thought to be getting married.

It is thought It is thought

that they are getting married.that they are getting married.

4 4 It appears thatIt appears that he's resigned. (say) he's resigned. (say)

HeHe

’ ’s said to have resigned.s said to have resigned.

It is said It is said

that he has resigned.that he has resigned.

5 They're 5 They're probablyprobably living in London now. living in London now. (rumour)(rumour)

TheyThey

are roumored to be living in London.are roumored to be living in London.

It is It is

roumored that they are living in London.roumored that they are living in London.

6 6 They say They say that chamomile tea helps you get to that chamomile tea helps you get to sleep. (claim)sleep. (claim)

Chamomile tea Chamomile tea

is clamed to help you get to sleep.is clamed to help you get to sleep.

It is claimed It is claimed

that chamomile tea helps you (to) get to sleep.that chamomile tea helps you (to) get to sleep.

7 7 They once thought thatThey once thought that a stressful classroom a stressful classroom atmosphere was conducive to learning. atmosphere was conducive to learning. (believe)(believe)

A stressful classroom atmosphere A stressful classroom atmosphere was believed to have been conductive to learning.was believed to have been conductive to learning.

It was believed It was believed

that a stressful classroom atmosphere was conductive that a stressful classroom atmosphere was conductive to learning.to learning.

8 8 It seemsIt seems that they survived the accident. that they survived the accident. (report)(report)

They They are reported to have survived the accident.are reported to have survived the accident.

It is reported It is reported

that they (have) survived the accident.that they (have) survived the accident.

FromFrom

McKinlay, Stuart & Hastings, Bob. McKinlay, Stuart & Hastings, Bob. SUCCESS SUCCESS ADVANCEDADVANCED