subject + be + reporting verb (past participle) + to + base verbUse this form to report information about the subject. The source stays unstated or backgrounded.
Passive Reporting Structures
B2Use passive reporting structures like She is said to live abroad or The plan is expected to succeed to report information in a formal, neutral way.
What you'll learn
- Build passive reporting sentences with be + reported verb + to.
- Choose to do, to be doing, or to have done for the right time meaning.
- Recognize common reporting verbs like said, believed, expected, and known.
- Use the pattern when you want a formal, neutral tone.
- Avoid mixing two reporting frames in one sentence.
Structure
subject + be + reporting verb + to be + -ingUse to be doing for an action in progress at the reported time.
subject + be + reporting verb + to have + past participleUse to have done when the reported action happened earlier.
Build a sentence
Subject
Report verb
Mariaissaidtolive
Maria is said to live abroad.
Use to + base verb for a general fact or a situation seen as true now.
When to use
News reports
Use it to report claims without naming the source first. The minister is expected to resign tomorrow.
Academic style
Use it to summarize shared views or findings. This drug is believed to reduce pain.
Public reputation
Use it for what people say or know about a person or place. Kyoto is known to be beautiful in spring.
Markers
said tobelieved toexpected toknown tothought toconsidered toreported to
Common mistakes
Wrong
Maria is said that she lives in Rome.
Correct
Maria is said to live in Rome.
After the passive subject, use to + verb, not a full that-clause.
Wrong
The pilot is believed to leave the country last night.
Correct
The pilot is believed to have left the country last night.
The leaving happened earlier, so use to have + past participle.
Wrong
Anna is believed to have stayed in Paris this week.
Correct
Anna is believed to be staying in Paris this week.
This week shows an action in progress, so use to be + -ing.
Wrong
It is said Maria to live in Rome.
Correct
It is said that Maria lives in Rome.
Use either the it-structure with that or the passive subject structure with to.
Wrong
Maria is said to live in Rome that people say.
Correct
Maria is said to live in Rome.
The sentence is already complete. Do not add another reporting frame.
Common misconceptions
❝ This pattern works only with people. ❞
It also works with things, places, and plans: The device is expected to fail. The island is said to be beautiful.
❝ After is said to, the verb form never changes. ❞
The form after to changes with time meaning: to live, to be living, to have lived.
Skills in this rule (5)
USE_BE_SAID_TOw5Use be said to for reported information about people and things
Use this pattern to report what people say, believe, expect, or know about someone or something. It shifts focus from the source to the person or thing being described.
CHOOSE_TO_BE_FOR_TIMEw5Choose to do, to be doing, or to have done to match the time
Use to do for general or simultaneous meaning, to be doing for an action in progress at that time, and to have done for an earlier action.
USE_COMMON_REPORTING_VERBSw4Use common reporting verbs in the passive pattern
Build the structure with verbs like said, believed, expected, known, thought, considered, and reported. The verb choice shows the type of report.
USE_FORMAL_NEUTRAL_STYLEw3Use passive reporting to sound formal and neutral
Choose this structure in news, academic, and formal writing when the source is unknown, unimportant, or not the focus. It creates distance and keeps the tone neutral.
AVOID_DOUBLE_REPORTINGw4Avoid repeating both the source clause and the passive report
Do not combine two reporting structures in one sentence. Use either It is said that... or Maria is said to..., not both together.