Passive Voice The Passive Structure is used when we want to talk about an action, but are not interested in saying who or what does / did it.

Personal / Impersonal Passive Passive Structures are often used in news reports. They are used to express thoughts, beliefs, considerations, expectations, suppositions. What we want to express is made clear by the verbs we use: said, thought, believed, considered, reported, understood, expected, alleged, supposed, known.

How to form the Impersonal / Personal Passive Look at the sentences: People say that Harlem is a must-see destination. It is said that Harlem is a must-see destination. Harlem is said to be a must-see destination.

Impersonal / Personal Passive The police alleged that he stole the car. It was alleged that he stole the car. He was alleged to have stolen the car. People said that he sold drugs. It was said that he sold drugs. He was said to have sold drugs.

Impersonal / Personal Passive Exercises People say that the Japanese work harder than anybody else. People think that Chinatown is a lively neighbourhood. People consider that the British are very polite. Some thought that he took advantage of his political situation.

Impersonal / Personal Passive Key It is said that the Japanese work harder than anybody else. The Japanese are said to work harder than anybody else. It is thought that Chinatown is a lively neighbourhood. Chinatown is thought to be a lively neighbourhood. It is considered that the British are very polite. The British are considered to be very polite. It was thought that he took advantage of his political situation. He was thought to have taken advantage of his political situation.