The verbs think, believe, say, report, know, expect, consider, understandetc are used in the following passive patterns in personal and impersonal constructions.Active: People believe that he lied in court.
Passive: 1. It is believed (that) he lied in court. (impersonal)
It + passive + that-clause
2. He is believed to have lied in court. (personal)
Subject + passive + to-infinitive
Active: They expect him to arrive soon.
Passive: 3. It is expected (that) he will arrive soon. (impersonal)
It + passive + that-clause
4. He is expected to arrive soon. (personal)
Subject + passive + to-infinitivePERSONAL AND IMPERSONAL PASSIVE CONTRUCTIONS :
Different tenses in personal passive constructions.Present active:People believe that Mr Brown owns a lot of land in the north.Present personal passive construction:Mr Brown is believed to own a lot of land in the north.Future active:people expect that a new law will be introduced next year.Future personal passive construction:A new law is expected to be introduced next year.Past active:People believed that Mr Brown owned a lot of land in the north.They thought that the prisoners had escaped.
Present personal passive construction:Mr Brown was believed to have owned a lot of land in the north.The prisoners were thought to have escaped.
form dectionnaire larouss
