By the end of this lesson, you'll understand two powerful ways to report information about people without directly naming the source: "It is said that..." (impersonal passive) and "He is said to..." (personal passive reporting).
Retrieval: What Do You Know About Passive Voice?
Can you convert this to passive? "Someone built the Eiffel Tower in 1889."
Possible answer: "The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889." — Notice how we don't mention "someone"?
What's the difference between "The government announced new rules" and "New rules were announced"?
The passive removes focus from WHO did it, and puts focus on WHAT was done. This is useful when the source isn't important, or when you want to sound more objective.
The Hook: Why This Matters
You'll hear reporting passives constantly in English news, research, and formal speech. Watch how journalists do this:
NEWS LANGUAGE
"It is believed that the storm will arrive tomorrow."
The speaker doesn't want to say "Scientists believe..." or "I believe...". By starting with "It is believed", the information sounds more neutral and factual.
GOSSIP / RUMOUR
"The actor is said to be very shy in real life."
Instead of naming the source ("People say he's shy"), we use the personal passive to distance ourselves from the claim. It's less direct, which makes it sound like common knowledge.
Two Structures for Reporting
Both do the same job — report what others say — but they have different grammar patterns and different "feels".
Structure 1: Impersonal Passive
Formula
It is [verb in passive] that [complete clause]
It is said / believed / thought / reported / known that...
Example 1
It is said that the earth is 4.5 billion years old.
Instead of: "People say the earth is 4.5 billion years old." — More formal, more neutral, no source.
Example 2
It is believed that climate change is happening faster than predicted.
Instead of: "Scientists believe climate change is happening faster..." — The focus is on the belief itself, not on who believes it.
Example 3
It is thought that she left the company due to personal reasons.
Instead of: "People think she left..." — Sounds more objective. We don't know WHO thinks this, but it's what people think.
Structure 2: Personal Passive Reporting
Formula
[Subject] + is / are [verb in passive infinitive] to [infinitive]
He / She / They are said to...
He / She is reported to...
They are reported to...
Example 1
The CEO is said to be very wealthy.
Instead of: "People say the CEO is very wealthy." — The subject (the CEO) is the focus. The source is vague.
Example 2
She is believed to have left the country.
Notice: "to have left" (perfect infinitive). She was believed to leave it. Perfect = something already happened.
Example 3
They are reported to have discovered a new species.
Instead of: "People reported that they discovered..." or "It is reported that they discovered..." — Shorter, more direct, same meaning.
Comparison: When to Use Which
Impersonal ("It is said...")
Personal ("He is said to...")
Focus: The idea / claim itself
Focus: The person / subject
Sentence position: Starts with "It is..."
Sentence position: Starts with person/subject
Example: It is said that she is wealthy.
Example: She is said to be wealthy.
Use for: General facts, neutral reporting, news
Use for: Gossip, rumour, describing what people say about someone
Formality: Very formal, academic, journalistic
Formality: More conversational, still formal but less stiff
Here are full conversations showing how native speakers use these structures. Study the context, not just the grammar.
Scenario 1: News Discussion
Context
Two people discussing a news story about a potential earthquake.
Person A
"Did you hear the news about the earthquake prediction?"
Simple opener. No passive yet.
Person B
"Yeah. It is said that a major earthquake could occur within the next year."
Impersonal passive. Person B is reporting a general claim. They don't say who said it — it's just what's being reported. This sounds neutral, factual.
Person A
"Hmm. Do we know who made that prediction?"
Asking for the source.
Person B
"Seismologists are believed to have based it on recent tremors. I think one research team led the study."
Personal passive. Now the focus is on WHO (seismologists). The structure "are believed to have based" = perfect infinitive (action already completed).
Scenario 2: Gossip / Celebrity Talk
Context
Two colleagues talking about a famous actor.
Person C
"So, what's the tea on that actor? Is he as rude as everyone says?"
Casual opener. "What's the tea" = what's the gossip?
Person D
"Well, he is said to be quite difficult to work with, but I don't know if that's true."
Personal passive. Focus on the actor (subject). "is said to be" = present tense claim. The source is vague ("people say"), but that's the point — it's what's rumoured.
Person C
"Yeah? Has he been involved in any drama?"
Asking for more specifics.
Person D
"He is reported to have walked off a film set last year — but again, I'm not sure if that's accurate."
Personal passive with perfect infinitive. "is reported to have walked" = the walking already happened. This softens the claim — we're not saying it's true, just that it's been reported.
Scenario 3: Scientific / Academic Context
Context
A student asking their teacher about recent research.
Student
"Is there anything new about how memory works?"
Genuine question.
Teacher
"It is believed that memories are not fixed — they change every time we recall them."
Impersonal passive. Academic context. The focus is on the belief/theory itself. No need to name individual scientists — this is established scientific understanding.
Student
"Interesting. Who discovered that?"
Asking about the source.
Teacher
"Elizabeth Loftus is known to have pioneered research in this field. Her work in the 1970s changed how we think about memory."
Personal passive. Now we're naming the person. "is known to have pioneered" = she did the pioneering in the past (perfect infinitive). This highlights her specific contribution.
Guided Practice: Convert & Construct
For each active sentence, convert it into BOTH passive structures. Check your work below, then say it out loud.
1. Active: "Scientists have discovered that coffee reduces the risk of heart disease."
Try converting to: Impersonal passive: "It is..."
Now try: Personal passive: "Coffee is..."
2. Active: "The CEO quit without notice."
Try converting to: Personal passive: "The CEO is..."
3. Active: "The government will announce new tax laws next month."
Try converting to: Impersonal passive: "It is..."
Now try: Personal passive: "New tax laws are..."
4. Active: "The author has finished her new novel."
Try converting to: Personal passive: "The author is..."
Now Speak It
Read each answer out loud. Pay attention to how these structures sound in your mouth. The goal isn't speed — it's clarity and confidence.
Speaking: Reporting & Responding
You'll do 70% of the speaking in this section. Each task has a speaking prompt and a follow-up question.
2 min per response
Task 1: Report Something You Heard
Speak
Think of something you recently heard from a friend, news story, or social media — something that surprised you or caught your attention. Tell me what was said, using either "It is said that..." or "[Person] is said to..." Then explain whether you believe it's true.
Example starting point: "It is said that remote work is becoming less popular... but I'm not sure that's accurate in tech industries."
2 min per response
Task 2: Gossip (Carefully)
Speak
Think of a public figure (celebrity, politician, athlete, or influencer). Tell me what people say about them, using "He / She / They is / are said to..." Remember to soften your claim — use phrases like "I'm not sure if it's true" or "but I've heard..."
Example: "The tennis player is said to be very competitive and intense during matches, but also kind off-court."
2 min per response
Task 3: Academic / Scientific Reporting
Speak
Pick a topic you know about (your field, a hobby, current events). Report a fact or belief using "It is believed / known / thought that..." Then explain WHY you think this is true.
Example: "It is believed that regular exercise reduces stress, and I've experienced this myself because..."
2-3 min
Task 4: Chaining the Structures
Speak
Make three connected statements about one topic, alternating between impersonal and personal passive:
1. Start with "It is said that..." (general claim)
2. Follow with "[Person] is said to..." (about someone specific)
3. Finish with "It is believed that..." (your own take / broader claim)
Example: "It is said that young people are addicted to social media. Influencers are reported to have built entire careers on it. But it is believed that this dependency is slowly changing as people become more critical consumers."
Application: News Anchor Role Play
You are a news anchor. You have brief notes from your team. Convert the notes into full sentences using reporting passives, then present them as if you're on air (70% speaking).
News Story 1: Technology
Your Notes
• New AI tool can diagnose diseases faster than doctors
• Research teams in 5 countries tested it
• Results show 95% accuracy
• Chief researcher says it will change healthcare
Now speak as if you're presenting this on the news. Use at least 2 reporting passive structures:
Example opening: "It is said that a breakthrough in artificial intelligence could transform how we diagnose disease. The research team is reported to have achieved 95% accuracy in their initial trials..."
News Story 2: Environment
Your Notes
• Ocean temperatures rising faster than predicted
• Marine biologists concerned about coral bleaching
• Some species migrating to colder waters
• Report suggests global action needed within 5 years
Present this story. Use both "It is..." and "[Subject] is..." structures:
Example opening: "It is believed that ocean temperatures are rising faster than we anticipated. Marine biologists are said to be deeply concerned about coral bleaching in tropical regions..."
Extension: Your Own News Item
Speak
Pick a real news story from the past week (or use your imagination). Present it as a news anchor would, using at least 3 reporting passive structures. Aim for 3-4 minutes of continuous speaking.
What Did You Learn?
Reflect on your learning by answering these questions. Speak your answers aloud.
Metacognition Questions
1. When would you use "It is said that..." instead of "He is said to..."?
When you want to report a general idea, claim, or fact without focusing on a specific person. For example, in academic or news writing when the source is vague or not important.
2. Why do speakers use reporting passives instead of just saying "People think..." or "I heard..."?
Reporting passives sound more formal, objective, and neutral. They distance the speaker from the claim, making it sound more factual or well-established. This is especially useful in news, academic writing, and when reporting rumours without confirming them.
3. What's the difference between "He is said to be wealthy" and "He is said to have become wealthy"?
"He is said to be wealthy" (present infinitive) = current state. "He is said to have become wealthy" (perfect infinitive) = a change that already happened. Time matters.
Speaking Reflection
Speak
Which speaking task felt most natural to you? The news reporting, the gossip, the scientific reporting, or the chaining task? Explain why, and tell me which reporting verbs (said, believed, reported, known) you felt most comfortable using.
Spaced Retrieval: Recall From Previous Learning
Without looking back: In earlier lessons, we covered present perfect ("I have finished my project"). How is this different from "I am said to have finished my project"? What extra meaning does the passive add?
From earlier: You learned about hedging phrases ("I think," "sort of," "quite"). How do reporting passives act like hedging? Why do they soften a claim without using "I think"?
From earlier: We discussed active vs. passive voice. Why do reporting passives (especially impersonal ones like "It is said...") help a speaker sound more objective or neutral?
Next Steps
You now understand how English speakers report information indirectly. In future lessons, you'll combine this with:
• Embedded questions ("It is uncertain whether...")
• Reported speech variations ("She's supposed to be arriving...)
• Formal complaint & request language
Keep listening for these structures in podcasts, news, and documentaries. Notice which verbs and contexts they appear in most.