The Personal Passive is used when the focus is on the person or thing affected by the action. The agent (the doer) is often omitted or introduced by the preposition by.
When dealing with reporting verbs (believe, think, expect, say), the Personal Passive can transform the object clause into an infinitive phrase.
This feature introduces a comprehensive, downloadable PDF guide for mastering Personal and Impersonal Passive structures—a critical advanced English grammar topic.
📘 Master Passive Structures: Personal & Impersonal Passive PDF Guide
Ever wonder how to sound more formal, objective, and authoritative in English? You probably know basic passive voice (e.g., The report was written), but advanced English requires a shift toward impersonal and personal passive structures.
These structures are essential for academic writing, journalism, and business communication, allowing you to report opinions or facts without needing a specific subject. What is Inside the PDF?
This structured 10-page guide provides everything you need to master this topic:
Clear Definitions: Simple explanations of impersonal (It is thought that...) and personal (He is thought to...) passive structures.
Formulaic Breakdown: Clear diagrams showing how to shift from active voice to personal/impersonal passive.
Targeted Exercises: 40+ practice questions covering various tenses. Answer Key: Detailed explanations for every answer. 🔥 Feature Spotlight: Key Concepts Covered 1. The Impersonal Passive (Objective Reporting)
Used to report opinions or beliefs without focusing on who holds them. Active: People say he is rich. Impersonal: It is said that he is rich. 2. The Personal Passive (Direct Focus)
Used to make a specific person or thing the subject, highlighting them while remaining formal. Active: People believe the company is failing. Personal: The company is believed to be failing. 3. Advanced Tense Changes
The PDF tackles tricky transformations, including how to handle past actions within a passive structure: Active: People believe he stole the money. Personal: He is believed to have stolen the money. 📝 Exercise Sample Transform the sentences using the structure provided:
Active: People believe that the suspect has left the country.
Impersonal Passive: It __________ the suspect has left the country. Active: They expect that the new law will pass soon. Personal Passive: The new law __________ soon. (Answers: 1. is believed that, 2. is expected to pass) 🚀 Get the PDF
Download the comprehensive Personal Impersonal Passive Exercises PDF and start mastering advanced English today. Download the PDF Guide Now
g., intermediate vs. advanced), or perhaps focus more on a specific tense like past or future? personal impersonal passive exercises pdf
If you provide a topic (e.g., journalism, business, academic reports), I can customize the examples in the guide to better suit your needs.
Mastering Personal and Impersonal Passive: A Complete Guide with Exercises
The passive voice is a staple of English grammar, but as you move toward an upper-intermediate (B2) or advanced (C1) level, you’ll encounter its more sophisticated cousins: the Personal and Impersonal Passive.
These structures are essential for formal writing, journalism, and academic reports. They allow you to report information without focusing on a specific person, giving your writing an objective, professional tone.
In this guide, we’ll break down the formulas, show you how to switch between them, and provide personal impersonal passive exercises to help you practice. 1. What is the Impersonal Passive?
The impersonal passive is used to report what "people" in general say, think, or believe. It uses the dummy subject "It." The Formula: It + Passive Verb (is said/is believed) + that + clause. Active: People say that he is a genius. Impersonal Passive: It is said that he is a genius. Common Reporting Verbs:
Say, believe, think, report, know, claim, understand, consider, expect. 2. What is the Personal Passive?
The personal passive shifts the focus to the subject of the second clause, making the sentence feel more direct while remaining formal. The Formula: Subject + Passive Verb + to-infinitive. Active: People say that he is a genius. Personal Passive: He is said to be a genius. Handling Different Tenses
The "to-infinitive" part changes depending on when the action happened:
Present/Future Reference: Use the Simple Infinitive (to do). It is thought that she lives in London. →right arrow She is thought to live in London. Past Reference: Use the Perfect Infinitive (to have done). It is reported that the thieves escaped. →right arrow The thieves are reported to have escaped.
Continuous Action: Use the Continuous Infinitive (to be doing). It is believed that they are working hard. →right arrow They are believed to be working hard. 3. Transformation Chart Active Voice Impersonal Passive (It...) Personal Passive (Subject...) People believe he is rich. It is believed that he is rich. He is believed to be rich. They expect the price will rise. It is expected that the price will rise. The price is expected to rise. Reporters say the fire started at 3 AM. It is said that the fire started at 3 AM. The fire is said to have started at 3 AM. 4. Personal Impersonal Passive Exercises
Try these practice sentences to test your knowledge. (Scroll down for the answer key). Part A: Rewrite into Impersonal Passive (It...) People think that the company is losing money. Scientists believe that the climate is changing rapidly. They claim that the painting is a forgery. Part B: Rewrite into Personal Passive (Subject...) It is expected that the strike will end tomorrow. It is known that he spent time in prison. It is thought that the hackers are using a proxy server. Part C: Mixed Transformation (Active to Personal) People say that she owns three houses.
Experts believe that the manuscript was written in the 15th century. 5. Answer Key Part A: It is thought that the company is losing money. It is believed that the climate is changing rapidly. It is claimed that the painting is a forgery. Part B: The strike is expected to end tomorrow. He is known to have spent time in prison. The hackers are thought to be using a proxy server. Part C: She is said to own three houses.
The manuscript is believed to have been written in the 15th century. Download the "Personal Impersonal Passive Exercises PDF"
Practicing these structures is the only way to make them feel natural. If you are a teacher looking for classroom materials or a student studying for the Cambridge FCE/CAE or IELTS, you can find comprehensive personal impersonal passive exercises PDFs on educational sites like ISLCollective, EnglishGrammar.at, or Perfect English Grammar.
Pro Tip: When searching for PDFs, look for "Passive Reporting Verbs" or "Causative Passive" worksheets, as these topics are often grouped together in advanced grammar books! The Personal Passive is used when the focus
This guide outlines the rules and structures for Personal and Impersonal Passive
constructions, commonly used in formal writing and reporting. Use this structure to create or practice your own grammar exercises. 1. Identify the Reporting Verbs
These structures are typically used with "verbs of saying and believing" such as:
Say, think, believe, know, expect, report, consider, claim, estimate Learn English Online | British Council 2. Formulate the Impersonal Passive This structure uses the introductory subject and keeps the original clause intact. be (appropriate tense) Past Participle (Reporting Verb) that-clause
It plus be (appropriate tense) plus Past Participle (Reporting Verb) plus that-clause People say that he is a genius. Impersonal Passive: It is said that he is a genius. 3. Formulate the Personal Passive This structure moves the subject of the second clause to the beginning of the sentence and uses an infinitive. be (appropriate tense) Past Participle (Reporting Verb) Infinitive
Subject 2 plus be (appropriate tense) plus Past Participle (Reporting Verb) plus Infinitive They believe she has left the country. Personal Passive: She is believed to have left the country. Choosing the Correct Infinitive
The form of the infinitive depends on the timeframe of the original action: Time of Action Infinitive Form Example (Active to Personal Passive) Present / Future "They say he lives here" right arrow is said to live Past / Completed To have + Past Participle "People think he lied" right arrow is thought to have lied Continuous To be + Verb-ing "They say she is working" right arrow is said to be working 4. Practice Exercises
You can download or view detailed worksheets and tables from platforms like Aprende Ingles en Leganes Exercise A: Rewrite into Impersonal Passive Scientists believe that coffee is healthy. right arrow It is believed that coffee is healthy. Journalists claim the actor has fled. right arrow It is claimed that the actor has fled. Exercise B: Rewrite into Personal Passive People think that honesty is the best policy. right arrow Honesty is thought to be the best policy. Experts report that the fire started in the kitchen. right arrow The fire is reported to have started in the kitchen. Guide Summary
Personal vs. Impersonal Passive Structures | PDF | Verb - Scribd
The impersonal passive starts with the dummy subject "It" followed by a passive reporting verb, then a that-clause.
Instructions: Rewrite the sentences so that the subject of the "that-clause" becomes the main subject of the passive sentence. This combines Personal and Impersonal logic.
Here are reliable sources (search these terms on Google or visit the websites):
Master these structures, and your English will sound more natural, sophisticated, and fluent. Happy practicing!
The Personal and Impersonal Passive (also known as passive reporting structures) are essential tools for academic writing and formal journalism. They allow writers to report rumors, beliefs, and opinions without attributing them to a specific person. Key Differences and Structures
The Impersonal Passive focuses on the action or thought itself, using a "dummy" subject. In contrast, the Personal Passive shifts the focus to the person or thing being talked about. Type Impersonal It is said that he is a genius. Personal He is said to be a genius. How to Transform Sentences
To convert an active sentence like "People believe she is rich" into these forms: When dealing with reporting verbs (believe, think, expect,
Impersonal Passive: Start with "It", use the passive form of the reporting verb, and keep the original "that" clause: It is believed that she is rich.
Personal Passive: Take the subject of the second clause ("she"), use the passive reporting verb, and change the second verb to a "to-infinitive": She is believed to be rich. Common Reporting Verbs These structures typically use verbs like:
Say, Think, Believe, Know, Report, Expect, Allege, Claim, Understand, Consider. Practice Exercises
You can download comprehensive worksheets and guides from these sources:
Impersonal Passive PDF (ksmclasses): Features clear transformation examples like "They say she works hard" → "She is said to work hard."
Passive Voice PDF Worksheets (english-grammar.at): A library of downloadable PDFs covering all passive levels from elementary to advanced.
Advanced Passive Review (British Council): In-depth explanations of "It is estimated that..." and other complex structures.
Comprehensive Passive Table (Aprendeinglesenleganes): Offers a detailed table and "Key Word Transformation" exercises for FCE/CAE levels. Quick Transformation Challenge: Active: They expect that the economy will grow next year.
Impersonal: It is expected that the economy will grow next year. Personal: The economy is expected to grow next year. impersonal-passive-2.pdf
This paper is formatted to be easily convertible into a PDF for distribution or study.
TITLE: Structural Transformation and Stylistic Shifts: A Practical Guide to Personal and Impersonal Passive Constructions
AUTHOR: [Your Name/Institution] DATE: October 2023
In English grammar, the Passive Voice is typically introduced as a transformation where the object of an active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. However, advanced proficiency requires an understanding of the Impersonal Passive, a construction frequently used in journalism, academic writing, and formal reports.
This paper delineates the mechanics of both forms:
This structure also focuses on reporting verbs, but it moves the object of the that-clause to become the subject of the main clause. It feels more direct and is very common in everyday English.
Formula: Subject + be + past participle + to infinitive
(Note: For past actions, use the perfect infinitive: "He is said to have spoken five languages as a child.")