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Interactive Grammar: Passive with Reporting Verbs quiz

Use it is said that, he is believed to, they are thought to in formal writing.

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Lesson progressNot started
Duration
~36 min
Questions
24
Level
Upper Intermediate

Overview

Passive reporting structures express general beliefs without naming a specific source. Examples: It is said that…, It is believed that…, He is thought to be…, They are expected to arrive soon. These patterns are common in journalism, academic writing, and formal reports.

Structures

  • ItIt is said that he resigned. (impersonal)
  • HeHe is said to have resigned. (personal)
  • PastIt was reported that the deal was signed.
  • PerfShe is believed to have left the country.

Common Reporting Verbs

  • say, report, believe, think, claim — general reporting
  • allege, suggest, consider, expect — formal/media
  • know, find, show, understand — evidence-based reporting
  • Pattern: subject + is/are + past participle + to + infinitive

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ He is said that he won → ✅ He is said to have won
  • ❌ It is believed he will resign (slightly informal) → ✅ He is believed to be about to resign
  • Tense: is said to be (present) vs is said to have been (past)

When to use

News reporting

It is reported that talks have broken down.

Academic writing

The results are believed to support the hypothesis.

Legal / formal

He is alleged to have committed fraud.

Business reports

The company is expected to announce profits tomorrow.

Multiple Choice

Choose the correctly formed passive reporting structure

Multiple Choice10 questions
1It that he resigned.
2She to have left the company.
3It that the deal was signed.
4He to be the leading candidate.
5It that talks have broken down.
6The CEO to have approved the deal.
7It that she will resign next month.
8Which is grammatically correct?
9The building to have been damaged in the fire.
10It that the results are inaccurate.

Transform to Passive Reporting Structure

Rewrite using: It is/was ___ that … OR subject + is/was ___ to …

Fill in the Blanks8 questions
1People say he won.(It is…)that he won.
2They believe she left.(She is…)to have left.
3Reports say talks failed.(It was…)that talks failed.
4People think he is guilty.(He is…)to be guilty.
5Experts expect prices to rise.(It is…)that prices will rise.
6They allege she cheated.(She is…)to have cheated.
7People know he resigned.(It is…)that he resigned.
8They consider him a genius.(He is…)to be a genius.

Rewrite in the Other Passive Reporting Form

If given 'It is said that…', rewrite as 'subject + is said to…', and vice versa

Transform6 questions

1It is said that he lives in Paris. → (personal form)

2She is believed to have stolen the money. → (impersonal form)

3It is reported that he left the country. → (personal form)

4They are thought to be hiding. → (impersonal form)

5It is expected that she will win the award. → (personal form)

6He is alleged to have committed fraud. → (impersonal form)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this lesson on passive with Reporting Verbs cover?

Use it is said that, he is believed to, they are thought to in formal writing.

Which CEFR level is this lesson designed for?

This lesson is designed for Upper Intermediate (B2) learners and forms part of the Passive with Reporting Verbs section on Grammartier.

What is the best approach for studying this grammar topic?

Start with the definition, then study the examples carefully to understand how the pattern works in context. Practise identifying the structure in authentic sentences before producing your own — this recognition-first approach builds a strong foundation for accurate, confident use.

Your Grammar Learning Path

Follow the CEFR progression for this topic cluster.

  1. B2
    Interactive Grammar: Passive Infinitives quiz
  2. B2
    Interactive Grammar: Passive with Modal Verbs quiz
  3. B2
    Interactive Grammar: Passive with Reporting Verbs quizYou are here
  4. B2
    Interactive Grammar: Passive with Two Objects quiz
  5. B2
    Interactive Grammar: Stative vs Dynamic Passive quiz
  6. B2
    Interactive Grammar: Active and Passive Forms of Tenses quiz
  7. B2
    Interactive Grammar: Formal vs Informal Reporting quiz

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