Another form of the passive is called the Impersonal structure, which begins with IT:
They say he is rich. - active
He is said TO BE rich. - passive
It is said that he is rich. impersonal
or
They say he was rich. - active
He is said TO HAVE BEEN rich. - passive
It is said that he was rich. impersonal
Notice in the present, IS becomes TO BE, and in the past, WAS becomes TO HAVE BEEN.
These structures are commonly used with verbs like
believe
consider
think
know
expect
suppose
They BELIEVE she IS lonely.
She is BELIEVED TO BE lonely.
They CONSIDER her to be lonely.
She is CONSIDERED TO BE lonely.
They THINK she IS lonely.
She is THOUGHT TO BE lonely.
They KNOW she IS lonely.
She is KNOWN TO BE lonely.
They EXPECT she will fail.
She is EXPECTED TO fail.
They suppose it will rain.
It is supposed to rain.
People know that smoking is bad for you.
Smoking (1) bad for you.
It (2) smoking is bad for you.
People think the climate is getting hotter.
The climate (3) getting hotter.
It (4) the climate is getting hotter.
People believe the earth was cooler in the past.
The earth (5) cooler in the past.
It (6) the earth was cooler in the past.
They say he was discovered by his agent while working as a labourer.
SAID
He is (7) discovered by his agent while working as a labourer.
People think the ice in Antarctica is melting.
THOUGHT
It (8) in Antarctica is melting.
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