1. Impersonal constructions (it is
said…., it is reported….) are quite
common in the passive voice but
they are difficult for Spanish
speakers. This sort of passive
construction is widely used in the
media.

2. Verbs that refer to saying or
thinking….. believed “se cree”
reported “se informa”
said “se dice”
thought “se piensa”
It is
known “se sabe”
supposed “se supone”
considered “se considera”
expected “se espera”
…are often followed by a to-infinitive form in
the passive.
Impersonal passive is formed following the
structure: to be + past participle +
subject + To-infinitive form

3. Here are some examples:
ACTIVE: Everybody thinks Cathy works very hard.
PASSIVE 1:
Cathy is thought to work very hard.(Se piensa que
Cathy trabaja mucho)
PASSIVE 2:
It is thought that Cathy works very hard.(Se piensa
que Cathy trabaja mucho)
ACTIVE: They believe Tom is wearing a white
pullover.
PASSIVE 1: Tom is believed to be wearing a white
pullover.(Se cree que Tom lleva un jersey blanco)
PASSIVE 2: It is believed that Tom is wearing a
white pullover.(Se cree que Tom lleva un jersey blanco)

4. There are FOUR INFINITIVE FORMS , which we
will use depending on the tense we have in the active
sentence:
Simple: to write
Continuous: to be writing
Perfect: to have written
Perf.see this example: have beenthink their best customers
Let’s Continuous: to Retailers writing
are aged between 25 and 40
IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS TYPE OF
PASSIVE SENTENCE…
First, we Take the subject of the second sentence:
their best customers
Second, we put passive verb of the Reporting verb in the
same tense as in the active: are thought
Third, we put the verb of the second sentence in the
Infinitive form: to be
Their best customers are thought to be aged
between 25 and 40

5. WHICH FORM OF THE INFINITIVE DO
WE USE?
•If it carries an idea of present or future
Simple: to write
• If it carries an idea of past, whatever the tense (Past
Simple, Past Perfect, Present Perfect)
Perfect: to have written
• If either of them are in a continuous form, you use the
adequate Infinitive continuous form: to be writing or to
have been writing MORE EXAMPLES:
SOME
ACTIVE PASSIVE
They say she works hard. She is said to work hard.
They say she played well. She is said to have played well.
They said she has done well. She was said to have done well.
They believe he is having an affair. He is believed to be having an affair.
He is believed to have been having
They believe he has been having an
an affair.
affair.
The repairs are believed to have been
She believes the repairs have been

6. WHICH FORM OF THE INFINITIVE DO
WE USE?
•If it carries an idea of present or future
Simple: to write
• If it carries an idea of past, whatever the tense (Past
Simple, Past Perfect, Present Perfect)
Perfect: to have written
• If either of them are in a continuous form, you use the
adequate Infinitive continuous form: to be writing or to
have been writing MORE EXAMPLES:
SOME
ACTIVE PASSIVE
They say she works hard. She is said to work hard.
They say she played well. She is said to have played well.
They said she has done well. She was said to have done well.
They believe he is having an affair. He is believed to be having an affair.
He is believed to have been having
They believe he has been having an
an affair.
affair.
The repairs are believed to have been
She believes the repairs have been