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Impersonal passive, reporting verbs, have/get something done and other advanced structures.
Practice: build the sentences →English has several passive constructions with structures and meanings that go beyond the basic passive pattern.
Important examples include impersonal passives, reporting passives, passive constructions with prepositions, retained objects, and causative structures.
It is believed that the company will expand.
Считается, что компания расширится.
Impersonal passive with "it".
He is said to be very rich.
Говорят, что он очень богат.
Personal passive with reporting verb.
The problem was dealt with immediately.
С проблемой разобрались немедленно.
Passive with prepositional verb.
I had my car repaired.
Мне отремонтировали машину.
Causative passive.
Some verbs can form an impersonal passive with it as the grammatical subject.
For example, It is believed that the company will expand and It is expected that prices will rise.
It is believed that the company will expand.
Считается, что компания расширится.
Impersonal passive: It is believed that...
It is expected that prices will rise.
Ожидается, что цены вырастут.
It is expected that...
It is said that the building is haunted.
Говорят, что в здании водятся призраки.
It is said that...
Reporting verbs can form a personal passive in which the person or thing being reported about becomes the grammatical subject.
For example, He is believed to be innocent and She is thought to have left the country.
He is believed to be innocent.
Считается, что он невиновен.
Personal passive: subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive.
She is thought to have left the country.
Считается, что она покинула страну.
Personal passive with perfect infinitive.
The company is expected to announce the results soon.
Ожидается, что компания скоро объявит результаты.
Personal passive with "expect".
The passive expression it is said that introduces information attributed to people in general without naming a specific source.
For example, It is said that the building is haunted.
It is said that the building is haunted.
Говорят, что в здании водятся призраки.
It is said that... (general source).
It is said that she is very talented.
Говорят, что она очень талантлива.
Impersonal passive reporting.
It is said that the company is losing money.
Говорят, что компания теряет деньги.
It is said that...
The pattern subject + be + past participle + to-infinitive is used to report information about a particular subject.
For example, He is said to live abroad and The company is believed to be losing money.
He is said to live abroad.
Говорят, что он живёт за границей.
Subject + is said + to-infinitive.
The company is believed to be losing money.
Считается, что компания теряет деньги.
Personal passive with "believe".
She is thought to have left the country.
Считается, что она покинула страну.
Perfect infinitive after reporting passive.
Use a perfect passive reporting structure when the reported event happened before the reporting perspective.
For example, He is believed to have left and She is thought to have been informed.
He is believed to have left.
Считается, что он ушёл.
Perfect infinitive: to have + past participle.
She is thought to have been informed.
Считается, что её проинформировали.
Perfect passive infinitive: to have been + past participle.
The manuscript is believed to have been written in the 17th century.
Считается, что рукопись была написана в XVII веке.
Perfect passive infinitive in reporting.
A range of reporting verbs can occur in impersonal and personal passive constructions.
Common verbs include say, believe, think, know, expect, report, understand, consider, suppose, and rumour.
It is said that he is a good manager.
Говорят, что он хороший менеджер.
Reporting verb "say".
She is believed to be very kind.
Считается, что она очень добра.
Reporting verb "believe".
The results are expected to be announced soon.
Ожидается, что результаты будут объявлены скоро.
Reporting verb "expect".
He is reported to have been seen in Paris.
Сообщается, что его видели в Париже.
Reporting verb "report".
Impersonal passive reporting structures are useful when information is presented as a general belief, assumption, or report.
For example, It is generally believed that exercise improves health.
It is generally believed that exercise improves health.
Обычно считается, что физические упражнения улучшают здоровье.
General belief with "generally believed".
It is widely assumed that the economy will recover.
Широко распространено мнение, что экономика восстановится.
General assumption.
It is often said that breakfast is the most important meal.
Часто говорят, что завтрак — самый важный приём пищи.
General saying.
Some verbs followed by prepositions can form passive constructions while retaining the preposition.
For example, She was looked after by her sister and The problem was dealt with immediately.
She was looked after by her sister.
За ней присматривала её сестра.
Preposition retained: look after.
The problem was dealt with immediately.
С проблемой разобрались немедленно.
Preposition retained: deal with.
The matter will be looked into.
Этот вопрос будет рассмотрен.
Preposition retained: look into.
Some phrasal and multi-word verbs can form passive constructions without losing their particles or required prepositions.
For example, The meeting was called off and The child was taken care of by his grandparents.
The meeting was called off.
Встречу отменили.
Phrasal verb passive: call off.
The child was taken care of by his grandparents.
О ребёнке заботились его бабушка и дедушка.
Multi-word verb: take care of.
The plans were put off until next week.
Планы отложили до следующей недели.
Phrasal verb: put off.
Ditransitive verbs may allow either object to become the subject of a passive sentence, depending on the verb and construction.
For example, They gave John a job can become John was given a job or A job was given to John.
John was given a job.
Джону дали работу.
Indirect object becomes subject.
A job was given to John.
Работа была дана Джону.
Direct object becomes subject; "to" retained.
She was sent a letter.
Ей отправили письмо.
Indirect object as subject.
A letter was sent to her.
Письмо было отправлено ей.
Direct object as subject.
Some passive constructions retain another object or complement after the passive subject.
For example, John was given a book and She was told the truth.
John was given a book.
Джону дали книгу.
Retained object: a book.
She was told the truth.
Ей сказали правду.
Retained object: the truth.
He was offered a promotion.
Ему предложили повышение.
Retained object: a promotion.
Complex transitive verbs can form passive constructions in which the object complement remains after the passive verb.
For example, They elected him president becomes He was elected president.
He was elected president.
Его избрали президентом.
Object complement retained: president.
She was appointed manager.
Её назначили менеджером.
Object complement retained.
The room was painted white.
Комнату покрасили в белый цвет.
Object complement retained.
Certain perception verbs can form passive constructions from active structures containing an object and infinitive or participle complement.
For example, They saw him leave can correspond to He was seen to leave, while They saw him leaving can correspond to He was seen leaving.
He was seen to leave the building.
Видели, как он выходил из здания.
Active: They saw him leave. Passive: He was seen to leave.
He was seen leaving the building.
Видели, как он выходил из здания.
Passive with present participle.
She was heard to sing.
Слышали, как она пела.
Perception verb passive with to-infinitive.
Causative constructions can combine with passive forms to describe services or actions arranged for a person or thing.
For example, I had my car repaired and She got her hair cut.
I had my car repaired.
Мне отремонтировали машину.
Causative have + object + past participle.
She got her hair cut.
Она подстриглась.
Causative get + object + past participle.
We had the roof repaired.
Нам отремонтировали крышу.
Have something done.
Have + object + past participle expresses that the subject arranges for someone else to perform a service or action.
For example, We had the roof repaired and She had her eyes tested.
We had the roof repaired.
Нам отремонтировали крышу.
Have + object + past participle.
She had her eyes tested.
Ей проверили зрение.
Have something done for a service.
I had my hair cut yesterday.
Вчера мне подстригли волосы.
Causative passive.
Get + object + past participle can express arranging for a service or action and is often more informal than have something done.
For example, I need to get my phone repaired and She got her hair cut yesterday.
I need to get my phone repaired.
Мне нужно починить телефон.
Get + object + past participle.
She got her hair cut yesterday.
Вчера она подстриглась.
Get something done.
We should get the house painted.
Нам следует покрасить дом (нанять маляров).
Get something done.
Have something done and get something done can express similar causative meanings, but get is often more conversational and can suggest successful persuasion or completion.
Compare I had the computer repaired with I got the computer repaired.
I had the computer repaired.
Мне отремонтировали компьютер.
Have something done: neutral/formal.
I got the computer repaired.
Я починил компьютер (с помощью кого-то).
Get something done: more informal/conversational.
She had her car serviced.
Ей обслужили машину.
Have something done.
Need and require can be followed by passive infinitives or, in some structures, by forms with gerund-like meaning.
For example, The house needs to be painted and The machine requires cleaning.
The house needs to be painted.
Дом нужно покрасить.
Need + passive infinitive.
The machine requires cleaning.
Машину требуется почистить.
Require + gerund with passive meaning.
The car needs to be repaired.
Машину нужно отремонтировать.
Need + passive infinitive.
Get-passives often emphasize a change of state or an event affecting the subject.
For example, He got injured, She got promoted, and The window got broken.
He got injured in the accident.
Он пострадал в аварии.
Get-passive: change of state.
She got promoted last year.
Её повысили в прошлом году.
Get-passive: change of state.
The window got broken during the storm.
Окно разбилось во время бури.
Get-passive: unexpected event.
Some passive constructions are part of common fixed or semi-fixed expressions.
Examples include be born, be supposed to, be expected to, and be known to.
He was born in 1990.
Он родился в 1990 году.
Fixed passive expression: be born.
You are supposed to submit the form today.
Ты должен подать форму сегодня.
Fixed passive: be supposed to.
The company is known to employ thousands.
Известно, что компания нанимает тысячи людей.
Fixed passive: be known to.
Be known to can introduce a fact, characteristic, or reported action concerning a subject.
For example, The company is known to employ thousands of people and He is known to be very careful.
The company is known to employ thousands of people.
Известно, что компания нанимает тысячи людей.
Be known to + base verb.
He is known to be very careful.
Известно, что он очень осторожен.
Be known to + be + adjective.
She is known to have helped many people.
Известно, что она помогла многим людям.
Be known to + perfect infinitive.
Be expected to expresses an expectation or requirement concerning the subject.
For example, Employees are expected to arrive on time and The results are expected to be announced tomorrow.
Employees are expected to arrive on time.
Ожидается, что сотрудники приходят вовремя.
Be expected to + base verb.
The results are expected to be announced tomorrow.
Ожидается, что результаты будут объявлены завтра.
Be expected to + passive infinitive.
She is expected to win the competition.
Ожидается, что она выиграет соревнование.
Be expected to + base verb.
Be supposed to expresses an expected action, arrangement, duty, or intended behaviour.
For example, You are supposed to submit the form today.
You are supposed to submit the form today.
Ты должен подать форму сегодня.
Be supposed to + base verb.
The train is supposed to arrive at six.
Поезд должен прибыть в шесть.
Be supposed to + base verb.
We are not supposed to use phones here.
Нам не положено пользоваться здесь телефонами.
Negative be supposed to.
Choose the correct special passive construction according to the verb pattern and intended meaning.
Common mistakes include confusing it is said with he is said to, using the wrong infinitive after reporting passives, omitting required prepositions, and confusing causative constructions with ordinary passive voice.
It is said that he is a good manager.
Говорят, что он хороший менеджер.
Correct impersonal passive.
He is said to be a good manager.
Говорят, что он хороший менеджер.
Correct personal passive.
The problem was dealt immediately.
С проблемой разобрались немедленно.
Incorrect: missing preposition "with".
I had my car repair.
Мне отремонтировали машину.
Incorrect: use past participle "repaired".
She is believed to have been left.
Считается, что она ушла.
Incorrect: perfect passive infinitive would be "to have left" (active) or "to have been left" (passive, but meaning differs).