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Interactive Grammar: Impersonal Passive quiz

Use impersonal passive structures — It is said that…, It is believed that…, It is reported that… — common in formal, journalistic, and academic English.

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Duration

~37 min

Questions

Level

Upper Intermediate

Overview

Impersonal passive structures remove any specific agent and use 'it' as a dummy subject. Patterns: It is said that… / It is believed that… / It is reported that… / It has been confirmed that… These structures are very common in journalism, academic writing, and formal reports to present information without attributing it to a specific source.

What Is Impersonal Passive?

structure 1It + passive reporting verb + that-clause
exampleIt is said that prices will rise.
structure 2Subject + passive verb + to-infinitive
examplePrices are expected to rise.
key verbssay, believe, think, report, expect, claim, know, consider

Both Patterns

it patternIt is believed that he is innocent.
subject patternHe is believed to be innocent.
past ref.It is said that she left early.
past ref.She is said to have left early.
formal useBoth patterns are formal and impersonal.

Common Errors

❌ It is said him to be honest → ✅ He is said to be honest.
❌ It is thought he left (past) → ✅ He is thought to have left.
❌ Using for informal speech — reserve for formal/written English.

When to use

Journalism

It is reported that three people were injured.

Academic Writing

It is widely believed that the policy was ineffective.

Formal Reports

It is alleged that the regulation was violated.

General Statements

English is considered the global language of business.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this lesson on impersonal Passive cover?

Use impersonal passive structures — It is said that…, It is believed that…, It is reported that… — common in formal, journalistic, and academic English.

Which CEFR level is this lesson designed for?

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

What is the best approach for studying impersonal Passive?

Start with the definition above, then work through the examples to see how impersonal Passive behaves in context. Since this is a Upper Intermediate (B2) topic within active and passive voice, focus on using the structure accurately in context and noticing the mistakes learners typically make with it — this is the level where small errors start to matter for fluency. Finish with the quiz below to check what's actually sticking.

How does impersonal Passive relate to the rest of active and passive voice?

Impersonal Passive is one of the Upper Intermediate–level topics grouped under Active and Passive Voice on Grammartier. Understanding it well makes the related lessons in the same category easier to follow — use the related-lessons links on this page to keep building on it once you've completed this quiz.