Passive Voice Constructions in English Grammar

• Active voice generally follows the structure: people/they/we + verb
• Personal passive voice generally follows the structure: it is + verb (past participle) that...
• Impersonal passive voice generally follows the structure: subject + is + said/thought, etc. + to (be, have, etc.)

Simple Present

• Active: People say he is English.
• Personal Passive: It is said that he is English.
• Impersonal Passive: He is said to be English.
• Active: We understand she doesn’t like football.
• Personal Passive: It is understood that she doesn’t like football.
• Impersonal Passive: She is understood not to like football.

Present Continuous

• Active: People think he is waiting for us now.
• Personal Passive: It is thought that he is waiting for us now.
• Impersonal Passive: He is thought to be waiting for us now.

Future (will/going to)

• Active: People expect that he will join the company soon.
• Personal Passive: It is expected that he will join the company soon.
• Impersonal Passive: He is expected to join the company soon.

Present Passive

• Active: They say that many smartphones are stolen every day.
• Personal Passive: It is said that many smartphones are stolen every day.
• Impersonal Passive: Many smartphones are said to be stolen every day.

Present Passive Continuous

• Active: They think dinner is being cooked as we speak.
• Personal Passive: It is thought that dinner is being cooked as we speak.
• Impersonal Passive: Dinner is thought to be being cooked as we speak.

Future Passive

• Active: People expect that taxes will be raised next year.
• Personal Passive: It is expected that taxes will be raised next year.
• Impersonal Passive: Taxes are expected to be raised next year.

Present Perfect

• Active: People think he has left for good.
• Personal Passive: It is thought that he has left for good.
• Impersonal Passive: He is thought to have left for good.

Present Perfect Continuous

• Active: The police assume that the arrested man has killed three people.
• Personal Passive: It is assumed that the arrested man has killed three people.
• Impersonal Passive: The arrested man is assumed to have killed three people.
• Active: They know she has been working very hard.
• Personal Passive: It is known that she has been working very hard.
• Impersonal Passive: She is known to have been working very hard.

Past Perfect

• Active: The prosecution say he had killed her earlier that morning.
• Personal Passive: It is said that he had killed her earlier that morning.
• Impersonal Passive: He is said to have killed her earlier that morning.

Past Perfect Continuous

• Active: They say he had been planning to leave his partner.
• Personal Passive: It is said that he had been planning to leave his partner.
• Impersonal Passive: He is said to have been planning to leave his partner.

Past Simple

• Active: People say that he got married in Germany.
• Personal Passive: It is said that he got married in Germany.
• Impersonal Passive: He is said to have got married in Germany.
• Active: People claim that he died two weeks ago.
• Personal Passive: It is claimed that he died two weeks ago.
• Impersonal Passive: He is claimed to have died two weeks ago.

Past Continuous

• Active: They say he was studying very hard for his exam.
• Personal Passive: It is said that he was studying very hard for his exam.
• Impersonal Passive: He is said to have been studying very hard for his exam.

Past Passive

• Active: They report that two people were injured in the accident.
• Personal Passive: It is reported that two people were injured in the accident.
• Impersonal Passive: Two people are reported to have been injured in the accident.