Be said/known/believed to

Sample sentences:

1. She is said to know a very influential

politician.

2. My friend is believed to be leaving the

country.

Form:

It is said that

a very generous

woman.

is said

she

she

is

to be

passive

+ infinitive

a generous woman.

Form:

It is said that

are said

temperatures

are rising.

to be rising.

Temperatures

passive + infinitive

1.

To refer to the present or future we use simple infinitive (to + V1).

•

It is believed that she is a good doctor.

•

She is believed to be a good doctor.

2. To refer to an activity in progress at the moment

of speaking we use continuous infinitive. ( to be +
Ving)

•

It is rumoured that inflation is increasing.

•

Inflation is rumoured to be increasing.

Infinitives

1. It is claimed that he is the kindest man in

Türkiye.

•
He is clamed to be the kindest man in
Türkiye.

2. It is expected that the school will open a

campus in London next year.

•
The school is expected to open a
campus in London next year.

Simple Infinitive (to + V1)

Continuous Infinitive (to be +

Ving)

1. It is expected that they are planning a

major new investment.

•
They are expected to be planning a
major new investment.

2. It is believed that our manager will be

staying in Paris for five days.

•Our manager is believed to be staying
in Paris for five days.

We use the passive + infinitive:

3. with verbs

such as:

SAY
THINK
ALLEGE
CONSIDER
BELIEVE
REPORT
RUMOUR
SUPPOSE
KNOW
EXPECT
UNDERSTAND

2. mainly in newspaper reporting

The British economy is expected to
expand by 6% over the next two years.

1. when the statement is speculative
(the information is not confirmed)
Many stock brokers are believed
to be suffering losses in recent months.

It is expected that the British economy will expand 6% over
the next two years.

The British economy

is expected to expand 6% over the

next two years.

It is thought that investors will suffer losses in the stock
market.

Many investors

are thought to suffer losses in the stock

market.

It is known that HP is looking at the possibility of producing
its low price laptops in China.



HP

is known to be looking at the possibility of producing

its low price laptops in China.

It is believed that the company will expand its range of
services.



The company

is believed to be expanding its range of services.