Impersonal Passive Voice Exercises Pdf With Answers Better Patched -
Mastering the impersonal passive voice is a key step for advanced English learners looking to write more formally and objectively. Unlike the standard passive voice, which focuses on the object of an action, the impersonal passive is used to report general beliefs, rumors, or opinions without identifying the specific source.
If you are looking for impersonal passive voice exercises with answers (PDF) , this guide breaks down the essential rules and provides practice drills to help you perfect this structure. Understanding the Impersonal Passive Voice
The impersonal passive is typically formed using "reporting verbs" such as say, think, believe, claim, report, consider, know, expect, and understand .
There are two main ways to transform an active sentence into an impersonal passive: 1. The "It" Construction
This is the most common form. It uses a dummy subject " It " followed by the passive form of the reporting verb and a " that " clause. Active: People say that he is a genius. Impersonal Passive: It is said that he is a genius.
2. The Subject-to-Infinitive Construction (Personal Passive)
This version moves the subject of the "that" clause to the beginning of the sentence, followed by the passive reporting verb and a to-infinitive . Active: Experts believe the painting is a fake. Impersonal Passive: The painting is believed to be a fake. Practice Exercises: Impersonal Passive Voice
Test your knowledge by transforming the following active sentences into both types of impersonal passive structures. You can download similar comprehensive worksheets from English Grammar PDF . Exercise 1: Transform to "It..." Construction People expect that the economy will grow next year. Journalists reported that the president had resigned. Everyone knows that laughter is the best medicine. They believe that the ancient ruins are 5,000 years old. Exercise 2: Transform to Subject-to-Infinitive Construction People think she is living in London. Police allege that the suspect stole the car. They consider him to be the best player on the team. Many believe that the company is going bankrupt. Answer Key
Use these answers to check your work. For more advanced drills, sites like ISLCollective offer downloadable PDF versions with teacher-verified keys. Exercise 1 Answers:
Impersonal passive voice is a formal construction used to report general opinions, beliefs, or claims from an unspecified group. It is commonly used in academic writing, journalism, and official reports to maintain an objective and neutral tone. Key Structures There are two main ways to form these constructions:
It + Passive Reporting Verb + that-clause : This is the most direct form. Active: "People say that the company is growing." Passive: " It is said that the company is growing."
Subject + Passive Reporting Verb + to-infinitive : Often called "personal passive," this shifts the focus to the specific subject of the report. Active: "People believe she is a genius." Passive: " She is believed to be a genius." Common Reporting Verbs
Commonly used verbs include: say, believe, think, report, know, claim, expect, estimate, assume, consider, understand, and rumor . Practice Exercises
You can practice by transforming the following active sentences into impersonal passive forms: Active Voice Impersonal Passive (It...) Personal Passive (Subject...) People expect the prices will rise. It is expected that prices will rise. Prices are expected to rise. They say she lives in Paris. It is said that she lives in Paris. She is said to live in Paris. Experts consider drugs to be dangerous. It is considered that drugs are dangerous. Drugs are considered to be dangerous. Police reported that he caused the crash. It was reported that he caused the crash. He was reported to have caused the crash. Resources for Exercises (PDF)
For comprehensive practice with answer keys, you can access these structured PDF worksheets:
Impersonal Passive - Answers.pdf : A clear list of transformations with full answer keys.
Impersonal Passive Voice Explained.pdf : Detailed explanation of how tenses change in these structures.
Academic English UK - Impersonal Passive : Advanced structures including nominalization examples.
Advanced Passives Review (British Council) : A high-level review of C1-level passive structures. If you'd like, I can provide:
More complex examples involving perfect or continuous infinitives.
A step-by-step guide on how to change tenses (e.g., from "people say" to "it was said"). A custom mini-quiz for you to solve here.
impersonal passive is a formal grammatical structure used to report general beliefs, opinions, or facts without specifying the speaker. It is common in academic writing, journalism, and official reports to maintain an objective tone. Core Structures
There are two primary ways to form these constructions using reporting verbs like say, believe, think, report, expect, 1. The "It" Construction Passive Verb be + past participle that-clause
Impersonal Passive Voice Exercises | PDF | Sports & Recreation
It's commonly used in academic writing, journalism, and formal reporting to convey information without personal bias .
Master Advanced Grammar: Impersonal Passive Voice Exercises PDF With Answers (BETTER Than Ever)
If you are preparing for advanced English exams (such as the Cambridge C1 Advanced, IELTS, or TOEFL), you have likely encountered a tricky grammatical structure: the Impersonal Passive Voice .
Many students struggle with this concept because it does not exist in the same form in many other languages. But fear not! This article provides a BETTER way to learn. We will break down the rules, provide clear examples, and—most importantly—direct you to high-quality Impersonal Passive Voice Exercises PDF with Answers that will skyrocket your fluency.
What is the Impersonal Passive? (And Why "BETTER"?)
You already know the standard passive voice: "The cake was eaten by John."
The Impersonal Passive is different. It is used in formal writing, news reports, and academic contexts to express what people think, say, believe, report, know, or expect . Instead of saying "People say that he is rich," we use an impersonal construction.
There are two main types: Impersonal Passive Voice Exercises Pdf With Answers BETTER
Type 1 (It is + past participle + that clause): It is said that he is rich.
Type 2 (Subject + is/are + past participle + infinitive): He is said to be rich.
Most standard worksheets mix these two types poorly. The resources marked "BETTER" in this guide offer:
Clear separation of the two types.
Step-by-step scaffolding (easy to hard).
Real-world sentences (not childish examples).
Full answer keys for self-correction. Mastering the impersonal passive voice is a key
The Golden Rules (Cheat Sheet)
Before downloading the PDF, memorize these three patterns.
Pattern A: Reporting Verbs (Say, Think, Believe, Report, Know, Expect, Understand, Claim)
| Active Voice | Impersonal Passive (Type 1) | Impersonal Passive (Type 2) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| People say that he speaks 5 languages. | It is said that he speaks 5 languages. | He is said to speak 5 languages. |
| They expect that the train will arrive late. | It is expected that the train will arrive late. | The train is expected to arrive late. |
| People believe that she is a genius. | It is believed that she is a genius. | She is believed to be a genius. |
Pattern B: Verb Tenses in the Infinitive (For Type 2)
The trickiest part is the infinitive form after the passive verb.
Same time as the main verb: Use to + infinitive .
People think he is honest. → He is thought to be honest. It uses a dummy subject " It "
Earlier time than the main verb: Use to have + past participle .
People think he was honest. → He is thought to have been honest.