Expressing opinions without making them personal is a powerful communication skill in English. Passive reported speech allows you to act as a reporter rather than someone sharing personal beliefs, and mastering it will help you sound more formal, objective, and professional in both spoken and written English.
What is passive reported speech and why does it matter?
Passive reported speech removes the speaker from the opinion being shared. Instead of saying "I believe he did a good job," you can say "It is said that he did a good job" [01:02]. The difference is significant: the first version expresses a personal stance, while the second one simply reports what others think.
This structure is closely related to passive voice, where the actor is removed and the focus shifts to the action or the thing receiving it. In passive reported speech, you apply this same principle to beliefs, thoughts, and reports.
Three important characteristics define this structure:
- The speaker acts as a reporter, not as someone expressing personal feelings.
- Ideas are impersonal — they don't belong to you or anyone specific.
- It is commonly used in formal English, both written and spoken.
How do you form passive reported speech in present and past?
The structure follows a clear pattern: an introductory expression plus a main clause. A main clause is a sentence that can stand on its own without any help [01:41]. For example, in "It is believed that he was a hero," the main clause is "he was a hero" — a complete, independent sentence.
Present tense expressions
You can use these introductory phrases in the present [01:26]:
- It is believed that…
- It is thought that…
- It is said that…
- It is reported that…
For instance: "People think it is your fault" becomes "It is believed it is your fault" [03:05]. Both are correct, but the second version is impersonal. The speaker is not taking sides.
Past tense expressions
To shift into the past, simply change is to was [02:42]:
- It was believed that…
- It was thought that…
- It was said that…
- It was reported that…
Consider this example: "They said that it was an accident" transforms into "It was said that it was an accident" [03:36]. Who said it? We don't really know — just people. Does the speaker believe it was truly an accident? That remains unclear because no personal opinion is offered.
You can even use the future: "It will be said that…" [04:45]. The flexibility across tenses makes this structure versatile for many formal contexts.
When should you use impersonal comments in real life?
Passive reported speech is especially useful when you want to share information without passing judgment [05:02]. Imagine a friend made a mistake at work. Instead of directly saying "You made a mistake," you could soften the message: "People said that it was a mistake, but it doesn't come from me."
This approach works well in several situations:
- Professional settings where objectivity is expected.
- Sensitive conversations where you want to distance yourself from criticism.
- News reporting and academic writing where personal bias should be minimized.
Notice how the structure allows you to even disagree subtly. You might say, "It is believed that he was a hero, but personally, I know him and he wasn't a hero" [02:14]. The passive reported speech sets up the general belief, and then you can add your own perspective separately if needed.
The key takeaway is that you are not expressing your personal ideas, feelings, or thoughts when using this structure. You are simply a messenger delivering what others believe, think, or say.
Try practicing by sharing five common beliefs people have about three different professions — use passive reported speech to keep your comments impersonal, and engage with others to keep learning together.
