Welcome to the World of Formal English!
Hi there! Today we are going to explore a very cool way to use the passive voice. Have you ever noticed how news reporters or scientists sound very official? They often say things like, "It is reported that..." or "It is believed that..." instead of just saying "People say."
By the end of these notes, you will know exactly how to turn a normal sentence into a "super-formal" one using that-clauses. This is a great skill for writing reports and formal essays!
Step 1: A Quick Refresh (The Basics)
Don't worry if you find the passive voice a bit tricky! Let's look at two simple things we need to know first:
1. The Passive Voice: This is when we focus on the action or the object rather than the person doing it.
Active: People say...
Passive: It is said...
2. The "That-clause": This is just a group of words that starts with the word "that". It usually follows a verb of thinking or saying.
Example: ...that the moon is made of cheese.
Quick Review:
A passive that-clause structure helps us talk about what people generally believe or say without naming specific people. It makes your writing sound objective and professional.
Step 2: Why Do We Use This?
In your syllabus, we focus on formal language. We use passive voice with that-clauses when:
- We don't know who said something (rumors or general beliefs).
- We want to sound like an expert or a reporter.
- The information itself is more important than the person who said it.
Analogy: The "News Anchor" Voice
Imagine you are a news anchor. You don't say, "My friend told me it will rain." You say, "It is expected that it will rain." It sounds much more trustworthy, right?
Step 3: Structure #1 — Using the "Dummy" Subject "It"
This is the easiest way to build these sentences. We use the word "It" as a placeholder (we call this a dummy subject because it doesn't actually refer to a thing).
The Formula:
It + is/was + Passive Verb (Past Participle) + that + the rest of the sentence.
Example:
Active: People believe that the team will win.
Passive: It is believed that the team will win.
Common Verbs for this Structure:
We usually use verbs that involve saying, thinking, or knowing. Think of these as "Brain Verbs":
- Said (It is said that...)
- Thought (It is thought that...)
- Believed (It is believed that...)
- Reported (It is reported that...)
- Known (It is known that...)
- Expected (It is expected that...)
Key Takeaway: When you start with "It is...", you don't have to change anything else in the "that-clause." Just copy and paste the rest of the sentence!
Step 4: Structure #2 — Making the Subject the Star
Sometimes, we want to start with the actual subject of the story instead of "It." This is a bit more advanced, but you can do it!
The Formula:
Subject + is/was + Passive Verb + to-infinitive (to + verb).
Example:
Active: People say that the Principal is very kind.
Passive: The Principal is said to be very kind.
Memory Trick: The Bridge
Think of the words "is said to" or "is believed to" as a bridge connecting the subject to their action. You must remove the word "that" when you use this structure!
Step 5: Step-by-Step Transformation
Let's try to change a sentence together.
Active Sentence: "Everyone knows that exercise improves health."
Method A (The "It" Way):
1. Start with It is.
2. Change "knows" to the passive form: known.
3. Add that and the rest of the sentence.
Result: It is known that exercise improves health.
Method B (The Subject Way):
1. Find the subject inside the that-clause: Exercise.
2. Start the sentence with Exercise is known.
3. Change the second verb (improves) into a "to" form: to improve.
Result: Exercise is known to improve health.
Step 6: Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! Here are a few things to watch out for:
1. Forgetting the "is/was": You must have a "be" verb.
Wrong: It thought that...
Right: It is thought that...
2. Keeping "that" in the Subject structure:
Wrong: He is said that to be rich.
Right: He is said to be rich.
3. Using the wrong verb form: Always use the Past Participle (the 3rd form of the verb, like known, said, seen, reported).
Did you know?
Using this structure is very common in Science and History subjects because it makes the facts sound more important than the scientists who discovered them!
Final Summary Checklist
Before you finish, check if you remember these points:
- Passive + that-clause is for formal, objective writing.
- Use "It is [Verb-3] that..." for the easiest structure.
- Use "Subject is [Verb-3] to..." to focus on a specific person or thing.
- Use verbs like say, think, believe, report, and know.
Great job! You've just leveled up your English writing skills. Keep practicing, and soon you'll sound like a professional reporter!