STANDARD USE
He helps the students.
The students are helped by him.
He fixes his car regularly.
He has/ gets his car fixed regularly.
The temple is haunted
YOU CAN USE ANY REPORTING VERB
TENSE: PRESENT SIMPLE
It is said/ thought/ considered, etc.
...that the temple is haunted.
It is said that you are a traitor.
You are said to be a traitor.
Peter sends Mary a nice letter.
IO passive: Mary is sent a nice letter by Peter.
DO passive: A nice letter is sent to Mary by Peter.
They built the bridge in 2000.
The bridge was built in 2000 (by them).
He didn't decorate his office for years.
He didn't have/ get his office decorated for years.
She speaks five languages
You can't use the verbs SAY, THINK AND CONSIDER
TENSE: PAST SIMPLE
It was believed/ claimed, etc.
... that she spoke five languages.
It is believed that the police commit abuses systematically.
The police are believed to commit abuses systematically.
The company gave the workers new uniforms last year.
IO passive: The workers were given new uniforms last year (by the company).
DO passive: New uniforms were given to the workers last year (by the company).
He wasn't painting the house.
The house wasn't being painted by him.
BONUS!
You win 300 points!
Knowledge is power
You can't use the verbs SAY, THINK, CONSIDER, BELIEVE AND CLAIM
TENSE: PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
It has been observed, alleged, maintained, stated, etc.
... that knowledge is power.
BONUS!
You win 300 points!
They were giving him a lot of money when we arrived.
IO passive: He was being given a lot of money by them when we arrived.
DO passive: A lot of money was being given to him by them when we arrived.
They need to promptly agree on the details of the contract.
The details of the contract need to be promptly agreed on.
I repaired my phone quickly after it broke.
I had/ got my phone repaired quickly after it broke.
BOOM!
You lose 400 points!
It was presumed that the police hadn't committed abuses.
The police were presumed not to have committed abuses.
The school has not given the students clear instructions.
IO passive: The students have not been given clear instructions (by the school).
DO passive: Clear instructions have not been given to the students (by the school).
They shouldn't have told my friends so soon that I was not going to the party.
My friends shouldn't have been told so soon that I was not going to the party.
We could have cleaned the pool before summer.
We could have had/ got the pool cleaned before summer.
Translate the following sentence into English using the impersonal passive voice.
Es va confirmar que algú habia fet trampes a l'examen.
It was confirmed that someone had cheated on the exam.
It is expected that he won't change his behavior.
You should not have taught those kids judo.
IO passive: Those kids should not have been taught judo (by you).
DO passive: Judo should not have been taught to those kids (by you).