Question 1

What is the impersonal passive and how do you form it?

Accepted Answer

The impersonal passive uses "It" as a formal subject with reporting verbs like say, believe, think, know, expect, report, understand, and allege. The structure is: It + is/was + past participle + that + clause. Example: "People say he is rich" → "It is said that he is rich." For past situations: "It was reported that the building had collapsed." This form is very common in news writing and academic English because it avoids naming a specific source. It creates a formal, objective tone: "It is widely believed that exercise improves mental health." Cambridge B2 First and C1 Advanced frequently test this transformation.

Question 2

How does the personal passive with reporting verbs work?

Accepted Answer

The personal passive makes a person the subject instead of "It." The structure is: Subject + is/was + past participle + to + infinitive. Example: "People believe she is the best" → "She is believed to be the best." For actions happening now: "He is thought to be living abroad" (to be + -ing). For past actions, use the perfect infinitive: "He is known to have left the country" (= People know he left). Common verbs: say, believe, think, know, report, expect, understand, consider, allege. The personal passive is often more natural than the impersonal form and is the preferred transformation in Cambridge C1 Advanced exams.

Question 3

What is the difference between "have something done" and "get something done"?

Accepted Answer

"Have something done" is neutral or formal: "I had my suit dry-cleaned" (I arranged for the dry cleaner to do it). "Get something done" is more informal and can suggest effort: "I finally got the boiler fixed" (it took effort to arrange). Both mean someone else performs the action for you. The structure is: have/get + object + past participle. The causative also describes negative experiences: "She had her purse stolen" (it happened to her — she did not arrange it). "He got his car scratched in the car park." In different tenses: "I'm having my kitchen painted" (present continuous), "She had had her hair done before the party" (past perfect).

Special Passive Structures Exercises

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Present Simple Passive

Past Simple Passive

Passive Voice Error Correction

-ed vs -ing Adjectives

Conditionals

Present Perfect