The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar with Exercises

Impersonal reporting

Some reporting verbs can be made impersonal with the personal pronoun it and the passive voice when the agent (the doer) of the action is unimportant, unknown or obvious.

Examples of such verbs are: agree, announce, believe, claim, confirm, consider, decide, estimate, expect, fear, feel, hope, imply, know, predict, reckon, recommend, report, rumour, say, state, suggest, suppose, think etc.:

It has been agreed

to prohibit smoking in public places.

It is rumoured

that the government will implement new taxes.

Related topics:

Passive voice with reporting verbs