Reporting verbs

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 401.

Verbs with two objects

Additional Explanations

Grammar

Verbs which have two objects can be made passive in two ways.

/ was handed a note. A notewas handed to me.

Other common verbs of this type are:

bring, give, lend, pass, pay, promise, sell, send, show, tell

• Present reference

With verbs such as believe, know, say, think, which report people's opinions, a

passive construction is often used to avoid a weak subject, and to give a generalised opinion.

With present reference, the passive is followed by the present infinitive.

The criminal is thought to bein hiding in the London area.

Vitamin C is known to begood for treating colds.

• Past reference

With past reference, the passive is followed by the past infinitive.

Smith is believed to have leftEngland last week.

• Past reporting verb

If the reporting verb is in the past, the past infinitive tends to follow, though not always if the verb be is used.

People thought Sue had paid too much.

Sue was thought to have paidtoo much.

The police thought that the thief was still in the house.

The thief was thought to still bein the house.

• Past reference with two objects

In this case there are two ways of making a passive sentence.

Everyone knows the portrait was paintedby an Italian.

The portrait is known to have been paintedby an Italian.

• Continuous infinitive

Past and present continuous infinitives are also used.

Mary is thought to be livingin Scotland.

The driver is thought to have been doinga U-turn.