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We often use a passive to report what people say, think, etc., particularly ¡fit is not important to mention who is being reported: | People in the area have been told that they should stay indoors. Everyone was asked to bring some food to the party. Another common way of reporting what is said by an unspecified group of people is to use it + passive verb + that-clause (see Unit 33 for more on that-clauses). Using this pattern allows us to put important information at the end of the sentence (see Unit 24€): 1) His reported that the damage is extensive. (compare The damage is extensive, according to government sources.) It was decided that the meeting should be cancelled. (or It was decided to cancel the meeting.) Also: allege, announce, assume, believe, calculate, claim, consider, demonstrate, discover, establish, estimate, expect, feel, find, know, mention, recommend, reveal, say, show, suggest, suppose, think, understand; agree, decide, hope, intend, plan, propose (can also be followed by a to-infinitive clause) Note that many other verbs connected with reporting are not used with it + passive verb + that- clause, but can be used as in A: We have been informed that we have to leave. (but not It has informed us ...) Also: encourage, persuade, reassure, remind, tell, warn These verbs need a personal object before the that-clause in an active form (e.g. They have informed us that...) An alternative to it + passive verb + that-clause is to use subject + passive verb + to-infinitive ¡f we want the subject to be the topic of the sentence (see Unit 24C). Compare: |. Itis reported that the damage ¡is extensive. and |) The damage is reported to be extensive. Most of the verbs listed in the first white box in B can also be used in this pattern except for announce, decide, mention, propose, recommend, suggest. We can only use tell in this pattern when it means “order”. So we can say: I was told (= ordered) to go with them to the railway station. but not 'The accident was told (=said) to have happened Just after midnight!. With some verbs we can also use it + passive verb + wh-clause to report information given or found out: It has now been revealed who was responsible for the accident. The decision to build the bridge was taken before itwas established whether it was actually needed. Also: discover, explain, find, know, reveal, show, understand When a that-clause begins that + there ..., we can make a corresponding passive form there + passive verb + to be / to have been. Compare: It is thought (that) there are too many obstacles to peace. and ) There are thought to be too many obstacles to peace. We can use the same verbs in this pattern as with subject + passive verb + to-infinitive (see c). 
