Optional Grammar Pages: Impersonal Passive

1. Read the examples. Then complete the rule. 3. Complete the sentences with the verbs in
brackets. Use the Impersonal Passive.
Impersonal Passive 1. He spent most of his life in London, although he
Active: They say he owns a lot of modern art. is known (live) in Paris
Impersonal Passive: He is said to own a lot of modern for a short time in the 1890s.
art.
2. She is reported (do)
Simple Infinitive some interesting work lately.
Active: They think he is a great artist. 3. This drawing paper is considered
Impersonal Passive: He is thought to be a great artist.
(be) the best.
Continuous Infinitive 4. He is believed (design)
Active: They believe she is lying. a shopping centre and an airport right now.
Impersonal Passive: She is believed to be lying.
5. He is known (own) four
Perfect Infinitive homes. One is in New York, and the others are
Active: They think Leonardo drew these sketches. in England.
Impersonal Passive: Leonardo is thought to have 6. She is presumed (plan)
drawn these sketches.
a new exhibition at the moment.
Perfect Continuous Infinitive
Active: They know he has been working on a portrait.
4. Complete the sentences below with the verbs
Impersonal Passive: He is known to have been in brackets. Use the Impersonal Passive. Then
working on a portrait. test your knowledge of art by matching the
sentences to the correct artist. Check your
Choose the correct answer. answers at the bottom of the page.
Verbs of saying or thinking such as think, believe, know, 1. One of this artist’s paintings, Guernica, is
consider, presume, say and report are sometimes used in
considered (be) a
the passive followed by the base / infinitive form of the
verb. masterpiece and a statement against war.
2. This famous Dutch artist is known
(sell) only one painting
2. Complete the sentences. Use the correct form during his lifetime.
of the Impersonal Passive. 3. This artist, the richest living British artist, is
1. They say the exhibition is excellent. reported (cause)
The exhibition is said controversy for the past 15 years.
excellent. 4. This artist, most famous for paintings of soup
2. They report she is recording her new songs. cans, is said (get) the
She is reported her new idea for the paintings from a friend.
songs. 5. The woman in this artist’s most famous painting
3. They think he has been writing a novel. is known (have) a
He is thought a novel. mysterious expression.
4. Experts believe a Dutch artist painted this in the 6. Some work by this well-known American
1600s. photographer is reported
A Dutch artist is believed (sell) these days for as
this in the 1600s. much as one million dollars.
5. Art historians consider this Picasso’s most a. Vincent van Gogh
important painting.
b. Andy Warhol
This is considered
c. Cindy Sherman
Picasso’s most important painting.
d. Pablo Picasso
6. Everyone presumes he is remaining as the
e. Damien Hirst
museum director.
f. Leonardo da Vinci
He is presumed as the
museum director. 1. d, 2. a, 3. e, 4. b, 5. f, 6. c
Answers

Advanced Real English 4 © B Burlington Books 

 Optional Grammar Pages: Impersonal Passive
5. Complete the text with the verbs in brackets.
Use the Impersonal Passive.
A Young Artist
Arushi Bhatnagar, who was born in India in 2001,
is believed 1. (be) the
youngest professional artist in the world today.
She is known 2. (begin)
painting when she was only a few months old.
She couldn’t hold a paintbrush at that age, so she
is said 3. (use) her hands
and feet to paint. Arushi has had many exhibitions,
won several art prizes, and sold some of her work.
Arushi is considered 4.
(have) a great deal of talent, and she is reported
5.
(continue) to paint while
attending school and enjoying hobbies such as
dancing and sport. Arushi is also said
6.
(inspire) other children to
find something they like to do and are good at.
6. Rewrite the sentences. Use the correct form of
the Impersonal Passive.
1. They believe she works hard.
2. They think she has been researching ancient
paintings.
3. People consider her too young to head an
important museum.
4. They presume Picasso made these sketches in
the 1920s.
5. They report that the arts festival has been
attracting thousands of visitors each day.
6. They believe he took these photos secretly.
7. They say J.K. Rowling is writing a book for
adults.
8. Everyone knows he behaves rudely at times.
Advanced Real English 4 © B Burlington Books
7. Complete the text with the verbs in brackets.
Use the correct passive or active form.
The Watts Towers
The Watts Towers in Los Angeles, California, is
a group of 17 tall sculptures standing as high as
30.3 metres. They 1.
(complete) in 1955. They 2.
(make) of metal that is decorated with thousands
of pieces of colourful glass, shells, metal bottle
caps and pottery. They are considered
3.
(be) one of the finest
works of art ever made by someone with no
training in art. The Towers 4.
(build) by one man – Simon Rodia. Born in Italy in
1879, Rodia is believed 5.
(move) to the US around 1900, a few years after his
older brother 6. (go) there.
After a few years on the east coast, he moved to
Los Angeles. In 1921, he 7.
(buy) some property there and began work on the
Towers. The project took him 34 years to finish.
Rodia left Los Angeles shortly after he
8.
(complete) the Towers.
He rarely spoke publicly about why he
9.
(create) them, but did
once say, “I had in mind to do something big, and
I did it.” Simon Rodia died in 1965. In the 1970s,
his sculptures 10. (give) the
status of a historic landmark with the official name
The Watts Towers of Simon Rodia.
8. Write questions to ask a partner about the
topics below. Use the Passive.
Arushi Bhatnagar • Simon Rodia
The Watts Towers • Guernica
Cindy Sherman • Vincent van Gogh
What is believed about Arushi Bhatnagar?
9. With a partner, ask and answer your questions
from Exercise 8.
What is believed about Arushi Bhatnagar?
She is believed to be the youngest
professional artist in the world today.