Reporting verbs to czasowniki używane do przekazywania informacji, opinii, plotek lub ustaleń, gdy:
– nie wiemy dokładnie, kto jest źródłem,
– źródło nie jest ważne,
– chcemy brzmieć formalnie / neutralnie.
Najczęstsze reporting verbs:
✔ say
✔ believe
✔ think
✔ know
✔ expect
✔ report
✔ claim
✔ consider
Bo zamiast mówić kto mówi, skupiamy się na informacji.
Porównaj:
People say that the company is closing.
(brzmi potocznie, mało formalnie)
It is said that the company is closing.
(brzmi neutralnie, formalnie, „bez autora”)
Najprostsza i bardzo formalna konstrukcja.
Struktura:
✔ It + is/was + V3 (reporting verb) + that + zdanie
Przykłady:
It is said that he is very rich.
It is believed that the painting is original.
It was reported that the road was closed.
It is thought that the problem is more serious.
👉 It jest tu pustym podmiotem (nie znaczy „to”).
Częściej spotykana w prasie i tekstach informacyjnych.
Struktura:
✔ Podmiot + is/was + V3 + to-infinitive
Przykłady:
He is said to be very rich.
The painting is believed to be original.
The road was reported to be closed.
The problem is thought to be more serious.
👉 Sens identyczny jak w wersji z It is said that…
👉 Wybór = kwestia stylu.
✔ to + infinitive (to be / to work / to live)
He is said to live in Paris.
She is believed to work here.
✔ to have + V3
He is said to have left the company.
The suspect is believed to have escaped.
She is thought to have made a mistake.
⚠️ Bardzo częsty błąd: używanie zwykłego to be zamiast to have V3.
Najczęściej używane:
Present Simple passive
is said / is believed / is thought
Past Simple passive
was said / was reported
Rzadko używa się innych czasów (bo forma ma być neutralna i „prasowa”).
✔ w artykułach prasowych
✔ w raportach
✔ w tekstach akademickich
✔ w oficjalnych komunikatach
✔ przy plotkach i niepotwierdzonych informacjach
Przykłady:
The minister is expected to resign.
The new law is believed to affect many people.
The building is reported to have been damaged.
❌ He is said that is rich
✔ It is said that he is rich.
✔ He is said to be rich.
❌ He is believed to left
✔ He is believed to have left.
❌ It is said he is guilty
✔ It is said that he is guilty.