B2 · Intermediário superior Capítulo 9

Reporting and Passive Voice

4 Regras totais
48 exemplos
5 min
Regras neste capítulo Prática rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of professional communication by reporting news and arranging services with confidence.

  • Arrange services efficiently using causative structures.
  • Describe actions clearly using passive infinitives.
  • Report information professionally using passive and specific verb patterns.
Report with precision, arrange with ease.

O que você vai aprender

Ready to sound more natural when sharing news or describing actions? This chapter empowers you to report what *is said that* happened and confidently *have services done* without doing them yourself. You'll master sophisticated ways to express information clearly.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Explain that you had a service completed (e.g., car repaired) using causative verbs.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Use 'it is said that' to share common knowledge or news professionally.

Guia do capítulo

Overview

As a B2 English learner, you're past the basics and ready to refine your communication for more sophisticated interactions. This chapter on English reporting and passive voice is your key to unlocking a more natural, nuanced way of speaking. We're going beyond simple statements to help you convey information with greater precision and fluency, enabling you to truly interact with native speakers fluently.
You'll discover how to report what others have said using patterns like 'It is said that...', making your reports sound objective and well-informed. We'll also dive into causative verbs like 'have/get something done', allowing you to talk about arranging services effortlessly. Plus, understanding the passive infinitive and various reporting verb patterns will give you the tools to shift focus, emphasize information, and interact more smoothly.
Get ready to elevate your B2 English grammar skills and sound more authentic!

How This Grammar Works

These grammar structures, while seemingly distinct, work together to provide flexibility and sophistication in your English communication. Let's start with Causative Verbs: Have/Get Something Done. This is all about outsourcing!
Instead of saying 'I repaired my car' (implying *you* did it), you'd say 'I had my car repaired yesterday' or 'I got my car repaired'. This clearly communicates that a professional service was arranged, like in 'I need to get my hair cut before the party'.
Building on the idea of shifting focus, the Passive Infinitive: to be done comes into play when the action or outcome is more important than the doer. For instance, 'There's a lot of work to be done before the deadline' emphasizes the task, not who specifically does it. Compare 'They have to finish the report' with 'The report needs to be finished by Friday'.
For reporting information without naming the source directly, we use Reporting with the Passive (It is said that...). This often uses verbs like *say, believe, know, think, report*. For example, 'People say he's very talented' becomes 'It is said that he's very talented.' Or, 'They believe the economy is improving' becomes 'The economy is believed to be improving.' This provides a more formal or impersonal tone, often used in news.
Finally, mastering Reporting Verb Patterns is crucial for accuracy. These verbs demand specific structures: 'He suggested doing the work later' (verb + gerund), 'She accused him of taking her pen' (verb + object + preposition + gerund), or 'They advised her to speak to the manager' (verb + object + infinitive). Understanding these patterns ensures your reported speech is grammatically correct and natural.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Confusing Causative with Active Voice
✗ I cut my hair. (Unless you literally did it yourself!)
✓ I had my hair cut.
*Explanation:* Use the causative form when someone else performs the service for you, indicating you arranged it.
  1. 1Incorrect Reporting Verb Pattern
✗ She suggested to go to the cinema.
✓ She suggested going to the cinema.
*Explanation:* Many reporting verbs like 'suggest' take a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive. Always check the specific pattern for each verb.
  1. 1Overusing
    It is said that
    in informal contexts
✗ (At a casual BBQ) It is said that the food is delicious.
✓ (At a casual BBQ) I heard the food is delicious. / Everyone says the food is delicious.
*Explanation:* While grammatically correct,
It is said that
is more formal or for general public knowledge. In casual talk, direct reporting or 'I heard' is more natural.

Real Conversations

A

A

Your garden looks fantastic! Did you do all that work yourself?
B

B

Oh, definitely not! I had the landscaping done last month. It was a huge job, so I outsourced it.
A

A

So, what did Sarah say about the proposal? Is it ready?
B

B

Not quite. She suggested making a few revisions before the final submission. She also advised us to present it next week instead, to allow for more preparation.
A

A

I heard there's a new cafe opening downtown next week. Any details?
B

B

Yes, it is believed to be a French patisserie. The pastries are supposed to be made with authentic ingredients, and there’s a lot of buzz about it. I can't wait to get some coffee there!

Quick FAQ

Q

What's the difference between have something done and get something done?

While often interchangeable, get something done can be slightly more informal and sometimes implies a greater effort or persuasion to arrange the service. For example,

I finally got my car fixed after weeks of trying.

Q

Can

It is said that
be used in spoken English?

Yes, but it's more common in formal contexts like news reports, academic discussions, or when reporting general knowledge without a specific source. In casual conversation, you might hear People say that... or I heard that... more often.

Q

Are there any common reporting verbs that *don't* follow the gerund or infinitive patterns?

Absolutely! Some verbs take a 'that' clause, like 'He claimed that he was innocent' or 'She explained that she couldn't make it.' Others might just take a direct object, like 'He denied the accusation.'

Cultural Context

Native speakers use these patterns to convey nuance and tone. The passive voice, especially
It is said that...
, lends authority or impersonality, common in news reports or academic writing. Causatives like
have/get something done
are everyday expressions across all registers.
Reporting verbs' precise patterns are key for sounding fluent; misusing them can make you sound less natural, though you'll still be understood. Regional differences are minor here, mainly pertaining to formality.

Exemplos-chave (4)

1

I need to have my car repaired before the road trip.

Preciso mandar consertar meu carro antes da viagem.

Verbos Causativos: Ter/Conseguir Algo Feito (Organizar Serviços)
2

She got her hair cut and styled for the wedding.

Ela cortou e penteou o cabelo para o casamento.

Verbos Causativos: Ter/Conseguir Algo Feito (Organizar Serviços)
3

My friend suggested ordering pizza for the movie night.

Meu amigo sugeriu pedir pizza para a noite de cinema.

Padrões de Verbos de Reporte (sugerir fazer, acusar de)
4

The politician denied accepting any illegal donations.

O político negou ter aceitado qualquer doação ilegal.

Padrões de Verbos de Reporte (sugerir fazer, acusar de)

Dicas e truques (4)

💡

Foco no Objeto

Lembre-se que o foco aqui é o objeto que recebe a ação, não quem faz o serviço. O que importa é o resultado final! Por exemplo:
I had my phone fixed.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbos Causativos: Ter/Conseguir Algo Feito (Organizar Serviços)
💡

Identificando quem recebe

Sempre se pergunte: o sujeito está fazendo a ação ou sofrendo a ação? Se ele estiver recebendo, use o infinitivo passivo:
The house needs to be painted.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Infinitivo Passivo: Usando 'to be done'
💡

Escolha seu verbo de relato com sabedoria

O verbo escolhido muda o tom da frase. 'Claimed' pode sugerir dúvida, enquanto 'understood' indica aceitação geral:
He is claimed to be the rightful heir.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Relatar na Passiva (Diz-se que...)
💡

Olho no -ing!

Sempre que vir um verbo de relato seguido de uma forma '-ing', geralmente é um padrão de gerúndio. Cheque se precisa de preposição:
She recommended visiting the museum.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Padrões de Verbos de Reporte (sugerir fazer, acusar de)

Vocabulário-chave (5)

Repair fix something broken Allegedly supposedly/as claimed Suggest propose an idea Accuse claim someone did wrong Facility a place for a service

Real-World Preview

Building

Renovating the Office

Review Summary

  • have/get + object + past participle
  • to + be + past participle
  • It + is + passive verb + that clause
  • verb + gerund/infinitive

Erros comuns

The causative structure requires the object (car) to be between the verb and the participle. 'I had fixed my car' implies you did the fixing yourself.

Wrong: I had fixed my car.
Correto: I had my car fixed.

You must use the correct passive auxiliary tense. 'Be' is not a tense marker here.

Wrong: It is said that he is be promoted.
Correto: It is said that he will be promoted.

The verb 'suggest' is followed by a gerund (-ing), not an infinitive.

Wrong: He suggested to go out.
Correto: He suggested going out.

Next Steps

You've mastered a very difficult part of English grammar. Keep practicing, and you'll soon be speaking like a native!

Listen to a news podcast and note three instances of reporting verbs.

Continue to: Politeness and Logical Connections

Prática rápida (9)

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase.

I usually ____ my car serviced at the local garage.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: have
No presente simples, 'have' é o verbo causativo correto para um serviço regular. 'Get' também seria aceitável, mas 'have' é a escolha padrão.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbos Causativos: Ter/Conseguir Algo Feito (Organizar Serviços)

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

She needs to get her hair cut tomorrow.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She needs to get her hair cut tomorrow.
A frase original já está correta. O particípio passado de 'cut' é 'cut', necessário após o objeto 'hair'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbos Causativos: Ter/Conseguir Algo Feito (Organizar Serviços)

Qual frase usa o infinitivo passivo corretamente?

Escolha a frase correta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I'm excited to receive the news.
Neste caso, 'receive' é ativo porque o sujeito 'I' realiza a ação. Se quisesse usar passivo, seria 'I'm excited to be given the news'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Infinitivo Passivo: Usando 'to be done'

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase.

The report needs ___ by tomorrow morning.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to be finished
O relatório recebe a ação de ser finalizado, por isso o infinitivo passivo 'to be finished' é o correto.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Infinitivo Passivo: Usando 'to be done'

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase.

The children admitted ___ (break) the window.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: breaking
O verbo 'admit' é seguido diretamente pelo gerúndio (forma -ing).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Padrões de Verbos de Reporte (sugerir fazer, acusar de)

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

He insisted paying for the whole meal.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He insisted on paying for the whole meal.
O verbo 'insist' exige a preposição 'on' antes do gerúndio.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Padrões de Verbos de Reporte (sugerir fazer, acusar de)

Qual frase usa corretamente a estrutura causativa?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They had their garden landscaped.
'Landscaped' é a forma correta do particípio passado, indicando que o jardim recebeu a ação.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbos Causativos: Ter/Conseguir Algo Feito (Organizar Serviços)

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

The instructions are to wrote clearly.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The instructions are to be written clearly.
O particípio de 'write' é 'written'. O infinitivo passivo exige 'to be' seguido do particípio.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O Infinitivo Passivo: Usando 'to be done'

Qual frase usa o padrão de reporting verb corretamente?

Escolha a frase correta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She suggested going to the park.
O verbo 'suggest' é seguido diretamente pelo gerúndio (forma -ing).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Padrões de Verbos de Reporte (sugerir fazer, acusar de)

Score: /9

Perguntas comuns (6)

A ideia é que você organiza para que outra pessoa faça um serviço para você, em vez de você mesmo colocar a mão na massa. Você causa a ação, mas não a executa fisicamente. Por exemplo:
I had my car washed
significa que alguém lavou para você.
O padrão é: Sujeito + have/get (conjugado) + Objeto + Particípio Passado. Pense assim:
She is having her kitchen renovated
ou
They got their garden designed
.
É a forma passiva do infinitivo, usada quando o sujeito da frase *recebe* a ação em vez de praticá-la. A estrutura é sempre to + be + past participle, como em:
This needs to be done.
O 'to' no infinitivo precisa ser seguido pela forma base do verbo. Na voz passiva, esse verbo base é o 'be', que se junta ao particípio:
It has to be done.
É uma forma de transmitir o que alguém disse ou acreditou sem dizer quem foi exatamente. Focamos na informação:
It is said that inflation is rising.
Ela deixa suas frases mais formais, objetivas ou genéricas. É muito comum em notícias como:
It is believed that the strike will end.
Capítulo anterior
A Arte da Precisão: Dominando Padrões e Verbos
Próximo capítulo
Politeness and Logical Connections
Voltar ao roteiro