IMPERSONAL PASSIVE

Impersonal Passive Voice

Continuamos desarrollando algunos temas relacionados con el uso de la Voz Pasiva.

En esta ocasión hablaremos sobre otra forma de Voz Pasiva denominada Impersonal, que se caracteriza por utilizar verbos relacionados con la percepción (Verbos Intransitivos) como por ejemplo: say (decir), think (pensar), suppose (suponer), know (saber/conocer), expect (esperar), consider (considerar), entre otros.

A diferencia de la Voz Pasiva Personal, donde el objeto directo de la oración activa pasa a ocupar el lugar de sujeto en la oración pasiva -para lo cual es necesario un verbo transitivo-, en la Voz Pasiva Impersonal, al utilizar verbos intransitivos como acción principal, no existe objeto que pueda cumplir esa función y es necesario seguir la siguiente estructura:

SUJETO

VERBO TO BE

PASADO PARTICIPIO

Veamos algunos ejemplos:

It is said	Se dice
It is known	Se sabe
It is supposed	Se supone
It is considered	Se considera
It is reported	Se informa
It is thought	Se piensa
It is decided	Se decide

Ahora veamos ejemplos concretos sobre su desarrollo:

People believe that the strike will continue for a week. It is believed that the strike will continue for a week. The police reported that there was a bomb on the plane. It was reported that there was a bomb on the plane.

También es preciso mencionar que en muchas ocasiones una tercera construcción es posible colocando el sujeto de la oración subordinada al comienzo de la oración; el verbo de percepción en voz pasiva y el resto de la frase se añade utilizando el infinitivo del verbo precedido por la partícula "TO", teniendo en cuenta que algunos verbos auxiliares y "THAT" no se colocan:

He says that the Governor had inaugurated the bridge the last year. It is said that the Governor had inaugurated the bridge the last year. The Governor is said to have inaugurated the bridge the last year.

Everyone think that the ship will arrive tomorrow morning. It is said that the ship will arrive tomorrow morning. The ship is said to arrive tomorrow morning.

EXERCISES (hacedlos en papel y los corregimos en clase)

1. They claim that this diamond is the largest in the World.
2. The patients consider that she is an excellent dentist.
3. Journalists reported that many people had been injured in the earthquake.
4. Military authorities believed that the explosion had been caused by a mine.
5. Citizens think that the monument is over 1.000 years old.
6. Researchers said that the reports were ready.
7. The lady thought that she had stolen the money.
8. Some guys said that the boss is an incredible man.

1. My friend noticed that he missed his wallet.
2. The witnesses believed that a dog saved the baby.
3. People noticed that the players did not stand the heat.
4. The pupils had believed that the teacher knew all the exercises.
5. Everyone thought that the Minister had answered wrongly.
6. Students deduced that the solution was impossible.
7. The headmaster announced that the children will not go to the museum the next week.
8. Susan has said that she has always wanted to be a dentist.

1. My whole family thinks that ghosts exist.
2. People think that money is the most important thing in life.
3. Specialists say that the business was not good.
4. Children said that the rock star had only sung three songs.
5. Astronauts confirm that the rocket was broken.
6. Some people believe that the prisoner has had second chances.
7. My boss expects that the job will be done soon.
8. The witness admitted that the crime had happened in front of him.

1. A lot of children think that Santa Claus is real.
2. The bodyguards assume that the fight was a trap.
3. The police proved that the thieves stole the money.
4. Politicians believe that the global warming is dangerous.
5. The company reported that the new models will be totally made in Madrid.
6. The NASA confirms that the space shuttle fell into the Pacific Ocean.
7. The country expects that the workers finish the stadium before the World Cup.
8. They assume that the security system failed.