Impersonal Reporting Passives

What you’ll learn

Report beliefs and claims without naming their source as subject.

រាយការណ៍ជំនឿ និងការអះអាងដោយ reporting passive។

Meaning and use

Reporting verbs can occur in it + passive + that-clause or subject + passive + infinitive patterns. These structures report a belief or claim; they do not make it proven. The reporting verb also affects stance: alleged, believed, and known differ. Name a source when readers need to assess credibility.

It is believed that… និង subject is believed to… ជាលំនាំរាយការណ៍ជំនឿ ឬការអះអាង។ ទម្រង់ passive មិនធ្វើឱ្យព័ត៌មាននោះក្លាយជាការពិតដែលបានបញ្ជាក់ទេ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Impersonal pattern	It is believed that the site is old.
Subject-raised pattern	The site is believed to be old.

Examples

1. It is reported that the road is closed.

   មានសេចក្ដីរាយការណ៍ថាផ្លូវត្រូវបានបិទ។

2. The building is thought to be empty.

   គេគិតថាអគារនេះទំនេរ។

3. It is expected that attendance will increase.

   គេរំពឹងថាចំនួនអ្នកចូលរួមនឹងកើនឡើង។

4. The painting is believed to be valuable.

   គេជឿថារូបគំនូរនេះមានតម្លៃ។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Is the bridge definitely closed?

Maly: It is reported to be closed, but we should check with the transport office.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
It is believe that she is abroad.	It is believed that she is abroad.	The reporting passive needs a past participle.
She is said that be abroad.	She is said to be abroad.	Use an infinitive after the raised subject pattern.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Rewrite: People believe that the house is empty. Begin The house.
2. Rewrite: People report that the bridge is damaged. Begin It.
3. Does is alleged to prove the allegation?

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. The house is believed to be empty.

   Use passive reporting verb + infinitive.

2. It is reported that the bridge is damaged.

   The it-pattern keeps a finite that-clause.

3. No.

   It attributes a claim without confirming its truth.

Quick recap

• Impersonal pattern: It is believed that the site is old.
• Subject-raised pattern: The site is believed to be old.