Lesson 35: Unit 176 - Passive Impersonal Constructions
This lesson introduces passive impersonal constructions in English (B1 level) through a text about the Loch Ness Monster, as learners learn to transform sentences with "People say/claim/believe..." in
About this lesson
In this lesson you will learn how to use passive impersonal constructions in English, which allow us to talk about actions without naming a specific doer. You will work with verbs such as "know", "say", "claim", "report" and "consider" in the passive form, followed by different types of infinitive. The material is presented through an engaging text about the legend of the Loch Ness Monster and includes specific examples from the press. You will learn when to use the simple infinitive and when to use the perfect infinitive after the passive construction. The skills gained in this lesson are especially useful for a formal and journalistic style of writing and speaking.
40 minutes
What you'll learn
- Recognise and understand passive impersonal constructions in a text.
- Transform active sentences into passive impersonal constructions in the present and the past.
- Choose correctly between the simple and the perfect infinitive after the passive construction.
- Use verbs such as 'is said', 'is known', 'is claimed', 'is reported', 'is considered' correctly.
- Read and understand a B1-level journalistic text containing passive constructions.
Lesson vocabulary
- to inhabit Nessie is known to inhabit Scotland's Loch Ness.
- sighting The occasional sightings are generally considered to be hoaxes.
- hoax The sightings are considered to be hoaxes or misidentification of known creatures.
- misidentification Sightings are often explained as misidentification of known creatures or natural phenomena.
- phenomenon (phenomena) The sightings may be misidentification of natural phenomena.
- cryptozoology The Loch Ness Monster is one of the best-known mysteries of cryptozoology.
- plesiosaur The most popular theory is that the creature is a plesiosaur.
- recurrent The Loch Ness Monster is a recurrent figure in modern literature, television movies and games.
- to persist Belief in the legend persists around the world.
- to spot The monster was claimed to have been spotted on 17 June 1993.
- wake Mackay only managed to get a picture of its wake.
- to plunge By the time it plunged below the surface, I was running as fast as I could go.
- to symbolise Nessie appears to represent Scotland the way the Eiffel Tower symbolises France.
- existence Scientists and experts might not be certain about its existence.
- extraordinary Mr George Spicer and his wife saw 'a most extraordinary form of animal' cross the road.
In other languages: Български