NOMINATIVE + INFINITIVE

Personal and impersonal passive constructions are used when we want to

transform from active into passive the main clause and its subordinate.

INFINITIVE

Present - simple aspect: (to) write

Present – continuous aspect: (to) be writing

Perfect – simple aspect: (to) have written

Perfect – continuous aspect: (to) have been writing

Rules:

Rule (1): Present simple in the Main Clause + Present Simple/ Future in the
Subordinate Clause

(1) We know ¹/ that he works a lot. ²/

(present simple) (present simple)

 It is known that he works a lot.

(present simple – passive) (present simple)

It + the passive form of the verb in the main clause + the subordinate clause

 He is known to work a lot.

(present simple – passive) (present infinitive – simple aspect)

The Subject from the subordinate clause + the passive form of the verb in the
main clause + the verb in the infinitive.

!!! The correct form of the infinitive depends on the tense and aspect of the verb.
In this case the verb is in the present simple (he works) so we will use present
infinitive – simple aspect.

They are both translated into Romanian: Se stie ca el munceste mult.

We believe that they are in the conference room.

It is believed that they are in the conference room.
They are believed to be in the conference room.

I think that he drives to work every day.

It is thought that he drives to work every day.
 He is thought to drive to work every day.

Rule (2): Present Simple in the Main Clause + Present Continuous/ Future
Continuous in the Subordinate Clause

(2) We know that he is working now.

(present simple) (present continuous)
It is known that he is working now.
(present simple - passive) (present continuous)
He is known to be working
(present simple – passive) (present infinitive – continuous form)

We believe that they are raising money for charity.

It is believed that they are raising money for charity.
They are believed to be raising money for charity.

I think that he is driving to work now.

It is thought that he is driving to work now.
He is thought to be driving to work now.

Rule (3) Present Simple in the Main Clause + Past Simple/ Present Perfect Simple
in the Subordinate Clause
or
Past Simple in the Main Clause + Past Perfect Simple in the Subordinate Clause

(3) We know that he worked a lot.

(present simple) (past simple)
It is known that he worked a lot.
(present simple – passive) (past simple)
He is known to have worked a lot.
(present simple – passive) (perfect infinitive – simple aspect)

We believe that they raised money for charity.

It is believed that they raised money for charity.
They are believed to have raised money for charity.

I think that he drove to work.

It is thought that he drove to work.
He is thought to have driven to work.

We knew that he had worked a lot.

It was known that he had worked a lot.
He was known to have worked a lot.

We believed that they had raised money for charity.

It was believed that they had raised money for charity.
There were believed to have raised money for charity.
 I thought that he had driven to work.
It was thought that he had driven to work.
He was thought to have driven to work.

!!! If the verbs in both the main and subordinate clause are in simple past,
present infinitive – simple aspect will be used:

We knew that he worked a lot.

It was known that he worked a lot.
He was known to work a lot.
to have worked

We believed that they raised money for charity.

It was believed that they raised money for charity.
They were believed to raise money for charity.
to have raised

I thought that he drove to work.

It was thought that he drove to work.
He was thought to drive to work.
to have driven

Rule (4): Present Simple in the Main Clause + Present Perfect Continuous/ Past
Continuous in the Subordinate Clause
or
Past Simple in the Main Clause + Past Perfect Continuous in the Subordinate
Clause

(4) We know that he was working a lot.

(past simple) (past continuous)
It is known that he was working a lot.
(present simple- passive) (past continuous)
He is known to have been working a lot.
(present simple- passive) (perfect infinitive – continuous form)

We believe that they were raising money for charity.

It is believed that they were raising money for charity.
They are believed to have been raising money for charity.

I think that he was driving to work.

It is thought that he was driving to work.
He is thought to have been driving to work.

We knew that he had been working a lot.

It was known that they had been working a lot.
There were known to have been working a lot.
 We believed that they had been raising money for charity.
It was believed that they had been raising money for charity.
They were believed to have been raising money for charity.

I thought that he had been driving to work.

It was thought that he had been driving to work.
He was thought to have been driving to work.

!!!If the verb in the main clause is in the Simple Past and the verb in the
subordinate clause is in the Past Continuous, present infinitive – continuous
aspect aspect will be used:

We knew that he was working a lot.

It was known that he was working a lot.
He was known to be working a lot.

We believed that they were raising money for charity.

It was believed that they were raising money for charity.
They were believed to be raising money for charity.

I thought he was driving to work.

It was thought that he was driving to work.
He was thought to be driving to work.