Impersonal structures: Summary + exercises Practice Tests with C1 Grammar Rules & Examples

Impersonal Structures in English: A Complete Summary

In English, we often need to express ideas without referring to a specific person or agent. We do this using impersonal structures — grammatical patterns that allow us to make general statements, report what is commonly believed, or describe situations without identifying who is responsible for an action or opinion.

Impersonal structures are especially common in formal writing, academic English, and journalism. At C1 level, you are expected to use a wide range of these structures accurately and appropriately. This lesson brings together all the key impersonal structures, explains how they work, and shows you how to avoid common errors.

Consider these two sentences:

People say that coffee is good for you.
It is said that coffee is good for you.

Both sentences report a general belief, but the second uses an impersonal structure. No specific person is named as the source of the belief. This is the core function of impersonal structures: to remove the personal subject and create a more objective, formal, or generalised tone.

Why Use Impersonal Structures?

Before exploring the forms, it is helpful to understand why native speakers and proficient writers choose impersonal structures. There are four main reasons:

• To sound formal or academic: Impersonal structures distance the writer from the claim, which is valued in academic and professional writing.
• To report beliefs without stating who holds them: Useful in journalism and when the source is unknown or unimportant.
• To describe ongoing or timeless situations: Especially with verbs like seem, appear, and tend.
• To make polite or indirect statements: Impersonal structures soften criticism and strong claims.

Type 1: It + Passive Reporting Verb + That-Clause

This is one of the most widely used impersonal structures. It allows you to report a general belief, claim, or finding without attributing it to a named individual.

Structure

It + is/was/has been + past participle + that + subject + verb

Common Verbs Used in This Structure

Verb	Example Sentence
say	It is said that laughter is the best medicine.
believe	It is believed that the universe is expanding.
think	It was thought that the earth was flat.
report	It has been reported that unemployment is rising.
claim	It is claimed that the new drug has no side effects.
suggest	It was suggested that the policy had failed.
know	It is well known that smoking causes cancer.
argue	It is argued that inequality is increasing.
expect	It is expected that prices will rise next year.
assume	It was assumed that the results were accurate.
fear	It is feared that the species may become extinct.
understand	It is understood that negotiations are ongoing.

Changing Tense in the That-Clause

The tense of the main reporting verb and the tense of the verb inside the that-clause can be varied independently to show different time relationships.

It is believed that the economy is recovering. (present belief about the present)
It is believed that the economy was recovering. (present belief about the past)
It was believed that the economy would recover. (past belief about the future)

Type 2: Subject + Passive Reporting Verb + Infinitive

This structure is an alternative to the It + passive + that pattern. Instead of beginning with it, the subject of the that-clause becomes the main subject of the sentence, followed by a passive reporting verb and an infinitive.

Structure

Subject + is/was/has been + past participle + infinitive (to + verb)

Two Infinitive Forms

The choice of infinitive depends on the time relationship between the reporting verb and the action being reported.

Time Relationship	Infinitive Form	Example
Same time or future	to + base verb	The economy is believed to be recovering.
Earlier than the reporting verb	to have + past participle	The suspect is said to have fled the country.

Further Examples

The president is reported to be considering his options.
The manuscript is thought to have been written in the twelfth century.
Several employees are understood to have received compensation.
The missing aircraft is feared to have crashed into the ocean.

Comparing the Two Structures

It + passive structure	Subject + passive + infinitive
It is believed that he is innocent.	He is believed to be innocent.
It is said that she left early.	She is said to have left early.
It was thought that the plan had failed.	The plan was thought to have failed.
It is reported that they are negotiating.	They are reported to be negotiating.

Type 3: It + Linking Verb + Adjective + Infinitive or That-Clause

Another important impersonal structure uses it as a dummy subject followed by a linking verb (usually be, seem, or appear), an adjective, and either an infinitive or a that-clause. This structure is very common in formal writing and for making evaluative statements.

Structure A: It + be + adjective + to-infinitive

It + is/was + adjective + to + verb

It is essential to consider all the evidence.
It was impossible to predict the outcome.
It is unreasonable to expect immediate results.
It would be wrong to dismiss these findings.

Structure B: It + be + adjective + that-clause

It + is/was + adjective + that + subject + verb

It is vital that the information be verified.
It is surprising that so few studies exist.
It is clear that further research is needed.
It was inevitable that the company would struggle.

Common Adjectives Used in This Structure

Evaluative	Epistemic (certainty/doubt)	Emotional
important, essential, vital	clear, obvious, evident	surprising, shocking, remarkable
necessary, crucial, critical	certain, likely, unlikely	disappointing, encouraging, alarming
advisable, reasonable, wrong	possible, impossible, conceivable	understandable, regrettable, ironic

Type 4: There + Be Structures

There + be is one of the most fundamental impersonal structures. It introduces a subject without making any specific person the agent, and is used to state that something exists, occurs, or is the case.

Basic Structure

There + is/are/was/were/has been/have been + noun phrase

There is little evidence to support this claim.
There were several reasons for the decline.
There has been a significant increase in demand.
There appears to be a fundamental flaw in the argument.

Advanced There + Be Patterns

At C1 level, there can combine with modal verbs and other verbs to create more nuanced impersonal structures.

Pattern	Example
There + modal + be	There must be an explanation for this.
There + seems/appears + to be	There seems to be a misunderstanding.
There + is + no + gerund	There is no denying the scale of the problem.
There + is + little/no + point + in + gerund	There is little point in delaying the decision.

Type 5: Impersonal Use of It to Describe Conditions

The pronoun it is also used impersonally to describe weather, time, distance, and general environmental conditions. In these cases, it does not refer to any specific noun — it is simply a grammatical placeholder.

Common Uses

Category	Examples
Weather	It is raining heavily. It was bitterly cold.
Time	It is half past three. It was late afternoon.
Distance	It is only five kilometres to the nearest hospital.
General situation	It seems unlikely that anyone will object.
Cleft sentences	It was the director who made the final decision.

It-Cleft Sentences

A particularly important impersonal use of it at C1 level is the cleft sentence, which is used to give strong emphasis to one part of the sentence.

It + be + emphasised element + relative clause

It was the lack of funding that caused the project to fail.
It is the students who ultimately benefit from this approach.
It was in 1945 that the war finally ended.

Type 6: Impersonal Structures with Seem and Appear

The verbs seem and appear are frequently used in impersonal constructions to express tentative or qualified judgements. They allow the speaker or writer to avoid making direct claims.

Four Key Patterns with Seem and Appear

Pattern	Example
It + seems/appears + that-clause	It seems that the data was misinterpreted.
Subject + seems/appears + to-infinitive	The results seem to contradict the hypothesis.
Subject + seems/appears + to have + past participle	The witness appears to have been mistaken.
There + seems/appears + to be	There appears to be no simple solution.

Type 7: Impersonal One and You

Two further impersonal subjects — one and you — are used to make general statements about people without referring to any specific individual.

Impersonal One

One is used as an impersonal subject, especially in formal or academic writing. It implies "people in general" or "a person in general".

One + verb (third person singular)

One must consider the long-term consequences.
One cannot ignore the ethical implications of this research.
One tends to underestimate the difficulty of the task.

Note: When one is used as subject, the possessive form is one's and the reflexive form is oneself.

One should always consider one's own limitations.
It is important to challenge oneself regularly.

Impersonal You

In informal and semi-formal English, you is commonly used impersonally to refer to people in general, including the speaker.

You can never be too careful with your personal data.
You tend to feel more confident with practice.
You wouldn't believe how complex the system is.

One vs You: Register Comparison

Impersonal One (formal)	Impersonal You (informal)
One cannot predict such events.	You can't predict such events.
One finds such behaviour unacceptable.	You find such behaviour unacceptable.
One tends to overlook these details.	You tend to overlook these details.

Type 8: Passive Constructions with Need, Require, and Want

These verbs can form impersonal structures in which the agent performing the action is omitted entirely. They are particularly useful when the focus is on what needs to be done rather than who will do it.

Patterns

Subject + need/require/want + gerund (active meaning)
Subject + need/require + to be + past participle (passive meaning)

The report needs revising before it is submitted.
The data requires careful analysis.
Several issues need to be addressed urgently.
The contract requires to be signed by both parties.

Important Differences and Special Cases

It Is vs There Is

Both it is and there is are used impersonally, but they serve different functions.

Structure	Function	Example
There is/are	Introduces existence or occurrence of something	There is a growing concern about this issue.
It is	Evaluates, describes, or refers to a situation	It is concerning that this issue has been ignored.

Said To Be vs Supposed To Be

These two structures look similar but carry different meanings.

It is said to be the tallest building in the world. — This is what people generally report or believe.
It is supposed to be the tallest building in the world. — This is what should be the case, or what people expect, sometimes with doubt implied.

Avoiding Ambiguity with Seem and Appear

When using seem and appear with infinitives, it is important to choose the correct infinitive form to express the correct time relationship.

She seems to be unwell. (She is unwell now — same time as the main verb.)
She seems to have been unwell. (She was unwell earlier — before the time of the main verb.)

Subjunctive After It + Be + Adjective + That

In formal British English, a subjunctive or should + infinitive form is often used after adjectives like essential, vital, necessary, important, and imperative in that-clauses.

It is essential that every participant be informed. (subjunctive)
It is vital that the report be submitted on time. (subjunctive)
It is necessary that all staff should complete the training. (should + infinitive)

Common Mistakes

❌ It is said that he escaped the country. (incorrect tense relationship — if the escape happened before the saying, a perfect form is needed in the alternative structure)
✅ He is said to have escaped the country.

❌ It seems that she left early. used when you want to show the leaving happened before the seeming
✅ She seems to have left early.

❌ One must consider their own limitations. (mixing one with their)
✅ One must consider one's own limitations.

❌ There is no point to delay the decision.
✅ There is no point in delaying the decision.

❌ It is believed the company is making a loss. (missing that — acceptable in speech but often required in formal writing)
✅ It is believed that the company is making a loss.

❌ It seems the government has taken a wrong decision. (possible but imprecise when a more formal structure is required)
✅ It appears that the government has made an error of judgement.

❌ The project needs to revise before submission.
✅ The project needs revising before submission.

❌ It is important that he completes the form today. (simple present used instead of subjunctive in formal contexts)
✅ It is important that he complete the form today. (subjunctive)

Impersonal Structures: Quick Summary

Impersonal structures are a defining feature of formal, academic, and journalistic English. Mastering them allows you to write with greater objectivity, precision, and sophistication. Here is a concise overview of the main types covered in this lesson:

Structure Type	Pattern	Example
It + passive reporting verb + that	It is believed/said/reported + that...	It is believed that the situation is improving.
Subject + passive reporting verb + infinitive	Subject + is said/believed/thought + to (have) + verb	The economy is expected to recover.
It + be + adjective + to-infinitive/that	It is essential/clear/vital + to + verb / that...	It is vital that the results be verified.
There + be structures	There is/seems to be/must be...	There appears to be no alternative.
Impersonal it (weather, time, distance)	It + be + description	It is unusually warm for November.
It-cleft sentences	It + be + focus element + relative clause	It was the deadline that caused the most pressure.
Seem and appear structures	It seems/appears + that / Subject + seems + to (have) + verb	She seems to have misunderstood the question.
Impersonal one	One + verb; one's; oneself	One cannot underestimate the challenge.
Impersonal you	You + verb (general reference)	You tend to learn faster with regular practice.
Need/require + gerund or passive	Subject + needs + gerund / needs to be + past participle	The system requires updating immediately.

Key points to remember:

• Use to have + past participle when the action happened before the time of the reporting verb.
• Choose between it is believed that... and subject is believed to... depending on what you wish to focus on.
• Use one's and oneself — never their or themselves — when one is the subject.
• After adjectives like essential and vital, use the subjunctive or should + infinitive in formal written English.
• Register matters: one is formal; you is informal; passive reporting structures are formal and impersonal.

Now practise impersonal structures in the exercises below.

Exercises: Impersonal Structures

Exercise 1: Rewrite Using It + Passive Reporting Verb + That

Rewrite each sentence using an impersonal structure beginning with It. Use the verb in brackets.

1. People believe that the new treatment is highly effective. (believe)
2. People say that the ruins date back to the third century. (say)
3. People report that negotiations have broken down. (report)
4. People think that the recession will last another year. (think)
5. People claim that the medicine has serious side effects. (claim)
6. People feared that the flood had caused widespread damage. (fear)
7. People understand that the company is facing difficulties. (understand)
8. People expect that the policy will be reversed. (expect)

Exercise 2: Rewrite Using Subject + Passive Reporting Verb + Infinitive

Rewrite each sentence so that the subject of the that-clause becomes the main subject. Use the correct infinitive form (simple or perfect).

1. It is believed that the company is planning a major restructuring.
2. It was reported that the minister had resigned from his post.
3. It is said that the ancient city was destroyed by an earthquake.
4. It is thought that the new system is saving millions of pounds.
5. It was claimed that the accused had manipulated the evidence.
6. It is expected that the population will double within fifty years.
7. It is understood that several witnesses have come forward.
8. It was feared that the expedition had lost contact with base camp.

Exercise 3: Complete with the Correct Form of Seem or Appear

Complete each sentence using seem or appear with the correct infinitive form: to be, to have been, or to have + past participle.

1. The report __________ (contain) several factual errors. The editor is correcting them now.
2. It __________ (misplace) — nobody can find the original document.
3. The decision __________ (take) without proper consultation with the board.
4. There __________ (be) no straightforward solution to this problem.
5. The two witnesses __________ (contradict) each other during the hearing.
6. It __________ (be) increasingly clear that further action is required.
7. The signal __________ (interfere with) by atmospheric conditions at the time.
8. The proposals __________ (gain) considerable support among stakeholders.

Exercise 4: It + Be + Adjective Structures

Combine the two sentences into one impersonal sentence using the adjective given and an appropriate structure. Use a that-clause or to-infinitive as required.

1. The data must be cross-checked. This is essential. (essential)
2. Many people ignore the long-term risks. This is alarming. (alarming)
3. We should consult the community before making any decision. This is advisable. (advisable)
4. A simple answer to this question doesn't exist. This is evident. (evident)
5. The committee reached a conclusion without all the evidence. This is surprising. (surprising)
6. All participants must submit their work by Friday. This is vital. (vital)
7. The language barrier created serious misunderstandings. This is understandable. (understandable)
8. We cannot rely solely on anecdotal evidence. This is clear. (clear)

Exercise 5: Impersonal One

Rewrite each sentence replacing the subject with impersonal one and making all necessary changes (including possessives and reflexives).

1. You should always verify your sources before publishing anything.
2. People tend to underestimate the importance of sleep.
3. You cannot always trust your initial instincts.
4. People must be willing to challenge themselves if they want to grow.
5. You have a responsibility to consider the impact of your actions on others.
6. People often find that their assumptions are challenged by new evidence.

Exercise 6: There + Be Structures

Rewrite each sentence using a there structure. Use the word or phrase in brackets to begin your new sentence.

1. A significant risk is associated with this approach. (There appears…)
2. No guarantee exists that the plan will succeed. (There is…)
3. Delaying this decision any further serves no purpose. (There is no point…)
4. We cannot escape the fact that resources are limited. (There is no denying…)
5. An explanation for the anomaly must exist somewhere.