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Hanuman_2000 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Passive reporting

Hello,

1.She is said to have given a lot of money to charity.

I have problem understanding the usage of 'perfect infinitive' as in the above sentence.

What does "to have given" suggest?

Does it indicate a past completed work or something else?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

I'd say it's the reported form of 'she has given' or also 'she had given'. If I say "She is said to have eaten" then there's a sense she's still full or affected by it, in the 'have'/'has' past. If I say "She is said to have eaten the poisonous plant 20 years ago, but fortunately she recovered" then it's in the 'had' past.

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  • I'd say it's the reported form of 'she has given' or also 'she had given'.
  • If I say "She is said to have eaten" then there's a sense she's still full or affected by it, in the 'have'/'has' past.
  • If I say "She is said to have eaten the poisonous plant 20 years ago, but fortunately she recovered" then it's in the 'had' past.
  • A word may be needed to add to it to ensure the context makes it clear - eg "She is said to have already eaten".
  • Similarly 'She wanted to have given' d
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1 Answers
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I'd say it's the reported form of 'she has given' or also 'she had given'.

If I say "She is said to have eaten" then there's a sense she's still full or affected by it, in the 'have'/'has' past.
If I say "She is said to have eaten the poisonous plant 20 years ago, but fortunately she recovered" then it's in the 'had' past.
A word may be needed to add to it to ensure
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