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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

strange passive

They say he was being nice
he is said to... ? be nice or have been nice?

And then:
They SAID he was being nice.
the same question
  

Top answer

They say (that) he was being nice. This is just a noun clause which is the object of "say" or "said". The first is present tense; the second is past.

— AlpheccaStars

  • They say (that) he was being nice.
  • This is just a noun clause which is the object of "say" or "said".
  • The first is present tense; the second is past.
  • There is nothing passive here.
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1 Answers
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They say (that) he was being nice. This is just a noun clause which is the object of "say" or "said". The first is present tense; the second is past.
There is nothing passive here.
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