Meaning
A neutral, impersonal way to state that many people hold a particular view or belief; signals an opinion being presented as generally shared rather than personally held.
Primary Function
Impersonal belief opener – introduces a common viewpoint without attributing ownership to any individual speaker.
Communicative Purpose
To signal to readers/listeners that the following statement reflects widely accepted consensus, often setting up subsequent argumentation against it.
Pattern
It is widely believed that
Core Structure
It is widely believed that
Função primária
Impersonal belief opener – introduces a common viewpoint without attributing ownership to any individual speaker.
Propósito comunicativo
To signal to readers/listeners that the following statement reflects widely accepted consensus, often setting up subsequent argumentation against it.
Situações de gatilho
Academic essays, research reports, formal presentations where establishing a broadly recognized premise is important.
Contextos
Academic writing across disciplines; professional communication in business and technical fields; scholarly articles and conference papers.
Padrão
It is widely believed that
Estrutura central
It is widely believed that
Slots de substituição
The word 'widely' can be substituted with 'commonly', 'generally', or 'universally', and 'believed' can be replaced with 'accepted', 'thought', or 'assumed'.
Colocados típicos
- that
- many people
- there is a tendency
Substituições comuns
- It is a common belief that
- Many people believe that
- It is generally accepted that
Erros comuns
Using the active voice or omitting 'that' in formal contexts.
Similar / contraste
Conventional wisdom has it that, There is a widespread belief that
Interferências
Learners may misuse the passive form or omit necessary words, requiring careful attention to syntax.
Família do chunk
- Impersonal belief/stance openers
Nuance
Neutral tone, conveying acceptance of the view by the broader community without personal endorsement.
Efeito pragmático
Signals social discourse awareness, helping readers understand the author's stance within existing scholarly consensus.
Dica de memória
Widely believed equals held by many people
Nota
This chunk is commonly used in formal academic and professional writing to introduce a widely accepted view or premise, often as a foundation for further discussion or argument.
Upgrade path
From 'People think' to 'It is believed that' to 'It is widely believed that'
Log in to save chunks.