It is said that… / He is said to… / He is supposed to…
Reporting Structures & Supposed To — Complete Guide
It is said that… / He is said to… / He is supposed to…
Structures de rapport & Supposed To — Guide Complet
Master impersonal reporting structures (it is said / believed / expected…), their personal equivalents (he is said to…), and all uses of supposed to — from hearsay to broken plans
Maîtrisez les structures impersonnelles (it is said / believed / expected…), leurs équivalents personnels (he is said to…), et tous les usages de supposed to — des ouï-dire aux plans non respectés
When we report what people say, believe or expect about someone, we can use an impersonal structure (It is said that he is…) or a personal structure (He is said to be…). Both mean the same thing. We also use supposed to for hearsay and for talking about things that were planned or expected — often when reality differs from the plan.
Quand on rapporte ce que les gens disent, croient ou attendent de quelqu’un, on peut utiliser une structure impersonnelle (It is said that he is…) ou une structure personnelle (He is said to be…). Les deux signifient la même chose. On utilise aussi supposed to pour les ouï-dire et pour parler de choses prévues ou attendues — souvent quand la réalité diffère du plan.
It is said that… / He is said to… — Reporting Structures
It is said that… / He is said to… — Structures de rapport
When we want to report what people in general say, believe or think about someone or something, we can use two equivalent structures. These are especially common in news reports.
Quand on veut rapporter ce que les gens en général disent, croient ou pensent à propos de quelqu’un ou quelque chose, on peut utiliser deux structures équivalentes. Elles sont particulièrement courantes dans les reportages d’actualité.
It is said that he is 108 years old.
It is believed that the boy is wearing a white sweater.
It is expected that the strike will end soon.
He is said to be 108 years old.
The boy is believed to be wearing a white sweater.
The strike is expected to end soon.
Key verbs that work with both structures: alleged · believed · considered · expected · known · reported · said · thought · understood
Verbes clés qui fonctionnent avec ces deux structures : alleged · believed · considered · expected · known · reported · said · thought · understood
Impersonal structure
Structure impersonnelle
Personal structure
Structure personnelle
Supposed to… — Hearsay, Plans & Expectations
Supposed to… — Ouï-dire, Plans & Attentes
Supposed to has two distinct meanings. First, it can replace said to to report hearsay — what people generally say. Second, and more commonly, it expresses what is intended, arranged or expected — often with the implication that reality is different.
Supposed to a deux sens distincts. Premièrement, il peut remplacer said to pour rapporter des ouï-dire. Deuxièmement, et plus couramment, il exprime ce qui est prévu, arrangé ou attendu — souvent avec l’implication que la réalité est différente.
Exercise 1 — Rewrite using the personal structure (subject + passive + to-infinitive)
Exercice 1 — Réécrivez en utilisant la structure personnelle
Use the underlined verb each time.
Utilisez le verbe souligné à chaque fois.
Exercise 2 — Complete using supposed to with the words in brackets
Exercice 2 — Complétez avec supposed to et les mots entre parenthèses
Add any other necessary words.
Ajoutez tout autre mot nécessaire.
Exercise 3 — Write sentences using supposed to be + a word from the box
Exercice 3 — Écrivez des phrases avec supposed to be + un mot de la liste
on a diet · a flower · my friend · a joke · open every day · a secret · working
on a diet · a flower · my friend · a joke · open every day · a secret · working
Exercise 4 — Write sentences with supposed to… or not supposed to…
Exercice 4 — Écrivez des phrases avec supposed to… ou not supposed to…
depart · lift · park · phone · put · start
depart · lift · park · phone · put · start
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions fréquentes
They mean exactly the same thing. It is said that he is old uses an impersonal subject (it) followed by a that-clause. He is said to be old puts the logical subject (he) first and uses a to-infinitive. Both are passive reporting structures used to report what people in general say, without specifying who says it. The personal form is often preferred in formal or journalistic writing.
Ils signifient exactement la même chose. It is said that he is old utilise un sujet impersonnel (it) suivi d’une proposition en that. He is said to be old met le sujet logique (he) en premier et utilise un to-infinitif. Les deux sont des structures passives de rapport.
Use to be + adjective/noun/present participle when the reported situation refers to the present: He is said to be very rich. Use to have + past participle when the reported event happened in the past: He is alleged to have stolen a car.
Utilisez to be + adjectif/nom/participe présent quand la situation rapportée se réfère au présent. Utilisez to have + participe passé quand l’événement rapporté s’est produit dans le passé.
1. Hearsay: It’s supposed to be good = people say it’s good. 2. Expectation/arrangement: You’re supposed to be at work = it was arranged or expected that you’d be at work. This often implies reality does not match the plan.
1. Ouï-dire : It’s supposed to be good = les gens disent que c’est bien. 2. Attente/arrangement : You’re supposed to be at work = il était prévu que tu sois au travail.
Not supposed to means something is not allowed or not advised: You’re not supposed to park here. (= it’s not allowed) / He’s not supposed to exercise too hard after his illness. (= advised not to).
Not supposed to signifie que quelque chose n’est pas autorisé ou déconseillé.
The main verbs are: said, believed, thought, expected, known, reported, alleged, considered, understood. All work in both the it is + verb + that pattern and the subject + is + verb + to-infinitive pattern. They are most common in formal writing and journalism.
Les principaux verbes sont : said, believed, thought, expected, known, reported, alleged, considered, understood. Tous fonctionnent avec les deux structures.
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