A. Study this example situation:
George is very old. Nobody knows exactly how old he is, but:
It is said that he is 108 years old.
Or
He is said to be 108 years old.
Both these sentences mean: ‘People say that he is 108 years old.'
You can use these structures with a number of other verbs, especially:
alleged believed considered expected known reported thought understood |
- Cathy loves running.
It is said that she runs 10 miles a day.
Or
She is said to run 10 miles a day.
- The police are looking for a missing boy.
It is believed that the boy is wearing a white sweater and blue jeans.
Or
The boy is believed to be wearing a white sweater and blue jeans.
- The strike started three weeks ago.
It is expected that it will end soon.
Or
The strike is expected to end soon.
- A friend of mine has been arrested.
It is alleged that he stole a car.
Or
He is alleged to have stolen a car.
- The two houses belong to the same family.
It is said that there is a secret tunnel between them.
Or
There is said to be a secret tunnel between them.
These structures are often used in news reports. For example, in a report about an accident:
It is reported that two people were injured in the explosion.
Or
Two people are reported to have been injured in the explosion.
B supposed to ...
You can use supposed to ... in the same way as said to ... :
- I want to see that film. It’s supposed to be good. (= people say it’s good)
- There are many stories about Joe. He’s supposed to have robbed a bank many years ago.
- Fireworks are supposed to have been invented in China. Is it true?
Sometimes supposed to ... has a different meaning. We use supposed to to say what is intended, arranged or expected. Often this is different from the real situation:
- The plan is supposed to be a secret, but everybody seems to know about it. (= the plan is intended to be a secret)
- What are you doing at work? You’re supposed to be on holiday. (= you arranged to be on holiday)
- Our guests were supposed to come at 7.30, but they were late.
- Jane was supposed to phone me last night, but she didn’t.
- I’d better hurry. I’m supposed to be meeting Chris in ten minutes.
You’re not supposed to do something = it is not allowed or advised:
- You’re not supposed to park your car here. It’s private parking only.
- Joe is much better after his illness, but he’s not supposed to exercise too hard.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
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B1-B2 Grammar : It Is Said That ... He Is Said To ... He Is Supposed To ...
Choose the correct word.