Intermediate Grammar
Master English grammar one unit at a time. Clear notes, then 40+ interactive exercises with instant feedback — based on the topics in English Grammar in Use (Intermediate).
It is said that… / He is supposed to… — Passive 4“reporting passives: It is said/believed/thought that… · He is said/believed to (be / be doing / have done) · (be) supposed to = is said to / should” — 44 interactive questions
📖 Grammar Reference — It is said that… / He is supposed to… — Passive 4
Study the notes, then work through the six exercises.
A It is said that…
When we want to report what people in general say or believe — without naming anyone — we can use the passive with it. The pattern is it + is/was + past participle + that…:
💡 Many verbs work here: said, thought, believed, expected, reported, known, considered, alleged, understood.
B He is said to…
The same idea can begin with the person or thing. After it we use is/are said to + infinitive:
Choose the infinitive to match the time:
💡 are said to for a plural subject: The two men are believed to be brothers.
C (be) supposed to = is said to
Very often (be) supposed to means the same as is said to / is believed to — it reports what people say:
| He is supposed to be very rich. | = people say he is rich |
| The film is supposed to be really good. | = people say it is good |
💡 be supposed to + base verb — never supposed be or suppose to.
D (be) supposed to = should / arranged
(be) supposed to also means something is arranged, expected, or what you should do. Often the real situation is different:
💡 was/were supposed to = it was arranged but it didn’t happen the way it should.
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Original practice material inspired by the English Grammar in Use syllabus (Cambridge University Press). Example sentences and exercises are written by All English 4U.