grammar · neutral

be said to + V

Band 5-6speakingtask2

used to report what people say or think without naming a source

Examples

“The ancient manuscript is said to contain secret recipes.”

“The company is said to be planning a major restructure.”

“She is said to speak four languages fluently.”

Band 8 sentence

“The new policy is widely said to have exacerbated income inequality rather than alleviated it.”

Collocations

  • be widely said to + V
  • is generally said to + V

Common mistakes

The project said to fail.→The project is said to have failed.

Say it for a higher band

5people say + clause→6it is said that + clause→7+be said to + V

Synonyms

be believed to + V

Easily confused

be believed to + V

“The island is believed to be uninhabited.”

be reported to + V

“The earthquake is reported to have caused severe damage.”

Related words

had been + past participlebe + past participleto have been + past participlebe used to + Vbe + past participle + by + agentnoun + past participle (reduced relative clause)be seen as + noun / adjectivehave/has been + past participle

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