C1 · Avancé Chapitre 9

L'art de rapporter l'info : maîtrisez la nuance et les rumeurs

7 Règles totales
83 exemples
6 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of relaying information and navigating rumors with confidence and professional flair.

  • Construct sophisticated passive sentences to report hearsay.
  • Convert direct inquiries into fluent reported questions.
  • Command and request information using precise reporting verbs.
Report with authority, speak with precision.

Ce que tu vas apprendre

Prêt à donner une dimension vraiment pro à ton anglais ? Au niveau C1, la différence se joue dans la finesse. Ce chapitre va t'apprendre à ne plus simplement répéter des paroles, mais à orchestrer l'information avec l'autorité d'un natif. On va plonger ensemble dans les structures passives avancées comme « It is said that... » ou la forme plus complexe « He is thought to be... ». Ces tournures sont indispensables pour rapporter des rumeurs ou des faits établis avec l'objectivité d'un journaliste. Tu maîtriseras aussi l’art de transformer des questions (avec « whether » ou les mots en « wh- ») et des ordres en phrases fluides sans jamais t'emmêler dans la syntaxe. Imagine-toi en réunion : tu dois relayer les doutes d'un client avec tact, ou expliquer une stratégie complexe à ton équipe sans paraître trop direct. Grâce à la maîtrise des modaux et du « backshifting » des temps, tu sauras transformer n'importe quel dialogue brut en un compte-rendu élégant. À la fin de ce chapitre, tu sauras naviguer avec assurance entre les on-dit et les infos officielles, en choisissant précisément le degré de distance que tu souhaites instaurer. C'est le secret pour paraître crédible, précis et résolument sophistiqué !

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: relay gossip or business news using advanced impersonal passive structures.

Guide du chapitre

Overview

As a C1 English learner, you're not just speaking English; you're mastering its nuances, ready to express complex ideas with sophistication. This chapter,
Reporting Information and Rumors,
is your gateway to sounding truly fluent and authoritative. It equips you with the tools to share news, relay conversations, and even distance yourself from claims, all while maintaining impeccable grammar.
We'll delve into structures that allow you to subtly convey reported information and rumors, moving beyond basic direct speech to a more objective and refined communication style.
This mastery is crucial for professional settings, academic discussions, and even nuanced social interactions where clarity and precision are paramount. You’ll learn how to transform direct questions into smooth, integrated statements using reported questions with question words or reported Yes/No questions with 'if' or 'whether'. Furthermore, we’ll explore advanced C1 English grammar techniques like using passive reporting verbs –
It is said that...
or
He is said to be...
– to present information objectively, often hinting at its source without explicitly naming it.
Get ready to elevate your ability to report facts, claims, and even speculation with a confidence that truly reflects your advanced English proficiency.

How This Grammar Works

At its heart, reporting information involves transforming someone else's words or a general belief into your own statement, often from a different time or perspective. The core principle is typically backshifting tenses (e.g., present simple becomes past simple) and adjusting pronouns and time expressions. For example,
I am busy today,
becomes
She said she was busy that day.
This foundational understanding then branches into more complex, C1-level structures designed for objectivity and nuance.
When you encounter reported questions, the key is to turn them into statements, losing the question mark and inverted word order. A direct question like
What is he doing?
becomes
She asked what he was doing.
Notice the subject-verb order after the question word. Similarly, for reported Yes/No questions, we use 'if' or 'whether' as a connector: Are you coming? transforms into
He wondered if/whether I was coming.
For reported commands and requests, direct imperatives like Clean your room! convert into an infinitive structure, often with a specific reporting verb:
She told me to clean my room.
Here, verbs like *tell*, *ask*, *order*, *advise*, or *warn* are crucial for conveying the original tone.
The truly C1-level structures involve passive reporting verbs like
It is said that...
or
He is said to be...
. These are powerful for distancing yourself from the information, presenting it as a generally accepted fact or widespread rumor without attribution. For instance, instead of "People say he's very talented, you can say, It is said that he is very talented,
or even more elegantly,
He is said to be very talented." This latter form (He is said to be...) is particularly advanced as it shifts the focus directly to the subject of the rumor or belief, creating a more concise and sophisticated report.
You'll also learn to integrate modals into these passive structures, allowing for precision even when reporting possibilities or obligations, like
He is thought to have been working late.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Forgetting to backshift tenses in reported speech.
✗ He said he *is* coming tomorrow.
✓ He said he *was* coming the next day.
*Explanation:* When reporting something that was said in the past, the tense often shifts backward.
  1. 1Maintaining question word order in reported questions.
✗ She asked what *was his name?*
✓ She asked what *his name was*.
*Explanation:* Reported questions become statements, so the subject comes before the verb.
  1. 1Confusing
    It is said that...
    with
    He is said to be...
✗ The company is said that *it* is launching a new product.
✓ It is said that the company is launching a new product. (Correct, but less concise)
✓ The company is said to be launching a new product. (More advanced, C1)
*Explanation:*
He/She/It is said to be...
is a more advanced and often more elegant way to report information about a specific subject, directly linking the subject to the reported action or state.

Real Conversations

A

A

Did you hear about the new policy?
B

B

Oh, yes. It is rumored that the changes will be implemented by next month. The CEO is said to be announcing the full details on Friday.
A

A

I’m not sure if I should take on this extra project.
B

B

Well, the manager asked if you would be able to handle it. He also advised us to prioritize our current tasks before committing to new ones.
A

A

I wonder what the new client's expectations are.
B

B

I spoke with Sarah. She said she wasn't sure what their specific requirements were, but she did mention that they were hoping to finalize the contract soon.

Quick FAQ

Q

When should I use

It is said that...
versus
He/She is said to be...
?

It is said that...
is more general, like reporting common knowledge or rumors about a situation.
He/She is said to be...
focuses directly on a person or specific entity, making the sentence more concise and often more formal, emphasizing the subject as the focus of the reported information.

Q

Do I always have to backshift tenses in reported speech?

Not always. If the reported statement is still true in the present, or if it's a general truth, backshifting is optional. For example,

He said the Earth is round
is still correct, though
He said the Earth was round
is also acceptable. However, for specific events or past actions, backshifting is generally expected.

Q

Can 'if' and 'whether' be used interchangeably in reported Yes/No questions?

Often, yes. Both 'if' and 'whether' work for simple reported Yes/No questions. However, 'whether' is generally preferred in more formal contexts, or when reporting a choice between two alternatives (e.g.,

She asked whether I wanted coffee or tea
).

Q

Why is reporting commands with 'to-infinitive' better than just saying "He said, 'Do this!'"?

While direct speech is fine, using the 'to-infinitive' structure (

He told me to do this
) transforms the command into a grammatically integrated statement within your own sentence. This makes your speech flow more smoothly and demonstrates a higher level of syntactic control, essential for C1 English.

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use these structures to navigate social and professional discourse with precision. Passive reporting verbs like
It is believed that...
or
He is understood to be...
are particularly common in news reporting, academic papers, and business communications where objectivity, formality, and sometimes a degree of distance from the source are desired. In everyday conversation, using reported questions and commands is natural for relaying information efficiently.
There isn't significant regional variation in the grammar itself, but the *frequency* of using advanced passive structures might lean towards more formal environments. Mastering these allows you to sound less direct and more diplomatic when sharing sensitive or unconfirmed information, a valuable social skill.

Exemples clés (8)

1

It is said that laughter is the best medicine.

On dit que le rire est le meilleur remède.

Nouvelles et Rumeurs : Passif avec verbes de déclaration (Il est dit que...)
2

It was reported that the flight would be delayed by two hours.

Il a été signalé que le vol aurait deux heures de retard.

Nouvelles et Rumeurs : Passif avec verbes de déclaration (Il est dit que...)
3

The celebrity is said to be filming a new movie in secret.

On dit que la célébrité est en train de tourner un nouveau film en secret.

Passif Avancé : Rapporter des rumeurs et des croyances (On dit qu'il est...)
4

She is believed to be one of the top researchers in her field.

On croit qu'elle est l'une des meilleures chercheuses dans son domaine.

Passif Avancé : Rapporter des rumeurs et des croyances (On dit qu'il est...)
5

The project is expected to be finished by Friday.

Le projet devrait être terminé d'ici vendredi.

Structures de Rapport Passif (Il est dit qu'il est...)
6

She is known to be a talented artist.

Elle est connue pour être une artiste talentueuse.

Structures de Rapport Passif (Il est dit qu'il est...)
7

She asked `what my name was`.

Elle a demandé quel était mon nom.

Questions indirectes avec mots interrogatifs (Qui, Quoi, Pourquoi)
8

I wondered `where the coffee shop was`.

Je me suis demandé où était le café.

Questions indirectes avec mots interrogatifs (Qui, Quoi, Pourquoi)

Conseils et astuces (4)

💡

Varie tes verbes

Ne reste pas bloqué sur 'said'. Essaie 'believed', 'known', 'reported', 'thought', 'expected' ou 'alleged' pour être plus précis. Chaque verbe apporte une petite nuance. Par exemple,
It is alleged that he committed fraud.
est plus fort que 'said'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Nouvelles et Rumeurs : Passif avec verbes de déclaration (Il est dit que...)
💡

Varie tes verbes

Ne te limite pas à 'said' et 'believed' ! Expérimente avec 'known', 'thought', 'understood', 'alleged', 'expected' et 'considered' pour apporter de la précision et du panache à tes rapports. Par exemple, au lieu de 'He is said to be a genius', tu pourrais dire :
He is known to be a genius.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passif Avancé : Rapporter des rumeurs et des croyances (On dit qu'il est...)
💡

Choisis bien ton verbe !

Le verbe que tu choisis (say, believe, expect) change la nuance. Par exemple, si tu dis qu'une personne est It is alleged d'avoir fait quelque chose, ça sous-entend une accusation plus forte que It is said.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Structures de Rapport Passif (Il est dit qu'il est...)
💡

Règle d'or : Pas d'inversion !

C'est la bête noire de beaucoup ! On a tendance à garder l'ordre de la question directe. Rappelle-toi toujours qu'une question rapportée est une déclaration, donc le sujet vient avant le verbe, comme dans une phrase normale. C'est l'erreur la plus fréquente à corriger. Par exemple, tu dirais
She asked what I was doing
et non
She asked what was I doing
.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Questions indirectes avec mots interrogatifs (Qui, Quoi, Pourquoi)

Vocabulaire clé (5)

Allege to claim something is true without proof Rumor a currently circulating story of uncertain truth Inquiry an act of asking for information Diplomatic having the ability to deal with people in a sensitive way Objective not influenced by personal feelings

Real-World Preview

briefcase

Corporate Office Gossip

Review Summary

  • It + be + verb(past participle) + that...
  • Subject + be + verb(past participle) + to + infinitive

Erreurs courantes

You cannot use a 'that' clause after a personal subject in this passive structure. Use an infinitive instead.

Wrong: He is said that he is rich.
Correct: He is said to be rich.

In reported questions, the word order must return to statement form (subject + verb).

Wrong: He asked me what did I do.
Correct: He asked me what I did.

The verb 'tell' takes an object directly without the preposition 'to'.

Wrong: She told to me to wait.
Correct: She told me to wait.

Règles dans ce chapitre (7)

1

Nouvelles et Rumeurs : Passif avec verbes de déclaration (Il est dit que...)

C1
Maîtriser
It is said that...
est top pour rapporter des infos avec formalité et objectivité en anglais. C'est comme une baguette magique pour un ton sérieux!
It is said that laughter is the best medicine.
11 exemples
2

Passif Avancé : Rapporter des rumeurs et des croyances (On dit qu'il est...)

C1
Maîtrise cette structure passive de niveau C1 pour rapporter les rumeurs et les croyances avec autorité et nuance, pour un style vraiment avancé.
The celebrity is said to be filming a new movie in...
12 exemples
3

Structures de Rapport Passif (Il est dit qu'il est...)

C1
Maîtriser ces structures, ça rend ton anglais plus authoritative et nuanced, comme un vrai C1 speaker !
The project is expected to be finished by Friday.
12 exemples
4

Questions indirectes avec mots interrogatifs (Qui, Quoi, Pourquoi)

C1
Les questions rapportées avec un mot en wh- transforment les demandes en affirmations, changeant l'ordre des mots et décalant les temps.
She asked `what my name was`.
12 exemples
5

Questions indirectes Oui/Non (If/Whether)

C1
Maîtrise les questions indirectes Oui/Non pour rapporter les interrogations avec « fluidité » et « professionnalisme », et hisse tes conversations en anglais au niveau « C1 ».
My manager asked `if I could meet by Friday`.
12 exemples
6

Ordres et Requêtes Rapportés: Dire aux autres quoi faire

C1
Maîtrise les commandes et requêtes rapportées pour des communications 'polies', 'professionnelles' et 'claires' quand tu transmets des instructions.
My boss asked me to finish the project by Friday.
12 exemples
7

Discours Indirect avec Modaux et Rapport Passif (C1)

C1
Maîtrise ces structures avancées du discours indirect pour paraître polished, objective et nuanced en anglais, niveau C1. C'est la touche finale !
She said she `could meet` us for coffee tomorrow.
12 exemples

Next Steps

You have mastered the mechanics of professional reporting. Keep practicing these structures in your daily writing to truly own them!

Listen to a news podcast and note down three examples of passive reporting structures.

Continue to: Streamlining with Participle Clauses

Pratique rapide (10)

Quelle phrase utilise correctement la structure de reportage passive ?

Choisis la phrase correcte :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It is said that the project is behind schedule.
La structure de reportage passive correcte est 'It + be + participe passé + that + proposition'. 'It is said that' suit ce modèle. N'oublie jamais le 'be' !

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Nouvelles et Rumeurs : Passif avec verbes de déclaration (Il est dit que...)

Quelle phrase rapporte correctement la question directe : "Are you feeling better?"

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He asked if I was feeling better.
La question indirecte correcte utilise 'if', décale le temps (are -> was) et reprend l'ordre des mots d'une affirmation (I was feeling).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Questions indirectes Oui/Non (If/Whether)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

She is believed earning a significant salary.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She is believed to earn a significant salary.
Le verbe de rapportage passif 'is believed' doit être suivi d'un infinitif. 'To earn' ou 'to be earning' sont corrects, selon que l'action est un état général ou actuellement en cours.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passif Avancé : Rapporter des rumeurs et des croyances (On dit qu'il est...)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

He is said to stole the ancient artifact.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He is said to have stolen the ancient artifact.
Pour le rapport passif d'une action passée, on utilise la structure 'to have + past participle'. 'Stole' est le prétérit simple, pas le participe passé.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Discours Indirect avec Modaux et Rapport Passif (C1)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la question rapportée.

Find and fix the mistake:

He asked me why did I leave early.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He asked me why I had left early.
Dans les questions rapportées, 'did' est supprimé et le verbe est décalé. 'Why did you leave?' (Passé Simple) devient 'why I had left' (Passé Perfect). L'ordre des mots inversé ('did I') est également corrigé en 'I had'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Questions indirectes avec mots interrogatifs (Qui, Quoi, Pourquoi)

Quelle phrase rapporte correctement la question 'Where is the nearest ATM?'

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She asked where the nearest ATM was.
La question rapportée correcte nécessite l'ordre sujet-verbe ('the nearest ATM was') et décale 'is' en 'was' car la question a été posée dans le passé.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Questions indirectes avec mots interrogatifs (Qui, Quoi, Pourquoi)

Choisis la forme correcte pour compléter la commande rapportée.

The coach advised the players ___ warm up before the game.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to
Les commandes rapportées utilisent 'to + verbe de base' après le verbe introducteur et l'objet.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ordres et Requêtes Rapportés: Dire aux autres quoi faire

Complète la question rapportée avec la forme correcte du verbe.

She wanted to know what I ___ (do) that evening.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: was doing
La question directe était probablement 'What are you doing this evening?' (Présent Continu), qui décale vers le Passé Continu.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Questions indirectes avec mots interrogatifs (Qui, Quoi, Pourquoi)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

The documents are said have been lost.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The documents are said to have been lost.
La structure infinitive correcte après un verbe de signalement passif est 'to + forme de base du verbe', ou 'to have + participe passé' pour les actions passées. Ici, to have been lost est correct.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Structures de Rapport Passif (Il est dit qu'il est...)

Choisis la forme correcte pour compléter la phrase.

The athlete ___ to have trained intensely for months before the competition.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is said
La structure passive de rapportage nécessite 'is/are' + participe passé du verbe de rapportage, suivi d'un infinitif.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passif Avancé : Rapporter des rumeurs et des croyances (On dit qu'il est...)

Score: /10

Questions fréquentes (6)

La structure de base est It + be (au bon temps) + un verbe de reportage au participe passé (par exemple, said, believed, reported) + that + une proposition. Par exemple,
It is believed that the meeting starts at ten.
Utiliser
It is said that...
rend ton énoncé plus formel, objectif et général, en se concentrant sur l'information elle-même plutôt que sur les personnes qui la disent. People say that... est plus direct et informel. Compare
It is said that the new restaurant is excellent.
et
People say that the new restaurant is excellent.
C'est une façon de rapporter ce que les gens disent, pensent ou croient généralement à propos de quelqu'un ou de quelque chose sans mentionner qui l'a dit spécifiquement. Ça rend ta déclaration plus objective, comme :
He is said to be a genius
.
Les deux sont du rapportage passif, mais 'He is said to be a genius' est souvent plus concis et met directement l'accent sur la personne dont on parle. 'It is said that...' utilise 'it' comme sujet de substitution.
Cette structure est utilisée pour rapporter ce que les gens disent, pensent ou croient généralement, sans nommer directement la source. Elle ajoute une couche d'objectivité et sous-entend souvent que l'information est de notoriété publique ou une rumeur, par exemple,
The ancient city is said to be built on gold.
.
La forme active met l'accent sur les personnes comme sujet, tandis que
He is said to be rich
déplace le focus sur 'he', rendant l'énoncé le concernant plus central. C'est aussi plus formel et concis, par exemple,
People say the boss is busy
devient
The boss is said to be busy.
.
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Advanced Passive Perspectives
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Streamlining with Participle Clauses
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