Discours Indirect avec Modaux et Rapport Passif (C1)
polished, objective et nuanced en anglais, niveau C1. C'est la touche finale !
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Shift modals back in time and use passive 'it' or 'subject' structures to report information objectively and formally.
- Shift 'can' to 'could' and 'will' to 'would' in reported speech. Example: 'I can go' becomes 'He said he could go'.
- Use 'It is said that...' for general beliefs. Example: 'It is said that the CEO will resign'.
- Use 'Subject + is thought + to + verb' for specific focus. Example: 'He is thought to be hiding'.
- Keep 'should', 'ought to', and 'might' unchanged in reported speech. Example: 'You should stay' becomes 'She said I should stay'.
Overview
It's rumored that he might have ghosted her au lieu de simplement He ghosted her ? C'est le pouvoir du discours rapporté avec les modaux et une touche de passif. Au niveau C1, on ne se contente pas de She said hello.How This Grammar Works
backshifting). Les modaux comme can deviennent could et will devient would. Mais should et might restent identiques.He is said to) déplace l'attention des 'gens' anonymes vers le sujet lui-même. C'est très courant dans le journalisme.
Formation Pattern
can, must, might ?
say, believe, claim (parfait si vous doutez).
She said she could) ou Passive (She is believed to be able to).
can → could, will → would, must → had to.
should, could, might ne changent pas.
When To Use It
Common Mistakes
should en should have. Ne le faites pas sauf si c'était déjà du passé. Pour les obligations, utilisez had to au lieu de must pour éviter de passer pour une simple déduction.Contrast With Similar Patterns
He said he was tired. Le combo modal-passif ajoute une couche d'incertitude ou de consensus. C'est la différence entre un fait simple et une opinion générale.Quick FAQ
could change ? A : Non ! Il reste could. Q : Pourquoi It is said that ? A : Parce que vous êtes C1 ! Ça fait plus académique.Modal Shifts in Reported Speech
| Direct Speech Modal | Reported Speech Modal | Example Direct | Example Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Will
|
Would
|
I will help.
|
He said he would help.
|
|
Can
|
Could
|
I can swim.
|
She said she could swim.
|
|
May (Possibility)
|
Might
|
It may rain.
|
He said it might rain.
|
|
May (Permission)
|
Could
|
May I leave?
|
He asked if he could leave.
|
|
Must (Obligation)
|
Had to
|
You must stay.
|
She said I had to stay.
|
|
Must (Deduction)
|
Must (no change)
|
He must be tired.
|
She said he must be tired.
|
|
Should / Ought to
|
No change
|
You should go.
|
He said I should go.
|
Passive Reporting Infinitive Forms
| Infinitive Type | Structure | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Simple
|
to + verb
|
Present/Future state
|
He is said to be rich.
|
|
Continuous
|
to be + -ing
|
Action in progress
|
They are thought to be hiding.
|
|
Perfect
|
to have + past participle
|
Past action
|
She is believed to have left.
|
|
Perfect Continuous
|
to have been + -ing
|
Past action over time
|
He is alleged to have been lying.
|
Meanings
This grammar allows speakers to report information, beliefs, or rumors without taking personal responsibility for the truth of the statement, often used in journalism and academic writing.
Reporting Modals
Changing the tense of modal verbs when moving from direct to indirect speech to maintain temporal logic.
“Direct: 'I may arrive late.' Indirect: 'He mentioned he might arrive late.'”
“Direct: 'You must sign this.' Indirect: 'She insisted that I had to sign it.'”
Impersonal Passive Reporting
Using 'It + passive verb + that' to report general opinions or facts objectively.
“It is widely believed that the climate is changing rapidly.”
“It has been suggested that the meeting be postponed.”
Personal Passive Reporting
Using 'Subject + passive verb + to-infinitive' to focus on the person or thing being discussed.
“The suspect is understood to be cooperating with the police.”
“The painting is estimated to be worth millions.”
Reference Table
| Discours direct | Discours indirect (Modal) | Rapport passif |
|---|---|---|
|
"I can finish it."
|
She said she could finish it.
|
It was said that she could finish it.
|
|
"He will join us."
|
They claimed he would join them.
|
He is expected to join us.
|
|
"You must attend."
|
She told me I must/had to attend.
|
Attendance is said to be mandatory.
|
|
"It may rain."
|
The forecast warned it might rain.
|
It is believed it might rain.
|
|
"They should study."
|
I advised they should study.
|
They are understood to study diligently.
|
|
"She could be wrong."
|
He suggested she could be wrong.
|
It is thought that she could be wrong.
|
|
"He has stolen it."
|
N/A
|
He is alleged to have stolen it.
|
|
"She is building a company."
|
N/A
|
She is reported to be building a company.
|
Spectre de formalité
He is considered to be the most suitable candidate for the position. (Job recruitment)
It is thought that he is the best candidate. (Job recruitment)
Everyone says he's the best one for the job. (Job recruitment)
He's the GOAT for this role, no cap. (Job recruitment)
Discours indirect : Modaux & Passif
Avec Modaux
- Can → Could She said she could go.
- May → Might He said it might rain.
- Will → Would They said they would help.
- Must / Had To We had to finish it.
Rapport Passif (Type 1)
- It is/was said that... It is believed that he left.
- It is/was reported that... It was reported the market fell.
Rapport Passif (Type 2)
- Subject is/was said to... She is said to be brilliant.
- Subject is/was believed to... He was believed to have lied.
Utilisations Clés
- Infos/Rumeurs It's rumored she's engaged.
- Objectivité It's understood that...
- Formalité He is expected to speak.
Direct vs. Indirect vs. Passif rapporté
Choisir la structure du discours indirect
Est-ce une citation directe ?
La déclaration originale contient-elle un modal (can, will, may, etc.) ?
Veux-tu rapporter une croyance/rumeur générale, ou insister sur l'objectivité/la formalité ?
Verbes pour le rapport passif
Croyances
- • believe
- • think
- • consider
- • suppose
Déclarations
- • say
- • state
- • declare
- • report
Attentes
- • expect
- • anticipate
Allégations
- • allege
- • claim
Compréhension
- • understand
- • know
Exemples par niveau
He says, 'I can help.'
He says he can help.
She says, 'I will go.'
She says she will go.
They say, 'We are happy.'
They say they are happy.
I say, 'I must leave.'
I say I must leave.
He said he could help.
He said he could help.
She told me she would come.
She told me she would come.
They said they might be late.
They said they might be late.
He said he had to go.
He said he had to go.
It is said that he is very rich.
It is said that he is very rich.
She suggested that we should leave.
She suggested that we should leave.
He claimed he could speak five languages.
He claimed he could speak five languages.
They promised they would finish on time.
They promised they would finish on time.
The company is thought to be losing money.
The company is thought to be losing money.
It was reported that the strike had ended.
It was reported that the strike had ended.
He is believed to have left the country.
He is believed to have left the country.
She insisted that he must have been joking.
She insisted that he must have been joking.
The suspect is understood to have been residing in London for years.
The suspect is understood to have been residing in London for years.
It is widely acknowledged that the policy may have been flawed.
It is widely acknowledged that the policy may have been flawed.
The artifact is estimated to date back to the 4th century.
The artifact is estimated to date back to the 4th century.
He is alleged to have been embezzling funds since 2015.
He is alleged to have been embezzling funds since 2015.
The manuscript is purported to have been authored by Shakespeare himself.
The manuscript is purported to have been authored by Shakespeare himself.
It has been contended that such measures might prove counterproductive.
It has been contended that such measures might prove counterproductive.
The witness is reported to have been under considerable duress.
The witness is reported to have been under considerable duress.
The findings are presumed to be indicative of a larger trend.
The findings are presumed to be indicative of a larger trend.
Facile à confondre
Learners confuse 'He was told' (someone spoke to him) with 'He is said to' (people talk about him).
Using 'that' after the subject-passive structure.
Using 'must' for past obligation in reported speech.
Erreurs courantes
He say he can help.
He says he can help.
He said he will come.
He said he would come.
It is said him to be rich.
He is said to be rich.
The thief is reported to escape last night.
The thief is reported to have escaped last night.
Structures de phrases
It is ___ that ___.
The ___ is thought to be ___.
He is alleged to have ___.
They are understood to be ___ing ___.
Real World Usage
Local Man Reported to Have Won Lottery Twice
It is widely acknowledged that further research is required.
She's rumored to be getting the promotion.
The defendant is alleged to have committed the offense on June 1st.
The new iPhone is said to be coming out in September! 📱
The patient is understood to have a history of heart disease.
Entraîne-toi au 'backshift' des modaux
Try turning direct statements with modals into reported ones out loud.
Attention au piège de 'to have'
Subject is said to...pour parler d'actions passées, souviens-toi bien de
to have + past participle(par exemple,
to have seen, to have done). Oublier le have est une faute très fréquente chez les C1 ! "Forgetting 'have' is a super common C1 stumble!"Choisis ta structure avec sagesse
It is said that...pour les déclarations générales et
Subject is said to...quand tu veux mettre l'accent sur la personne ou la chose dont il est question. Ça ajoute de la précision et de l'élégance à ton message. "Use 'It is said that...' for general statements and 'Subject is said to...' when focusing on the person/thing the information is about."
La nuance dans le journalisme
It allows for reporting claims without fully endorsing them.
N'en abuse pas
Sometimes direct reporting is clearer and more natural.
Smart Tips
Use 'allegedly' or 'is alleged to have' when talking about unproven events.
Don't try to change them! They are already 'past' enough.
Look for the word 'that'. It's the signal that a full sentence is coming next.
Use the 'Subject + is said to' structure. It's the most natural way to describe what people think of someone.
Prononciation
Weak forms of 'to'
In the structure 'is said to be', the word 'to' is usually reduced to a schwa /tə/.
Stress on the reporting verb
The main stress usually falls on the reporting verb (said, thought, rumored), not the 'is' or 'to'.
Falling intonation for certainty
It is widely believed that the economy will recover. ↘
Conveys a sense of established fact or high confidence.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
W.C.M. (Will to Would, Can to Could, May to Might) - The 'Wicked Cool Modals' shift back!
Association visuelle
Imagine a news anchor sitting behind a desk. They aren't saying 'I think,' they are saying 'It is reported that...' This desk represents the 'Passive Reporting' structure that protects them from being wrong.
Rhyme
When reporting what they say, shift the modal back a day. If the source you want to hide, let the Passive be your guide.
Story
A detective is reporting on a mystery. He doesn't know the truth yet, so he tells his boss: 'The suspect is thought to have fled. It is believed that he might be in Paris. He was said to be carrying a red bag.'
Word Web
Défi
Write three sentences about a famous person using 'is rumored to', 'is said to have', and 'is thought to be'.
Notes culturelles
The BBC and other UK broadsheets frequently use 'is understood to' or 'is alleged to' to maintain a neutral, objective stance and avoid libel.
In US and UK universities, using 'It is argued that' is preferred over 'I think' to make the writing sound more scholarly and less biased.
In corporate 'office speak', passive reporting is used to deliver bad news gently or to distance the speaker from the decision.
Passive reporting structures evolved from Old English 'man sagt' (one says), similar to modern German.
Amorces de conversation
What is something that is rumored to be true about a famous person?
It is said that technology makes us lonelier. Do you agree?
What are some things that were once thought to be impossible but are now common?
If you heard a colleague was said to be leaving, would you ask them about it?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
The weather forecast said it ___ rain tomorrow.
Find and fix the mistake:
He is said to stole the ancient artifact.
Choisis la phrase correcte :
Translate into English: 'Se cree que el precio aumentará.'
Answer starts with: ["I...
It is believed that...ou
Subject is believed to....
Score: /4
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesHe said he ___ help me the next day.
The suspect is believed ___ (flee) the country last week.
Find and fix the mistake:
It is thought him to be the best player.
He is said to be a genius. -> ___
The modal 'should' always changes to 'would' in reported speech.
A: Did you hear about the CEO? B: Yes, she is rumored ___.
Select the modal that stays the same.
believed / to / is / have / the / painting / stolen / been
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesShe told me she ___ call me back later.
It is rumored that he has been fire from his job.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate: 'Ella dijo que podría ayudarnos.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the modals:
It ___ that the new policy will face strong opposition.
The documents are thought to have be destroyed.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate: 'Se entiende que la empresa está contratando.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the structures:
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
Use `It is said that...` when you want to emphasize the information itself. Use `He is said to...` when you want to focus on the person you are talking about. The latter is slightly more common in descriptions of people.
No. If `must` expresses a logical deduction (e.g., 'He must be tired'), it stays as `must`. If it expresses an obligation (e.g., 'You must go'), it changes to `had to`.
Yes, but it's very formal. In daily speech, we often use `is supposed to` or `is rumored to` instead of `is said to`.
`Is thought to be` refers to a present state (He is thought to be rich now). `Is thought to have been` refers to a past state (He is thought to have been rich in the 90s).
Not really. In informal English, we just say 'People say...' or 'I heard that...'. The passive version is for news, books, and formal reports.
Usually, no. `Allege` is almost always used for crimes or wrongdoings that haven't been proven yet.
We use `to have been` (the perfect infinitive) to show that the action happened *before* the reporting. It's like a 'past tense' for infinitives.
Yes. `Should`, `ought to`, `might`, and `could` (when expressing possibility) usually stay the same in reported speech.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Se dice que / Se cree que
Spanish lacks the 'Subject + to-infinitive' reporting structure.
On dit que / Il est dit que
French uses the pronoun 'On' much more frequently than English uses 'It is said'.
Soll-Konstruktion / Man sagt
German uses a modal verb ('sollen') instead of a passive verb ('is said').
~rashii / ~sou desu
Japanese reporting is handled by particles/auxiliaries, not by changing the main verb to passive.
يُقال أن (Yuqal anna)
Arabic rarely uses the personal 'Subject + to-infinitive' structure in this context.
据说 (Jùshuō)
Chinese has no verb conjugation or passive infinitive shifts.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
Verbes Modaux Anglais: can, should, must
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