“It is said that…”

To report what people say, believe or think without saying who, English has two patterns: It + be + past participle + that + clause, or subject + be + past participle + to-verb. They are common in news, reports and formal writing, and they keep a distance — the writer doesn't claim it is true.

Common verbs: say, think, believe, know, consider, expect, report, understand, allege, estimate. With consider, to be can be dropped: He is considered (to be) the best player.

💡The “it” in pattern 1 is an empty subject — you can't leave it out. Learners whose language has no such subject often write “Is said that…”. If you want to keep “people”, use the active: People say that… — not “People are said that…”.

In pattern 2, the infinitive shows whether the thing reported happens at the same time as, before or after the saying or believing:

• Coffee is thought to have been brought to Vietnam by the French.

  it happened long ago → to have been V3

• The singer is reported to be in hospital.

• More than 300 people are known to have attended the meeting.

is said / is believed = people say or believe it now. was said / was believed = people said or believed it in the past (maybe not any more). The present perfect is also possible: It has been reported that…

• The Earth was once believed to be flat.

• The ship was thought to have sunk in a storm.

• It has been reported that two people were injured.

With there: There is said to be… = It is said that there is… In casual conversation, people rarely use these patterns; they say They say…, Apparently…, or be supposed to (= people say).

• There are thought to be fewer than a hundred of these birds left in the wild.

• That new pho place is supposed to be really good.

  informal = people say

• They say the shop on the corner is closing down.

💡be supposed to has another meaning: “should, according to a rule or plan” (You're supposed to wear a helmet). See the lesson “Be supposed to / about to / likely to”.

• ✗Is said that the airport will open next year.

  ✓It is said that the airport will open next year.

  You need the empty subject It.

• ✗He is believed to steal the money last year.

  ✓He is believed to have stolen the money last year.

  It happened earlier → to have + V3.

• ✗The museum is known being the oldest in the city.

  ✓The museum is known to be the oldest in the city.

  be known / said / thought + to-verb, not -ing.

• ✗People say him to be very rich.

  ✓He is said to be very rich. / People say that he is very rich.

  say has no active pattern say + person + to-verb.

• ✗The lake says to be very deep.

  ✓The lake is said to be very deep.

  The lake doesn't say anything → passive is said.

• ✗She is said to be won the prize twice.

  ✓She is said to have won the prize twice.

  A past action, active → to have + V3.