Practice
Suppose or supposed: which form fits?
Sign in to saveI suppose the train is late again. We were supposed to meet at nine, so the different forms change the meaning of the sentence.
Choose suppose or supposed by checking whether the sentence needs a verb for an idea or an adjective for an expectation.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
suppose / supposed /səˈpoʊz/ /səˈpoʊzd/
The short answer
Use suppose as a verb when you mean think, assume, or suggest an idea. Use supposed after be when something is expected or intended. In be supposed to, use a base verb after to.
I suppose the cafe is still open.
Why it works: Suppose is the verb for the speaker's assumption.
4 more examples
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Suppose we take the earlier bus.
Suppose can introduce a suggestion for people to consider.
Not this:We
are supposed to takethe earlier bus. What changes: This sentence describes an arrangement or instruction. -
I suppose Nina has already seen the message.
The speaker is making a reasonable guess about Nina.
Not this:Nina
is supposed to seethe message today. What changes: This describes what is expected to happen today. -
The new key is supposed to open the side door.
The sentence states the intended function of the key.
Not this:I
suppose this keyopens the side door. What changes: Here, the speaker is not certain and is making an assumption. -
The recipe is supposed to serve four people.
Supposed describes the number of people the recipe is intended to serve.
Not this:I
suppose four peoplecan share this recipe. What changes: Suppose expresses the speaker's view about the situation.
Read the full guide
First, decide whether the sentence needs an action word or a describing word. In I suppose the cafe is still open, suppose reports an idea. In The cafe is supposed to open at eight, supposed describes the expected schedule. The pattern be supposed to plus a base verb is especially common when you talk about rules, plans, and intended results.
Use suppose for an idea or an assumption
Suppose is a verb. Use it when someone thinks something may be true but is not stating a confirmed fact. It often comes before a clause: I suppose the shop is closed, or Do you suppose he remembers?
I suppose Nina has already seen the message.
The speaker does not know for certain. Suppose shows an assumption based on the situation.
Use suppose to make a suggestion
At the beginning of a sentence, suppose can invite another person to consider an idea. This use is common when you are planning or solving a small problem together.
Suppose we take the earlier bus.
Suggestion: Suppose we take the earlier bus. Expectation: We are supposed to take the earlier bus.
Use supposed after be for an expectation
Supposed often follows be. In this position, it describes something that people expect, believe, plan, or intend. The form does not give the speaker's personal guess in the way suppose does.
The recipe is supposed to serve four people.
The sentence means that the recipe is intended for four people. It does not promise that four people will find the amount enough.
Build be supposed to with a base verb
Use am, is, are, was, or were plus supposed to and a base verb. This pattern can describe a rule, a plan, a duty, or the intended purpose of a thing.
Visitors are supposed to sign in at reception.
Correct: Visitors are supposed to sign in. Incorrect: Visitors are supposed to signed in.
After to, use sign, bring, call, open, or another base form. The word supposed already carries the past-participle form.
Check the time in the expectation
Change be to show the time. Use is or are for a current expectation and was or were for an earlier expectation. A past expectation can suggest that the plan did not happen, but the surrounding context tells you more.
The new key was supposed to open the side door.
Choose the form: I ___ the meeting starts at ten, but we are ___ to arrive by nine forty-five.
Use suppose and supposed. The first blank needs a verb for an assumption. The second blank follows are and describes an expected arrival time.
Before you go
Remember this
Use suppose as the verb for a thought, assumption, or suggestion: I suppose it will rain. Use supposed after be for an expectation: It is supposed to rain. In be supposed to, follow to with a base verb.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Suppose or supposed: which form fits?"
What is the difference between suppose and supposed?
Suppose is usually a verb for a thought, assumption, or suggestion. Supposed often follows be and describes an expectation or intended result. Compare I suppose the cafe is still open with The cafe is supposed to open at eight.
I suppose the cafe is still open.
How do I use be supposed to?
Use a form of be, then supposed to, then a base verb. The new key is supposed to open the side door describes its intended function. Use open, not opened, after to.
The cafe is supposed to open at eight.
Can suppose introduce a suggestion?
Yes. At the start of a sentence, suppose can invite someone to consider an idea. Suppose we take the earlier bus suggests a possible plan, while We are supposed to take the earlier bus describes an arrangement or instruction.
Suppose we take the earlier bus.
Does was supposed to mean that something did not happen?
It often suggests that an earlier expectation was not met, especially when the speaker explains a problem. The exact meaning still comes from context. Was supposed to can simply identify a plan or intended purpose in the past.
We are supposed to take the earlier bus.
What verb comes after supposed to?
Use the base form of the verb after supposed to. In Visitors are supposed to sign in at reception, sign is the base form. The same pattern works with bring, call, open, and other base verbs.
I suppose Nina has already seen the message.