To report what somebody said earlier, use said (that) ... or told me (that) ..., and usually move the verb one step into the past: is becomes was, can becomes could, will becomes would.
A Reporting what people said
On Saturday you went to a barbecue at your friend Rhiannon's. Here are some things people said to you there:
- Joanne: "I'm enjoying my new course."
- Joanne: "My brother isn't very well."
- Craig and Lucy: "We're going to move to Bristol."
- Gary: "I have to leave early."
- Gary: "My sister has gone to Canada."
- Sian: "I can't find a flat."
- Ade: "I'll text you."
- Nina: "I don't like my boss."
- Mark: "You look tired." You: "I feel fine."
Today you tell Ben about the barbecue. The things people said are now in the past, so the verbs usually move into the past too:
| What they said | What you tell Ben |
|---|---|
| am / is | was |
| are | were |
| have / has | had |
| can | could |
| will | would |
| do / does | did |
| look, feel etc. (present) | looked, felt etc. (past) |
- Joanne said that she was enjoying her new course.
- She said that her brother wasn't very well.
- Craig and Lucy said that they were going to move to Bristol.
- Gary said that he had to leave early.
- He said that his sister had gone to Canada.
- Sian said that she couldn't find a flat.
- Ade said that he would text me.
- Nina said that she didn't like her boss.
- Mark said that I looked tired. I said that I felt fine.
B say and tell
say (past said) and tell (past told) work differently.
| say | tell |
|---|---|
| He said that he was hungry. | He told me that he was hungry. |
| (not 'He said me') | (not 'He told that ...') |
| What did she say to you? | What did she tell you? |
| (not 'say you') | (not 'tell to you') |
tell needs a person after it: tell me, tell Ann, tell them. say does not take a person directly. Do not say 'he said me' or 'I said Ann'. Do not say 'he told to me' or 'I told to Ann'.
- He said that he was hungry.
- He told me that he was hungry.
- What did she say to you?
- What did she tell you?
C that is optional
You can leave out that after said and told me. The meaning does not change, and in conversation it is usually left out.
- He said that he was hungry.
- He said he was hungry.
- Nina told me that she didn't like her boss.
- Nina told me she didn't like her boss.
Exercises
50.1 Read what these people say. Write sentences with He / She / They said (that) ...
A man is searching his pockets.
"I've lost my keys."
He said he'd lost his keys.
He said he'd lost his keys.
A woman is yawning.
"I'm really tired."
She said she was really tired.
A man is on the phone to his boss.
"I can't come to the meeting."
He said he couldn't come to the meeting.
A woman is putting her coat on.
"I have to go home."
She said she had to go home.
A man is sitting in a car with L plates.
"I'm learning to drive."
He said he was learning to drive.
A woman is backing away from a spider.
"I don't like spiders."
She said she didn't like spiders.
A couple are leaving the house in the evening.
"We'll be back late."
They said they'd be back late.
A man in a suit is holding a new staff badge.
"I've just started a new job."
He said he'd just started a new job.
A woman is standing next to her car with a FOR SALE sign.
"I'm going to sell my car."
She said she was going to sell her car.
Two flatmates are looking into an empty fridge.
"We haven't got any milk."
They said they hadn't got any milk.
50.2 Each person says something. Use their words to complete the sentences.
Joanne says: "I'm enjoying my new course."
I met Joanne last week. She said she was enjoying her new course.
I met Joanne last week. She said she was enjoying her new course.
Kirsty says: "I'm full."
Kirsty didn't want any pudding. She said .
Kirsty didn't want any pudding. She said she was full.
Vikram says: "I need it."
I wanted to borrow Vikram's drill, but he said .
I wanted to borrow Vikram's drill, but he said he needed it.
Becky says: "I don't want to go."
Becky was invited to the barbecue, but she said .
Becky was invited to the barbecue, but she said she didn't want to go.
Nora hands you her old lamp and says: "You can keep it."
Nora didn't want her old lamp any more. She said .
Nora didn't want her old lamp any more. She said I could keep it.
Huw says: "I'll send you a message."
Huw has just gone to Spain for a week. He said .
Huw has just gone to Spain for a week. He said he'd send me a message.
You ask Gemma: "Where's Ffion?" Gemma says: "She's gone home."
I was looking for Ffion. Gemma said .
I was looking for Ffion. Gemma said she'd gone home.
Connor says: "I want to watch the football."
"Why didn't Connor come to the pub?" "He said ."
"Why didn't Connor come to the pub?" "He said he wanted to watch the football."
Grace says: "I'm going to the shops."
"Has Grace gone out?" "I think so. She said ."
"Has Grace gone out?" "I think so. She said she was going to the shops."
50.3 Put in say / said or tell / told.
saysaidtelltold
She said she was cold.
She said she was cold.
What did he tell you?
What did he tell you?
Gary he didn't like the film.
Gary said he didn't like the film.
My mum me that you'd moved house.
My mum told me that you'd moved house.
Please don't anybody about the present.
Please don't tell anybody about the present.
Did Sophie she would ring?
Did Sophie say she would ring?
The man he was a doctor.
The man said he was a doctor.
The man us he was a doctor.
The man told us he was a doctor.
The police asked me lots of questions, but I didn't them anything.
The police asked me lots of questions, but I didn't tell them anything.
The police asked me lots of questions, but I didn't anything.
The police asked me lots of questions, but I didn't say anything.