G
ESC
  • Type to search across all units
← All units

Unit 50 · Reported speech

She said that ... He told me that ...

Study

A

Last week you went to a party. A lot of your friends were there. Here are some things they said to you:

am
is

→ was

Today you meet Paul. You tell him about the party. You tell Paul what your friends said:

›

Clare said that she was enjoying her new job.

›

She said that her father wasn't well.

are

→ were

›

Sarah and Ben said that they were going to buy a house.

have
has

→ had

›

Peter said that he had to leave early.

›

He said that his sister had gone to Australia.

can

→ could

›

Kate said that she couldn't find a job.

will

→ would

›

Steve said that he would phone me.

do
does

→ did

›

Rachel said that she didn't like her job.

›

She said that her son didn't like school.

look → looked
feel → felt
etc. etc.
(present) (past)
›

Mike said that I looked tired.

›

I said that I felt fine.

B

say and tell

say (→ said)

›

He said that he was tired.

(not I told that)

›

What did she say to you?

(not say you)

We say he said to me, I said to Ann etc.

(not 'he said me', 'I said Ann').

tell (→ told)

›

He told me that he was tired.

(not He said me)

›

What did she tell you?

(not tell to you)

We say he told me, I told Ann etc.

(not 'he told to me', 'I told to Ann').

C

You can say:

›

He said that he was tired. or He said he was tired. (without that)

›

Kate told me that she couldn't find a job. or Kate told me she couldn't find a job.

Exercises (3)

0/3 exercises checked
—
50.1

Read what these people say and write sentences with He/She/They said (that)....

  1. 1A man who has lost his watch
    I've lost my watch.
    He said example
  2. 2A woman looking very busy at work
    I'm very busy.
    She said
  3. 3A woman declining an invitation
    I can't go to the party.
    She said
  4. 4A man about to go out
    I have to go out.
    He said
  5. 5A man learning Russian
    I'm learning Russian.
    He said
  6. 6A woman who doesn't feel well
    I don't feel very well.
    She said
  7. 7A couple coming home late at night
    We'll be home late.
    They said
  8. 8A woman just back from holiday
    I've just come back from holiday.
    She said
  9. 9A woman about to buy a guitar
    I'm going to buy a guitar.
    She said
  10. 10A couple locked out without a key
    We haven't got a key.
    They said
50.2

Use the pictures to complete the sentences.

  1. 1A woman enjoying her new job
    1 I met Clare last week.
    She said example
  2. 2A woman who isn't hungry
    2 Emma didn't want anything to eat.
    She said
  3. 3A man who needs his ladder
    3 I wanted to borrow Mike's ladder, but
    he said
  4. 4A woman who doesn't want to go to the party
    4 Hannah was invited to the party, but
    she said
  5. 5A woman giving away a framed picture
    5 Susan told me she didn't want the picture.
    She said
  6. 6A man about to send a postcard on holiday
    6 Martin has just gone away on holiday.
    He said
  7. 7Woman explaining that a colleague has gone home.
    7 I was looking for Robert.
    Nicola said
  8. 8Man staying home to watch television.
    8 'Why did David stay at home?'
    He said
  9. 9Woman leaving home to go to the cinema.
    9 'Has Mary gone out?'
    I think so. She said
50.3

Write say/said or tell/told.

  1. 1
    He he was tired.example
  2. 2
    What did she you?
  3. 3
    Anna she didn't like Peter.
  4. 4
    Jack me that you were ill.
  5. 5
    Please don't Dan what happened.
  6. 6
    Did Lucy she would be late?
  7. 7
    The woman she was a reporter.
  8. 8
    The woman us she was a reporter.
  9. 9
    They asked me a lot of questions, but I didn't them anything.
  10. 10
    They asked me a lot of questions, but I didn't anything.