B1 · Intermedio Capítulo 1

Repeating What People Said

4 Reglas totales
48 ejemplos
5 min
Reglas en este capítulo Práctica rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of sharing past conversations and anecdotes with clarity and ease.

  • Distinguish between 'say' and 'tell' in reported speech.
  • Apply correct tense backshifting to maintain chronological accuracy.
  • Modify time and place references for natural-sounding narrative flow.
Master the art of the perfect retell.

Lo que aprenderás

Ever wonder how to tell exciting stories about past chats? This chapter will help you master shifting tenses and choosing between 'say' and 'tell' so your recounted conversations sound perfectly natural and engaging. You'll be sharing anecdotes with confidence!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Accurately report a past conversation using correct tense shifts and time references.

Guía del capítulo

Overview

Mastering how to talk about past conversations is a vital step in your journey to confident B1 English grammar. Imagine trying to recount an exciting story or relay important information without the right tools – it can feel clunky and unnatural. This chapter is your guide to sounding smooth and authentic when you're repeating what people said.
We'll demystify the subtle but crucial difference between say and tell, explore other useful reporting verbs, and show you how to effortlessly shift tenses and adjust time expressions so your recounted conversations make perfect sense to your listener.
For B1 learners, this skill isn't just about passing a grammar test; it's about connecting with others. Whether you're telling a friend about a funny chat you had yesterday, explaining a colleague's request, or sharing news you heard while traveling, knowing how to accurately and naturally report speech will transform your storytelling and communication. You'll gain the confidence to share anecdotes and information without getting tangled in grammatical knots, making your English sound more polished and fluent.
Get ready to tell your stories with precision and charm!

How This Grammar Works

At the heart of repeating what people said is choosing the right reporting verb. You generally use say when focusing on the message itself. For example,
He said he was busy.
Here, the important part is the message, he was busy. You use tell when you want to mention the person who received the message – it *always* needs a direct or indirect object (like *me*, *her*, *us*, *them*).
So,
He told *me* he was busy.
Other common reporting verbs include ask (for questions), explain, or agree, each adding a specific nuance to the reported statement.
Once you’ve chosen your reporting verb, the next crucial step is tense backshift. When you report something that was said in the past, the original tense of the reported clause usually shifts one step back into the past. For instance, if someone says, I *am* happy, when you report it later, you'd say,
She said she *was* happy.
The present simple am shifts to the past simple was. Similarly, I *will* go becomes
He said he *would* go,
and I *have finished* becomes
She told me she *had finished*.
Finally, you need to adjust time and place words to reflect your current perspective. If someone said, "I'll see you *tomorrow*," and you're reporting it the next day, tomorrow is no longer accurate. It becomes "He said he'd see me *the next day*. Likewise, here often becomes there, and now might become then." These small but significant changes ensure your reported speech is clear and makes sense in your present context.
By combining these rules, you can accurately and naturally convey past conversations.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Confusing 'say' and 'tell' without an object.
✗ He told he was tired.
✓ He said he was tired.
✓ He told *me* he was tired.
*Explanation*: Remember, tell *always* needs to say *who* was told (an object), while say focuses on the message and can stand alone.
  1. 1Forgetting to backshift the tense.
✗ She said she *is* coming. (Original: I am coming.)
✓ She said she *was* coming.
*Explanation*: When reporting past speech, the verb in the reported clause usually moves one tense into the past. Am becomes was.
  1. 1Not changing time or place expressions.
✗ He told me he'd meet me *here* tomorrow. (If you're reporting this the next day, not at the original location.)
✓ He told me he'd meet me *there* the next day.
*Explanation*: Words like here, now, today, tomorrow, and yesterday need to be adjusted to align with the current time and place of your reporting.

Real Conversations

A

A

Hey, I saw Sarah at the café.
B

B

Oh really? What did she say?
A

A

She told me she was going on holiday the following week. She said she was really excited!
A

A

Did you hear about Mark's new job?
B

B

No, I hadn't! What did he tell you?
A

A

He explained that he *had been offered* a position at a tech company. He told me he *was starting* the next month.

Quick FAQ

Q

Do I always have to backshift the tense when repeating what people said?

Not always! If the reported statement is still true or refers to a general truth, you don't *have* to backshift. For example,

She said that London *is* a big city
is perfectly fine because London is still a big city. However, backshifting to
She said that London *was* a big city
is also grammatically correct, especially if the context is firmly in the past.

Q

Can I always use the word that after a reporting verb?

You can, but it's often optional, especially in informal speech. For instance,

He said that he was tired
is correct, but
He said he was tired
is also common and natural. It's often included for clarity or in more formal contexts.

Q

What happens if the original speaker used a modal verb like 'can' or 'will'?

Similar to regular verbs, modal verbs often backshift. Can becomes could, will becomes would, may becomes might, and must often becomes had to. For example, "He said, 'I *can* swim.' becomes He said he *could* swim."

Cultural Context

Native English speakers sometimes omit tense backshift in very informal, immediate contexts, especially if the reported statement is still current. For example,
He said he *is* coming
instead of
He said he *was* coming
if he's due to arrive any minute. However, for clear, accurate communication, especially in writing or when there's a time gap, using tense backshift and adjusting time and place changes is the standard.
It adds polish and precision to your storytelling, making your B1 English grammar sound very natural.

Ejemplos clave (8)

1

My friend said he'd be here by 7 PM.

Mi amigo dijo que estaría aquí a las 7 PM.

Estilo Indirecto: Say vs. Tell
2

She told me she passed the exam!

¡Ella me dijo que aprobó el examen!

Estilo Indirecto: Say vs. Tell
3

My friend **insisted on** buying me coffee this morning, even though I offered.

Mi amigo insistió en invitarme a un café esta mañana, aunque le ofrecí.

Verbos de Reporte: ¿Quién Dijo Qué?
4

The HR manager **announced that** the new work-from-home policy would start next month.

La gerente de RRHH anunció que la nueva política de teletrabajo comenzaría el próximo mes.

Verbos de Reporte: ¿Quién Dijo Qué?
5

She told me `she was feeling` great.

Ella me dijo que se sentía genial.

Reportar lo que la gente dijo (Cambio de Tiempos)
6

He said `he liked` the new song.

Él dijo que le gustaba la nueva canción.

Reportar lo que la gente dijo (Cambio de Tiempos)
7

She said, "I'll meet you *tomorrow*."

Ella dijo: "Te veré mañana."

Estilo Indirecto: Cambios de Tiempo y Lugar
8

He mentioned that he had seen us *the day before*.

Él mencionó que nos había visto el día anterior.

Estilo Indirecto: Cambios de Tiempo y Lugar

Consejos y trucos (4)

🎯

Siempre busca al oyente

Antes de elegir say o tell, pregúntate: ¿hay un objeto directo (la persona o personas a las que se les habla) inmediatamente después del verbo? Si la respuesta es sí, lo más seguro es tell. Por ejemplo,
She told me her name.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo Indirecto: Say vs. Tell
💡

Escucha los Matices

Cuando escuchas discurso reportado, presta atención al verbo que usan. ¿Te dice si la persona estaba feliz, enojada, o neutral? ¡Así captas los pequeños detalles!
Does it tell you if the speaker was happy, angry, or just neutral?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbos de Reporte: ¿Quién Dijo Qué?
💡

Piensa 'Un Paso Atrás'

Cuando reportes algo en pasado, visualiza cómo el tiempo verbal retrocede un paso en la línea del tiempo. El presente se vuelve pasado, el pasado se vuelve pluscuamperfecto. Esta regla sencilla cubre la mayoría de los casos.
Present becomes past, past becomes past perfect.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar lo que la gente dijo (Cambio de Tiempos)
💡

Piensa desde TU perspectiva

Siempre imagínate que eres tú quien está contando la historia. ¿Tiene sentido seguir diciendo ahora? ¿Es aquí el mismo lugar? Ajusta las palabras de tiempo y lugar para que coincidan con tu punto de vista actual.
Adjust time and place words to match your current viewpoint.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo Indirecto: Cambios de Tiempo y Lugar

Vocabulario clave (5)

Report to give a spoken or written account Backshift moving a verb tense into the past Indirect speech reporting what someone said without direct quotes Statement a definite or clear expression of something Attribution crediting speech to a speaker

Real-World Preview

briefcase

Sharing Office News

Review Summary

  • Subject + said + (that) + clause / Subject + told + object + (that) + clause
  • Present -> Past
  • now -> then, today -> that day, tomorrow -> the next day

Errores comunes

You cannot use 'said' directly with an object like 'me'. Use 'told' instead.

Wrong: He said me he was tired.
Correcto: He told me he was tired.

Even if she is still happy, in reported speech, we usually backshift the verb to match the reporting verb.

Wrong: She said she is happy.
Correcto: She said she was happy.

'Tell' must have an object (who he told). If no object is mentioned, use 'said'.

Wrong: He told that he likes pizza.
Correcto: He said that he liked pizza.

Next Steps

You have mastered the foundation of reported speech! Keep practicing, and your storytelling will be unstoppable.

Listen to a news report and summarize it for a friend.

Continue to: Reporting Questions and Requests

Práctica rápida (10)

Elige la forma correcta para completar la oración.

She ___ me she couldn't make it to the party.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: told
La palabra 'me' es un objeto directo después del verbo, por eso se necesita 'told'. Tú le tell algo a alguien.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo Indirecto: Say vs. Tell

¿Qué oración reporta correctamente lo que se dijo?

Elige la oración correcta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She announced that the meeting `was` postponed.
Discurso directo:
The meeting is postponed.
El presente simple cambia a pasado simple.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar lo que la gente dijo (Cambio de Tiempos)

¿Qué frase usa correctamente un verbo para reportar?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He suggested joining the club.
'Suggest' normalmente va seguido de un gerundio (-ing). Aunque 'He suggested that I join the club' también es correcto, 'suggested me to join' es un error común.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbos de Reporte: ¿Quién Dijo Qué?

Encuentra y corrige el error en la oración.

Find and fix the mistake:

The news reporter told that the storm was approaching.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The news reporter said that the storm was approaching.
Tell necesita un objeto directo inmediatamente después. Como no hay objeto ('us', 'them', etc.) aquí, said es la opción correcta para introducir la información reportada.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo Indirecto: Say vs. Tell

Elige la forma correcta para completar el discurso indirecto.

She said she ___ busy yesterday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: was
Discurso directo:
I am busy.
El presente simple 'am' cambia a pasado simple 'was'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar lo que la gente dijo (Cambio de Tiempos)

Encuentra y corrige el error en la frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

My coach advised me to don't give up on my dream.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My coach advised me not to give up on my dream.
Al reportar consejos o instrucciones negativas usando 'advise' + objeto + infinitivo con 'to', la negación 'not' va antes de 'to'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbos de Reporte: ¿Quién Dijo Qué?

Elige la forma correcta para completar la frase.

She ___ on arriving early to get good seats for the concert.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: insisted
El verbo 'insist' a menudo va seguido de 'on' + gerundio, o un 'that'-clause. En este contexto, 'insisted' encaja mejor con la idea de ser firme sobre algo.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbos de Reporte: ¿Quién Dijo Qué?

Elige la oración en estilo indirecto que cambia correctamente la expresión de tiempo.

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He said he had finished it the day before.
Cuando yesterday se reporta, típicamente cambia a the day before o the previous day, y el pasado simple ('finished') cambia a pasado perfecto ('had finished').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo Indirecto: Cambios de Tiempo y Lugar

Encuentra y corrige el error en la oración reportada.

Find and fix the mistake:

He told me he `go` to the concert.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He told me he `went` to the concert.
Discurso directo:
I go to the concert.
El presente simple 'go' cambia a pasado simple 'went' al reportar en pasado.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reportar lo que la gente dijo (Cambio de Tiempos)

Elige la forma correcta para completar la oración en estilo indirecto.

He said he would call me ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: the next day
Cuando se reporta una acción futura prometida con tomorrow, normalmente cambia a the next day o the following day en el estilo indirecto.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Estilo Indirecto: Cambios de Tiempo y Lugar

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (6)

La diferencia clave es que tell *siempre* necesita un objeto directo (a quién le estás contando) inmediatamente después, como she told *me*. Say normalmente no lleva un objeto directo o usa to + object, como
he said (to *me*)
. Por ejemplo,
He told me his name.
Sí, pero es menos común y a menudo suena más formal o específico. Dirías
He said to me that...
en lugar de
He said me that...
. Con tell, el objeto es obligatorio y va justo después, por ejemplo,
He told me that...
.
'Say' es más general, mientras que 'state' implica una declaración más formal u oficial. Por ejemplo, He said hello (él saludó) vs.
The President stated his policy
(el Presidente declaró su política).
'Admit' significa aceptar algo como verdad, a menudo a regañadientes (
He admitted his mistake
). 'Confess' generalmente implica admitir algo malo o ilegal, con un sentido de culpa (
She confessed to the crime
).
Es cuando el verbo en la oración reportada se mueve un paso más al pasado. Por ejemplo, si el discurso directo es 'Present Simple', el discurso reportado se convierte en 'Past Simple'.
I am happy
->
He said he was happy
.
Lo usamos para mantener una coherencia lógica en la línea de tiempo de los eventos. Cuando reportas algo que se dijo en el pasado, el 'backshifting' aclara que la afirmación original también ocurrió en un contexto pasado relativo a tu reporte.
Siguiente capítulo
Reporting Questions and Requests
Volver a la hoja de ruta