B1 · 中級 チャプター 1

Repeating What People Said

4 トータルルール
48 例文
5 分
このチャプターのルール クイック練習

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.

学べること

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!

  • 間接話法：Say と Tell の違い
    「say」と「tell」をマスターすれば、間接話法が「自然」で「スムーズ」になりますよ！
  • 報告動詞：誰が何を言った？
    引用動詞を使うと、間接話法に深みとニュアンスが加わって、話がもっと生き生きと、そして正確になるよ。まるで魔法の「depth」と「nuance」で「vivid」な物語を語れるようになるイメージかな。
  • 人が言ったことを報告する（時制の一致）
    時制の一致をマスターすると、話の「タイムライン」がはっきりして、あなたの報告する英語が「自然」で「スムーズ」になりますよ！
  • 間接話法: 時と場所の変更
    報告話法では、言われたことの「正確なタイミング」と「場所」を伝えるために、「time and place markers」をいつも更新することが大切です。これにより、会話が「clarity」を持ち、「logical consistency」が保たれます。

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.

チャプターガイド

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.

重要な例文 (8)

1

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

友達が夜7時までに着くと言ったよ。

間接話法：Say と Tell の違い
2

She told me she passed the exam!

彼女は私に試験に合格したと教えてくれた！

間接話法：Say と Tell の違い
3

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

今朝、友達がコーヒーをおごってくれるって譲らなかったんだ、私が払うって言ったのに。

報告動詞：誰が何を言った？
4

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

人事部長が、新しい在宅勤務制度が来月から始まると発表しました。

報告動詞：誰が何を言った？
5

She told me `she was feeling` great.

彼女は気分がすごくいいと言っていました。

人が言ったことを報告する（時制の一致）
6

He said `he liked` the new song.

彼はその新しい歌が好きだと言いました。

人が言ったことを報告する（時制の一致）
7

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

彼女は「明日会うね」と言いました。

間接話法: 時と場所の変更
8

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

彼は前日に私たちに会ったと述べました。

間接話法: 時と場所の変更

ヒントとコツ (4)

🎯

聞き手をいつも意識しよう

「say」か「tell」を選ぶ前に、動詞の直後に誰か（直接目的語）が来ているか考えてみてください。もし「はい」なら、たぶん「tell」です。
She told me her name.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 間接話法：Say と Tell の違い
💡

ニュアンスに耳を傾けよう

間接話法を聞くときは、どんな引用動詞が使われているか注意してみて。話している人が嬉しかったのか、怒っていたのか、それともただ中立だったのか、動詞が教えてくれるよ。例えば、「He *whispered* the secret.」
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 報告動詞：誰が何を言った？
💡

「一つ前に戻る」イメージ

報告動詞が過去形なら、時制は「一つ前に戻る」イメージです。現在形は過去形、過去形は過去完了形。これだけで多くのケースに対応できます。「Present becomes past, past becomes past perfect.」
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 人が言ったことを報告する（時制の一致）
💡

あなたの視点から考えてみよう！

いつも「あなたが」その話を語っているのだと想像してみてね。「今（now）」がまだ「今」のまま使えるかな？「ここ（here）」はまだ同じ場所かな？あなたの現在の視点に合わせて、時や場所の言葉を調整しましょう。「Adjust time and place words to match your current viewpoint.」
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 間接話法: 時と場所の変更

重要な語彙 (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

よくある間違い

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

Wrong: He said me he was tired.
正解: 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.
正解: 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.
正解: 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

クイック練習 (10)

引用動詞を正しく使っている文を選びましょう。

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He suggested joining the club.
suggestの後には通常、動名詞（-ing形）が続くよ。「He suggested that I join the club」も正しいけど、「suggested me to join」はよくある間違いなんだ。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 報告動詞：誰が何を言った？

どの報告文が時間の表現を正しく変更していますか？

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He said he had finished it the day before.
「yesterday」が報告される時、通常は「the day before」または「the previous day」に変わり、過去単純形（「finished」）は過去完了形（「had finished」）にバックシフトします。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 間接話法: 時と場所の変更

文を完成させるのに正しい形を選びましょう。

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: insisted
insistという動詞は、よくon + 動名詞、またはthat節が続くよ。この文脈では、何かを強く主張するという意味でinsistedが一番ぴったりだね。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 報告動詞：誰が何を言った？

文を完成させる正しい形を選んでください。

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: told
動詞の後に直接目的語「me」があるので、「told」が必要です。「誰か」に「何か」を「tell」する、という形ですね。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 間接話法：Say と Tell の違い

報告される文を完成させる正しい形を選びましょう。

She said she ___ busy yesterday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: was
直接話法は「I am busy.」。現在単純形の 'am' が過去単純形の 'was' にずれます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 人が言ったことを報告する（時制の一致）

文中の間違いを見つけて修正してください。

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」の直後には直接目的語が必要です。ここに目的語（「us」や「them」など）がないので、報告された情報を導入するには「said」が正しい選択です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 間接話法：Say と Tell の違い

文の間違いを見つけて直しましょう。

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.
advise + 目的語 + to不定詞を使って否定的なアドバイスや指示を報告するときは、notがtoの前に来るんだ。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 報告動詞：誰が何を言った？

報告される文の間違いを見つけて直しましょう。

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.
直接話法は「I go to the concert.」。報告動詞が過去形の場合、現在単純形の 'go' は過去単純形の 'went' にずれます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 人が言ったことを報告する（時制の一致）

正しく報告された文を選びましょう。

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She announced that the meeting `was` postponed.
直接話法は「The meeting is postponed.」。現在単純形が過去単純形にずれます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 人が言ったことを報告する（時制の一致）

報告文の間違いを見つけて修正しましょう。

Find and fix the mistake:

She told me she was here last week.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She told me she had been there the week before.
正しい報告話法にするためには、場所（「here」から「there」）と時間（「last week」から「the week before」）の両方を変更する必要があり、時制も過去単純形から過去完了形にバックシフトします。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 間接話法: 時と場所の変更

Score: /10

よくある質問 (6)

一番の違いは、「tell」の直後には*必ず*直接目的語（誰に伝えたか）が必要なことです。例えば「she told *me*」のように。一方、「say」は通常、直接目的語が不要か、「to + 目的語」を使います。例えば「he said (to *me*)」のようにね。「She told me her name.」
はい、ありますが、あまり一般的ではなく、よりフォーマルまたは特定の状況で使われることが多いです。「He said to me that...」とは言いますが、「He said me that...」とは言いません。「tell」の場合は、目的語が必須で、動詞の直後に来ます。例えば「He told me that...」のようにね。「She said to me that it was late.」
sayは一般的だけど、stateはもっとフォーマルで公式な発表というニュアンスがあるよ。例えば、「He *said* hello」と「The President *stated* his policy」を比べてみてね。
admitは何かを真実だと受け入れること、しばしばしぶしぶ認める感じだよ（「He *admitted* his mistake」）。confessは通常、何か悪いことや違法なことを、罪悪感を持って認めることを意味するんだ（「She *confessed* to the crime」）。
時制の一致とは、報告される文の動詞を過去に「一歩ずらす」ことです。例えば、直接話法が「現在単純形」なら、報告される文では「過去単純形」になります。「Present Simple becomes Past Simple`.」
出来事のタイムラインに「論理的な一貫性」を持たせるためです。過去に言われたことを報告する時、時制をずらすことで、元の発言も報告している時点から見て過去のことだと明確になります。「the original statement also occurred in a past context relative to your reporting.」
次のチャプター
Reporting Questions and Requests
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