B1 · 중급 챕터 1

Repeating What People Said

4 총 규칙
48 예문
5 분
이 챕터의 규칙 빠른 연습

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.

배울 내용

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.

챕터 가이드

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.

주요 예문 (8)

1

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

내 친구가 저녁 7시까지 여기 오겠다고 했어.

간접 화법: Say vs. Tell
2

She told me she passed the exam!

그녀가 나에게 시험에 합격했다고 말해줬어!

간접 화법: Say vs. Tell
3

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

오늘 아침 친구가 자기가 커피를 사겠다고 우겼어요, 제가 사겠다고 했는데도요.

보고 동사: 누가 무엇을 말했는가?
4

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

인사부장님이 다음 달부터 새로운 재택근무 정책이 시작될 거라고 발표했어요.

보고 동사: 누가 무엇을 말했는가?
5

She told me `she was feeling` great.

그녀는 기분이 아주 좋다고 나에게 말했어요.

사람들이 말한 것을 전달하기 (시제 일치)
6

He said `he liked` the new song.

그는 그 새 노래가 마음에 든다고 했어요.

사람들이 말한 것을 전달하기 (시제 일치)
7

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

그녀는 "내일 만날게"라고 말했어요.

간접화법: 시간 및 장소 변경
8

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

그는 전날에 우리를 봤었다고 언급했어요.

간접화법: 시간 및 장소 변경

팁과 요령 (4)

🎯

듣는 사람이 있는지 항상 확인하기

'say'나 'tell'을 고르기 전에, 동사 바로 뒤에 누구에게 말했는지 나타내는 목적어(직접 대상)가 있는지 스스로에게 물어보세요. 만약 있다면, 거의 'tell'이 맞을 거예요.
Did she tell *you*?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 화법: Say vs. Tell
💡

뉘앙스에 귀 기울이기

사람들이 어떤 말을 전할 때, 어떤 인용 동사를 쓰는지 귀 기울여 보세요. 그 동사가 말하는 사람의 기분(행복했는지, 화났는지, 아니면 그냥 평범했는지)을 알려줄 거예요. 덕분에 미묘한 의미까지 파악할 수 있답니다.
He grumbled about the long wait.
(그는 오래 기다린 것에 대해 불평했어요.)
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 보고 동사: 누가 무엇을 말했는가?
💡

시제는 '한 칸 뒤로'!

과거에 들은 말을 전할 땐 타임라인을 한 칸 뒤로 밀어보세요. 현재는 과거로, 과거는 과거완료로요:
Present becomes past in reported speech.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 사람들이 말한 것을 전달하기 (시제 일치)
💡

내 시점에서 생각하기

이야기를 전하는 사람이 바로 '나'라고 상상해 보세요. 지금 내 위치에서 'here'가 여전히 말이 되나요?
Adjust time and place words to match your current viewpoint.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접화법: 시간 및 장소 변경

핵심 어휘 (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

자주 하는 실수

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

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

빠른 연습 (10)

간접화법 문장을 완성하기 위해 알맞은 형태를 고르세요.

He said he would call me ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: the next day
'tomorrow'를 포함한 약속을 나중에 전할 때는 'the next day'나 'the following day'로 바꾸는 것이 원칙이에요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접화법: 시간 및 장소 변경

간접 화법을 완성하기 위해 알맞은 형태를 고르세요.

She said she ___ busy yesterday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: was
직접 화법 I am busy의 현재형 am이 과거형 was로 바뀌어야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 사람들이 말한 것을 전달하기 (시제 일치)

문장을 완성하기 위해 올바른 형태를 고르세요.

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: insisted
'insist' 동사는 종종 'on' + 동명사 또는 'that' 절이 뒤에 와요. 이 문맥에서는 무언가에 대해 확고한 태도를 보이는 'insisted'가 가장 적절해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 보고 동사: 누가 무엇을 말했는가?

문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아 고치세요.

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'은 바로 뒤에 직접 목적어가 필요합니다. 여기에 목적어('us', 'them' 등)가 없으므로, 'said'가 전달된 정보를 나타내는 올바른 선택입니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접 화법: Say vs. Tell

말한 내용을 올바르게 전달한 문장은 무엇인가요?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She announced that the meeting `was` postponed.
직접 화법
The meeting is postponed
의 현재형 is가 과거형 was로 바뀝니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 사람들이 말한 것을 전달하기 (시제 일치)

인용 동사를 올바르게 사용한 문장을 고르세요.

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He suggested joining the club.
'suggest'는 주로 동명사(-ing)가 뒤에 와요. 'He suggested that I join the club'도 맞지만, 'suggested me to join'은 흔한 실수예요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 보고 동사: 누가 무엇을 말했는가?

시간 표현이 올바르게 바뀐 문장을 고르세요.

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He had finished it the day before.
'yesterday'는 'the day before'로 바뀌고, 과거 시제는 과거완료('had finished')로 바뀌는 게 정석이에요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접화법: 시간 및 장소 변경

간접화법 문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아 고쳐보세요.

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.
장소('here' -> 'there')와 시간('last week' -> 'the week before')을 모두 바꿔야 하고, 시제도 과거완료로 바꿔야 완벽해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 간접화법: 시간 및 장소 변경

다음 문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아 고쳐보세요.

He told me he `go` to the concert.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He told me he `went` to the concert.
과거에 들은 말을 전할 때는 현재형 go를 과거형 went로 바꿔야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 사람들이 말한 것을 전달하기 (시제 일치)

문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아 고치세요.

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' + 목적어 + to 부정사를 사용하여 부정적인 조언이나 지시를 전달할 때는 'not'이 'to' 앞에 와야 해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 보고 동사: 누가 무엇을 말했는가?

Score: /10

자주 묻는 질문 (6)

핵심적인 차이는 'tell'은 항상 바로 뒤에 직접 목적어(누구에게 말하는지)가 필요하다는 거예요. 예를 들어, she told *me*. 반면에 'say'는 보통 직접 목적어가 없거나, 'to + 목적어'를 사용해요.
he said (to *me*)
처럼요.
네, 하지만 덜 일반적이고 종종 더 격식 있거나 특정하게 들릴 수 있어요.
He said to me that...
처럼 사용해야지
He said me that...
은 틀린 표현이에요. 'tell'의 경우에는 목적어가 필수적이며 바로 뒤에 와야 해요. 예를 들어,
He told me that...
.
'say'는 일반적인 말을 할 때 쓰지만, 'state'는 좀 더 공식적이거나 선언적인 의미로 사용해요. 예를 들어, He said hello (그는 안녕이라고 말했다)와
The President stated his policy
(대통령은 자신의 정책을 발표했다)처럼요.
'admit'는 어떤 사실을 인정할 때, 종종 마지못해 인정할 때 써요 (
He admitted his mistake
- 그는 자신의 실수를 인정했다). 'confess'는 보통 잘못이나 불법적인 일을 인정할 때, 죄책감을 느끼는 뉘앙스가 강해요 (
She confessed to the crime
- 그녀는 범죄를 자백했다).
남이 한 말을 전할 때, 그 말을 한 시점보다 더 과거로 시제를 옮기는 걸 말해요. 예를 들어 I am happy는
He said he was happy
가 됩니다.
대화의 타임라인을 논리적으로 맞추기 위해서예요. 과거에 했던 말을 지금 전하는 것이니, 그 내용은 현재보다 더 과거의 일이 되기 때문이죠.
It makes the timeline clear.
다음 챕터
Reporting Questions and Requests
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