B1 · Intermediate Chapter 1

Repeating What People Said

4 Total Rules
48 examples
5 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

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.

What You'll Learn

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.

Chapter Guide

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.

Key Examples (8)

1

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

Reported Speech: Say vs. Tell
2

She told me she passed the exam!

Reported Speech: Say vs. Tell
3

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

Reporting Verbs: Who Said What?
4

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

Reporting Verbs: Who Said What?
5

She told me `she was feeling` great.

Reporting What People Said (Tense Backshift)
6

He said `he liked` the new song.

Reporting What People Said (Tense Backshift)
7

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

Reported Speech: Time and Place Changes
8

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

Reported Speech: Time and Place Changes

Tips & Tricks (4)

💡

The 'Me' Test

If you can put 'me' right after the verb, use 'tell'. If you can't, use 'say'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Speech: Say vs. Tell
🎯

Use it for 'Distancing'

If you aren't 100% sure about a fact, use 'It is said that'. It protects you from being wrong because you are just reporting what others say!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Verbs: Who Said What?
🎯

The 'That' Trick

In casual conversation, you can almost always drop 'that'. 'He said he was coming' sounds more natural than 'He said that he was coming'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting What People Said (Tense Backshift)
🎯

The 'Still There' Rule

If you are still in the same location where the words were spoken, you don't have to change 'here' to 'there'. It's actually more natural to keep it as 'here'!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Speech: Time and Place Changes

Key Vocabulary (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

Common Mistakes

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

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

Quick Practice (10)

Which is the correct reported version of: 'I'll see you tomorrow'?

She said she would see me...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: the next day
'Tomorrow' becomes 'the next day' or 'the following day'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Speech: Time and Place Changes

Fill in the blank with 'said' or 'told'.

He ___ that he would be late for the meeting.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: said
There is no personal object before the 'that' clause.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Speech: Say vs. Tell

Choose the correct form to complete the sentence.

It ___ that the company is losing money.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is believed
We need the passive form 'is + past participle' after 'It'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Verbs: Who Said What?

Fill in the correct tense.

Direct: 'I have lost my keys.' -> She said she ___ her keys.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
Present Perfect ('have lost') shifts to Past Perfect ('had lost').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting What People Said (Tense Backshift)

Choose the correct verb for the sentence.

She ___ me that she was tired.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: told
We use 'told' because there is a personal object ('me').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Speech: Say vs. Tell

Change the direct speech to reported speech: 'I am here now.'

He said he was ___ ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: there then
'Here' shifts to 'there' and 'now' shifts to 'then'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Speech: Time and Place Changes

Correct the error in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

I said him to be quiet.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I told him to be quiet.
For instructions/orders, use 'told + person + to'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Speech: Say vs. Tell

Correct the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

He asked me where did I live.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Reported questions do not use 'did' and use statement word order.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting What People Said (Tense Backshift)

Find the mistake: 'He said he had finished the work two days ago.'

Find and fix the mistake:

He said he had finished the work two days ago.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Change 'ago' to 'before'
In reported speech, 'ago' must be replaced by 'before'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Speech: Time and Place Changes

Fill in the missing word.

He is said ___ live in a castle.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to
When starting with a person, we use the 'to-infinitive'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Verbs: Who Said What?

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

Yes, but only in specific idioms like tell a lie, tell the truth, tell a story, or tell the time.
Yes, it is grammatically correct, but it is much less common than He told me. It sounds a bit more formal or old-fashioned.
No, 'It is said' implies a general consensus or rumor. For your own opinion, use I think or In my opinion.
Yes, much more formal. It is preferred in writing and professional contexts.
Not always. If the statement is still true (e.g., 'The capital of France is Paris'), you can keep it in the present. However, backshifting is always correct and safer in exams.
'Must' usually changes to 'had to' in reported speech. For example, 'I must go' becomes 'He said he had to go'.
Next Chapter
Reporting Questions and Requests
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