Using indirect speech to report words and ideas (Common reporting verbs) (p. 2)

Using indirect speech to report words and ideas

Common reporting verbs

page 2 of 7

Using say

Some Hong Kong coursebooks group the verbs say, speak, tell, and talk together in the context of indirect speech, and teachers sometimes find it difficult to explain the differences between these verbs to students. To see a relevant teacher's question, click on this icon .

This page will deal with the verb say while the following three pages will discuss tell, speak and talk .

Say is the most common reporting verb. In direct speech, it is used to report statements, questions, commands, and exclamations:

And he said, "But it's alive". (Bank of English)

I said, "Are you glad you came?" (Bank of English)

She said, "Don't ask me what this means." (Bank of English)

She said, "Oh, goodness no!" (Bank of English)

In indirect speech, say is used mainly to report statements:

The company said that complex negotiations were proceeding quickly. (Microconcord Corpus A)

But say is also used to report commands, requests, and offers in indirect speech:

Government has said that universities must charge more for Overseas Students. (Bank of English)

He said that he would ask his relatives to show me some properties there. (SCMP 18/11/92)

When we want to mention the hearer as well as the speaker, we use say to:

Someone said to me it was a man. (Bank of English)

Karen said to me that she went home to watch "Alien".
(Bank of English)

However, it is more common for tell to be used in such examples.

When we do not want to mention who said something, we can use a passive form of say:

It is said that the education chief has the edge over her.
(SCMP 17/10/92)

He was said to be in a fair condition. (SCMP 2/9/92)

The inquiry is said to be unbiased. (Microconcord Corpus A)

Introduction
Using say
Using tell
Using speak
Using talk
Using other reporting verbs
Reporting verbs and negation