Reported speech

English course · B2 · Upper intermediate · 6 short videos

Goal — I can report what people said and asked.

Grammar — said that…, told me (that)…, asked if / asked what, tense backshift

Words — campaign, lead, project, scream, secret, whole office, claim, gossip, promise

The videos of this unit

Mia's meeting with Tom.

Zoe So, what did Tom say?

Mia He said that the client loved the campaign.

Zoe That's amazing!

Mia And he asked if I wanted to lead the next project.

Zoe What did you tell him?

Mia I told him I'd think about it. Then I screamed in the toilets.

Useful expression He said that the client loved the campaign. — Use “said that” to report what someone said.

Ben can't keep a secret.

Ben Priya told me that you're moving to New York!

Leo What? I said that Mia might move to New York.

Ben Oh. She said it was a secret.

Leo Ben, who did you tell?

Ben Only Tom!

Leo Tom tells everyone. The whole office knows now.

Useful expression She said it was a secret. — Report words with “said”: the verb moves into the past.

Said… but is it true?

Word claim /kleɪm/ — To say that something is true, without proof.

Stop saying “He said me”.

Common mistake ~~He said me that he was tired.~~ → He told me that he was tired. / He said that he was tired.

Why: “Tell” needs a person: told me, told her. “Say” doesn't: said that… (or said to me).

“Said” doesn't sound like “say”!

Word said /sed/ / sad /sæd/

Reported speech quiz: 4 questions!