English grammar
Said or told? Reporting what someone said
Report what someone else said.
From the scene She told me...
In short
Said takes no person; told takes a person. When you report, move the verb back: needs becomes needed.
Your turn
Which one goes with told + person + clause?
Options: 'It needs a lift.' → She said it needed a lift. · She told me exactly what she thought. · She said the entrance was dirty.
Show answer
told + person + clause → She told me exactly what she thought.
How it works
To report someone's words, use say (no person straight after it) or tell + person.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
His mother (blank) me exactly what she thought.
Options: talked · told · said
Show answer
His mother told me exactly what she thought.
Su madre me dijo exactamente lo que pensaba.
Good to know
She said the entrance was dirty, she told me exactly what she thought.
Good to know
The verb usually moves one step into the past: 'The building needs a lift' → she said it needed a lift.
said + (that) + clause She said the entrance was dirty.
Ramón
She said the entrance was dirty and that the building needed a lift.
Dijo que el portal estaba sucio y que el edificio necesitaba ascensor.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) and that the building needed a lift.
Options: 'It needs a lift.' → She said it needed a lift · She said the entrance was dirty · She told me exactly what she thought
Show answer
Ramón
She said the entrance was dirty and that the building needed a lift.
Dijo que el portal estaba sucio y que el edificio necesitaba ascensor.
told + person + clause She told me exactly what she thought.
Your turn
What goes with She told me exactly what she thought.?
Options: said + (that) + clause · backshift: needs → needed · told + person + clause
Show answer
She told me exactly what she thought. → told + person + clause
backshift: needs → needed 'It needs a lift.' → She said it needed a lift.
asking about it What did she say?
Nuria
Why? What did she say?
¿Por qué? ¿Qué le dijo?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Why? (blank)?
Options: She told me exactly what she thought · What did she say · She said the entrance was dirty
Show answer
Nuria
Why? What did she say?
¿Por qué? ¿Qué le dijo?
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| said + (that) + clause | She said the entrance was dirty. |
|---|---|
| told + person + clause | She told me exactly what she thought. |
| backshift: needs → needed | 'It needs a lift.' → She said it needed a lift. |
| asking about it | What did she say? |
More lines from the story
- RamónHis mother told me exactly what she thought.Su madre me dijo exactamente lo que pensaba.
- RamónNuria, yesterday I met Javi's parents.Nuria, ayer conocí a los padres de Javi.
- RamónHey! It's obvious that you're on her side.¡Oye! Es obvio que tú estás de su lado.
- RamónI can already see you and that lady are going to get along very well.Está claro que esa señora y tú os vais a llevar muy bien.