Reported Speech (Basic): say / tell Statements
- Report statements with say and tell, using basic backshift (present → past) and time-word changes.
- TR: say/tell ile cümle aktarmak; basit zaman kayması ve zaman sözcüğü değişimleri.
- Success check: report two things a friend said yesterday.
Start the 8-question quizAdapts to your answers · every miss links back to the rule
Rule in 60 secondsThe one pattern to memorise.
- say (+ to me) vs tell me/him/her: *He said (that)… / He told me (that)…*
- Backshift intro: present simple → past simple: *"I work" → He said he worked.*
- am/is/are → was/were; have/has → had; will → would.
- Time changes: *today → that day, now → then, yesterday → the day before.*
- TR: say'den sonra nesne yok; tell'den sonra nesne şart: told me. Zaman bir adım geriye: work → worked, will → would.
- that is free: He said he was ill = He said that he was ill.
FormsHow it looks in sentences.
| Pattern | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| say statement | He said (that) + clause | He said (that) he was tired. |
| tell statement | He told me (that) + clause | He told me (that) he was tired. |
| present → past | "I like" → said liked | "I like tea" → She said she liked tea. |
| be backshift | am/is → was; are → were | "I am busy" → He said he was busy. |
| will → would | "I will" → said would | "I'll call" → She said she would call. |
| time change | yesterday → the day before | "I came yesterday" → He said he had come the day before. |
- that after said/told is optional: *He said he was ill = He said that he was ill.*
- ❌ *He said me…* → ✅ *He said to me… / He told me…*
- TR: said me yanlış; told me doğru. that yazmak zorunlu değil.
- Pronouns shift too: *I → he/she, my → his/her, here → there.*
- A2 = statements only; questions/commands come at B1.
- Past simple → past perfect (intro only): *"I saw" → said she had seen.*
- can → could (intro): *"I can swim" → He said he could swim.*
- TR: A2'de sadece düz cümle aktarımı; soru/emir B1'de. Görülen zaman bir adım geriye.
- If the report is still true now, backshift is still safer at A2: *She said she liked tea.*
- say/tell drill: said + clause; told + person + clause.
3 classic trapsWhere Turkish speakers slip.
- said + object: ❌ *He said me he was ill.* → ✅ *He said he was ill. / He told me he was ill.* (TR: said + nesne olmaz; tell + nesne olur.)
- No backshift: ❌ *"I work" → He said he works.* → ✅ *He said he worked.* (TR: Aktarımda zaman bir adım geriye kayar.)
- tell without object: ❌ *She told that she was late.* → ✅ *She told me/us that she was late.* (TR: tell'den sonra kime söylediğin yazılır.)
10 example sentencesRead aloud, twice.
- "I am tired." → He said he was tired. — "Yorgunum" → Yorgun olduğunu söyledi.
- "I like coffee." → She said she liked coffee. — Kahve sevdiğini söyledi.
- "We will come." → They said they would come. — Geleceklerini söylediler.
- "I have a car." → He said he had a car. — Arabası olduğunu söyledi.
- She told me she was busy. — Meşgul olduğunu söyledi.
- He told us he would help. — Yardım edeceğini söyledi.
- "I saw her yesterday." → She said she had seen her the day before. — Onu dün gördüğünü söyledi.
- "I am working now." → He said he was working then. — O sırada çalıştığını söyledi.
- They said the film was great. — Filmin harika olduğunu söylediler.
- Mum told me dinner was ready. — Annem yemeğin hazır olduğunu söyledi.
Quick checkCover the answers, say yours first.
- Q1: Correct the error: *She said me she was happy.*
- Q2: Report: "I want tea." → She said ___.
- Q3: Report: "I will help." → He told me ___.
- Q4: Fill the time change: "yesterday" → ___ in reported speech.
- Q5: True or false: "He told that he was ill" is correct.
- Q6: Report: "I can swim." → He said ___.
<summary>Answers</summary> - A1: She said she was happy. / She told me she was happy. - A2: She said (that) she wanted tea. - A3: He told me (that) he would help. - A4: the day before / the previous day - A5: False — tell needs an object: He told me (that) he was ill. - A6: He said (that) he could swim.