Reporting Verbs for Attribution

Reporting verbs connect a speaker to their words. They act like a bridge. On one side, you have the person speaking. On the other side, you have the message. In the middle, you have the reporting verb. The most common ones are say and tell. They look similar but have different rules. It is like choosing between a fork and a spoon. Both help you eat, but one is better for soup! say focuses on the words themselves. tell focuses on the person receiving the information. This distinction is the golden rule of reporting. If you remember this, you are halfway there. We also have other verbs like ask or shout. But for now, focus on the big two. They are the foundation of all attribution. Even native speakers sometimes mix them up. So, do not worry if you feel a bit confused at first. It will become second nature with practice. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Green means go with say. Yellow means check for a listener with tell.

1. 1To use say, follow this simple map: Subject + say + Message.
2. 2Example: Maria says she is tired.
3. 3Notice there is no listener mentioned directly after say.
4. 4To use tell, the map changes slightly: Subject + tell + Listener + Message.
5. 5Example: Maria tells me she is tired.
6. 6Here, me is the listener receiving the message.
7. 7You cannot say Maria tells she is tired. It sounds unfinished!
8. 8If you really want a listener with say, use to.
9. 9Example: Maria said to me that she is tired.
10. 10This is less common but still correct in English.
11. 11Most people just use tell for this scenario.
12. 12In the past tense, say becomes said.
13. 13tell becomes told.
14. 14These are irregular verbs, so try to memorize them.
15. 15You will use the past tense version most of the time.
16. 16Most reporting happens after the event has already passed.

Use reporting verbs whenever you repeat information. Imagine you are ordering food at a restaurant. Your friend is in the bathroom for a moment. The waiter says, "The pizza is finished." When your friend returns, you report the news. You say, "The waiter said the pizza is finished." This is a real-world scenario. Or think about a job interview. The manager says, "You are hired." You call your mom immediately. You tell her, "The manager told me I have the job!" It feels great to share news. Reporting verbs make this possible. You also use them in stories. "The wolf said he wanted to help," is a classic line. They add life to your descriptions. Use them when you want to be clear. Use them when you want to give credit. If a colleague has a great idea, say it. "John said we should start early." This shows respect and clarity. It avoids using "I think" when it wasn't your idea. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, so stay sharp!

Do not use reporting verbs for your own direct thoughts. If you think the sky is blue, just say it. You do not need "I say the sky is blue." That sounds a bit robotic. Also, do not use them when the context is obvious. If you are pointing at a sign, just read it. You do not need to report it as a speech. Avoid overusing them in short conversations. If you say He said every five seconds, it gets annoying. Variety is the spice of life! Try to use the speaker's name sometimes. Or just say the information directly. Also, do not use tell for general facts. You do not tell the time is 5 PM. You say it is 5 PM. tell always needs that human connection. It needs a listener to receive the message. Without a listener, tell feels lonely and wrong. Think of it like a phone call. You need someone on the other end to tell something to.

The biggest mistake is saying "He told that...". Remember, tell needs a person! It should be "He told me that...". Another common slip is "He said me...". This is a direct translation error from many languages. In English, we need to if we use say with a person. "He said to me" is the way to go. But honestly, just use told me. It is shorter and more natural. Don't worry, even advanced students do this. It is a very common growing pain. Another mistake is using the wrong tense. If someone said it yesterday, use said. Don't use says for past events. It can confuse your listener about when things happened. Lastly, don't forget that that is optional. You can say He said he is happy or He said that he is happy. Both are 100% correct. Don't let the extra word stress you out. It is like choosing between wearing a hat or not. Both are fine!

How is reporting different from just talking? Talking is a two-way street. Reporting is a one-way broadcast. When you talk to someone, you both speak. When you report what someone said, you are the only speaker. Compare say with speak. You speak a language, like English. You say a specific sentence. Compare tell with talk. You talk about a topic. You tell someone a specific fact or story. It is a subtle difference. Think of say as the "what" and tell as the "who". Another similar pattern is ask. Use ask for questions. "He asked if I was okay." This is better than "He said am I okay." It flows better in a story. Each verb has its own special seat at the grammar table. Once you know where they sit, dinner is served!