Question

SAID and TOLD
Be careful with the use of said and told. Look at these examples.

(a) He told me to stop work.
They told us they had four children.
She said (that) they were finished.
We said (that) we were leaving at 6 o’clock.

What would you use when ordering somebody to do something: told or said?

(b)

Fill in the blanks using said or told.
Add any other words that you think are necessary.

1. He ________ to sit down and I did.
2. She ________ the weather would be hot and it was.
3. They ________ about the disaster and we listened carefully.
4. He ________ to go away and they did.
5. She ________ there was no other way to do it.

Answer 1

(a) After ‘told’ we put words like ‘me’ and ‘us’. Other words put after ‘told’ are—you, them, him, her, it (pronoun used as the object of the verb/accusative form of personal pronouns).

We use ‘told’ when a person is ordering someone to do something, that is, if there is an object in the Reporting Verb.

(b)

1. He told (me) to sit down and I did.
2. She said that the weather would be hot and it was.
3. They told (us) about the disaster and we listened carefully.
4. He told (them) to go away and they did.
5. She said there was no other way to do it.