reported speech say and tell

say OR tell ?

The verbs say and tell have similar meanings. They both mean "to communicate verbally with someone". But we often use them differently.

The simple way to think of say and tell is:

• You say something
• You tell someone something

But, of course, it is not always so easy. Here are a few rules to help you.

Personal object We usually follow tell with a personal object (the person that we are speaking to). We usually use say without a personal object:

• She told me that she loved John.
• She said that she loved John.
• He told everybody that he had to leave.
• He said that he had to leave.

Say "to someone" With say , we sometimes use "to someone":

• He said to me that he was tired.
• Tara said to Ram that he had done very well.
• Anthony said to her, "I hope you come soon."
• "I'd like to sleep," she said to him quietly.

Direct speech We can use say with direct speech. We use tell only with direct speech that is an instruction or information:

• Amanda said, "Hello John. How are you?"
• "That's great," she said.
• He told her: "Open the door quietly."
• She told me, "I have never been to England."

We can use say with direct questions, but we cannot use tell :

• She said: "Do you love me?"
• The policeman said to the prisoner, "Where were you at 8pm?"

Reported speech We can use say and tell to talk about reported information:

• She said that it was raining.
• She told me that she would call at 2pm.

We cannot use say or tell to talk about reported questions. We must use ask (or a similar verb):

• She asked if I had ever been there.
• They asked what I wanted to eat.
• She asked where he lived.
• He asked if she wanted to go home.

Orders, advice We use tell + object + infinitive for orders or advice:

• She told him to sit down.
• They told me not to wait.
• Tell Neil to have a holiday and forget her.

Phrases Here are a few fixed phrases with tell . We cannot use say with these phrases:

• tell (someone) a story
• tell (someone) a lie
• tell (someone) the truth
• tell the future (= to know what the future will bring)
• tell the time (= know how to read a clock)

Right and wrong Read these examples of correct and incorrect usage:

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• B1-B2 grammar

Reported speech

Daisy has just had an interview for a summer job. 

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of reported speech. They are in  red  in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, reported speech correctly.

Sophie:  Mmm, it’s so nice to be chilling out at home after all that running around.

Ollie: Oh, yeah, travelling to glamorous places for a living must be such a drag!

Ollie: Mum, you can be so childish sometimes. Hey, I wonder how Daisy’s getting on in her job interview.

Sophie: Oh, yes, she said she was having it at four o’clock, so it’ll have finished by now. That’ll be her ... yes. Hi, love. How did it go?

Daisy: Well, good I think, but I don’t really know. They said they’d phone later and let me know.

Sophie: What kind of thing did they ask you?

Daisy: They asked if I had any experience with people, so I told them about helping at the school fair and visiting old people at the home, that sort of stuff. But I think they meant work experience.

Sophie: I’m sure what you said was impressive. They can’t expect you to have had much work experience at your age.

Daisy:  And then they asked me what acting I had done, so I told them that I’d had a main part in the school play, and I showed them a bit of the video, so that was cool.

Sophie:  Great!

Daisy: Oh, and they also asked if I spoke any foreign languages.

Sophie: Languages?

Daisy: Yeah, because I might have to talk to tourists, you know.

Sophie: Oh, right, of course.

Daisy: So that was it really. They showed me the costume I’ll be wearing if I get the job. Sending it over ...

Ollie: Hey, sis, I heard that Brad Pitt started out as a giant chicken too! This could be your big break!

Daisy: Ha, ha, very funny.

Sophie: Take no notice, darling. I’m sure you’ll be a marvellous chicken.

We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.

So, direct speech is what someone actually says? Like 'I want to know about reported speech'?

Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb.

He said he wanted to know about reported speech.

I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted .

Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could ; will changes to would ; etc.

She said she was having the interview at four o’clock. (Direct speech: ' I’m having the interview at four o’clock.') They said they’d phone later and let me know. (Direct speech: ' We’ll phone later and let you know.')

OK, in that last example, you changed you to me too.

Yes, apart from changing the tense of the verb, you also have to think about changing other things, like pronouns and adverbs of time and place.

'We went yesterday.'  > She said they had been the day before. 'I’ll come tomorrow.' >  He said he’d come the next day.

I see, but what if you’re reporting something on the same day, like 'We went yesterday'?

Well, then you would leave the time reference as 'yesterday'. You have to use your common sense. For example, if someone is saying something which is true now or always, you wouldn’t change the tense.

'Dogs can’t eat chocolate.' > She said that dogs can’t eat chocolate. 'My hair grows really slowly.' >  He told me that his hair grows really slowly.

What about reporting questions?

We often use ask + if/whether , then change the tenses as with statements. In reported questions we don’t use question forms after the reporting verb.

'Do you have any experience working with people?' They asked if I had any experience working with people. 'What acting have you done?' They asked me what acting I had done .

Is there anything else I need to know about reported speech?

One thing that sometimes causes problems is imperative sentences.

You mean like 'Sit down, please' or 'Don’t go!'?

Exactly. Sentences that start with a verb in direct speech need a to + infinitive in reported speech.

She told him to be good. (Direct speech: 'Be good!') He told them not to forget. (Direct speech: 'Please don’t forget.')

OK. Can I also say 'He asked me to sit down'?

Yes. You could say 'He told me to …' or 'He asked me to …' depending on how it was said.

OK, I see. Are there any more reporting verbs?

Yes, there are lots of other reporting verbs like promise , remind , warn , advise , recommend , encourage which you can choose, depending on the situation. But say , tell and ask are the most common.

Great. I understand! My teacher said reported speech was difficult.

And I told you not to worry!

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'Say' or 'Tell' Exercise 1

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Review say and tell here Download this quiz in PDF here See all reported speech exercises here

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SAY, TELL and ASK

Say something.

The direct object of say can be a noun, a that -clause ( that can be omitted in informal styles) or an indirect question (in negatives and questions when the information is not actually reported):

Laura never says anything when asked. Can you say your name again? David says he's exhausted . They said that they would wait for me . She didn't say what time she would be back .

SAY SOMETHING TO SOMEONE

When we use to + indirect object after say , we do not normally use a that -clause:

He didn't say anything to me about the job. "See you soon," Linda said to him .

TELL SOMEONE SOMETHING

Tell is usually followed by an indirect object and a direct object:

Has he told you the news ? Could you tell me your name , please? They told me that they would wait for me . She didn't tell me what time she would be back .

Phrases with TELL

In some of the phrases below, an indirect object is optional:

My father told (us) a very interesting story . You must always tell (me) the truth . John told (you) a lie . No one can tell the future . Can you tell the time in English?

ASK (SOMEONE) + indirect question

We can use ask to report questions:

Rebecca asked (me) where I lived . The guide asked (us) if we had visited the museum before .

ASK/TELL SOMEONE + TO-infinitive

We can use ask or tell to report imperatives or requests:

Johnny's mother told him to put away his toys. The examiner asked me to speak louder.

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British Council Teaching English Africa

Reported speech – say and tell.

Author: British Council | Published on 1 November 2022

Stage 1: Present examples

Write these sentences on the board with the words underlined as shown. Ask. “What do you notice about the underlined words in the sentences?”

a) She said they would be late.

b) She told me they would be late.

c) She said to me she was cold.

d) She told me she was cold.

e) “I’m cold,” she said.

To help learners, ask:

•  “What’s the difference between sentence a & b?
•  “What’s the difference between sentence c & d?

Stage 2: Take feedback

Ask learners to share their feedback on what they noticed in the examples. Some key points you might want to share with them include:

• With ‘said’ we don’t need to say who is being spoken to, but with tell we do. (Sentences a & b)
• If you want to say who is being spoken to with ‘said’ you need ‘to’ (Sentence c) 
• We usually use ‘said’ not ‘told’ to introduce direct speech .

Stage 3: Use the grammar

A. say or tell.

Write up some sentences with a choice between ‘say’ and ‘tell’ and say: Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. 

• They said / told us they were coming soon.
• Abdoulaye said / told he loves Ethiopian food.
• What did she say / tell ?
• What did she say / tell you?
• “I’ll be there by 3 o’clock.” he said / told .

b. Matching

Write up some half sentences on the board and say: “Match the correct ending to the correct sentence start.”

1. He saida) me he was sorry.

2. He told b) he was sorry.

3. She saida) to me that she had finished her homework.

4. She toldb) me that she had finished her homework.

5. She saida) him she was tired.

6. She toldb) “I’m tired.”

7. He saida) her he liked her.

8. He toldb) to her that he liked her.

c. An interview

Choose a learner to come and sit at the front of the class. Say: Ask <learner’s name> some questions about their hobby. The other learners interview the learner sitting at the front for a few minutes.

Put the learners in groups and say: “Now try and remember what <learner’s name> said and write up a short report about the interview.”

In large classes, you can do this in groups rather than as a whole class activity.

Direct speech : a sentence in which the exact words spoken are reproduced in speech marks

• Reported speech

• B1-B2 grammar

Reported speech: reporting verbs

Do you know how to tell someone what another person said using reporting verbs? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how reporting verbs are used.

direct speech: 'You should come, it's going to be a lot of fun,' she said. indirect speech: She persuaded me to come. direct speech: 'Wait here,' he said. indirect speech: He told us to wait there. direct speech: 'It wasn't me who finished the coffee,' he said. indirect speech: He denied finishing the coffee.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Reported speech 3 – reporting verbs: 1

Grammar explanation

When we tell someone what another person said, we often use the verbs say , tell or ask . These are called 'reporting verbs'. However, we can also use other reporting verbs. Many reporting verbs can be followed by another verb in either an infinitive or an -ing form. 

Reporting verb + infinitive

Verbs like advise , agree , challenge , claim , decide , demand , encourage , invite , offer , persuade , promise , refuse and remind can follow an infinitive pattern.

'Let's see. I'll have the risotto, please.' He decided to have the risotto. 'I'll do the report by Friday, for sure.' She promised to do the report by Friday. 'It's not a good idea to write your passwords down.' They advised us not to write our passwords down.

We can also use an infinitive to report imperatives, with a reporting verb like tell , order , instruct , direct or warn .

'Please wait for me in reception.' The guide told us to wait for her in reception. 'Don't go in there!' The police officer warned us not to go in there.

Reporting verb + -ing form

Verbs like admit , apologise for , complain about , deny , insist on , mention and suggest can follow an -ing form pattern.

'I broke the window.' She admitted breaking the window. 'I'm really sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.' He apologised for not getting back to me sooner. 'Let's take a break.' She suggested taking a break.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Reported speech 3 – reporting verbs: 2

Language level

Would you consider the following structure to be reported speech?

The original sentence went as follows:

- After the procedure the doctors confirmed it was the right thing to have done.

Why am I asking? As far as I know the top notch phrasing should go like this:

- After the procedure the doctors confirmed it HAD BEEN the right thing to have done.

I think so because at that time the doctors must have said something like:

- Doctors confirming after the procedure - It was the right thing to have done, Dominik.

Would you be so kind to comment on this one, please :)

• Log in or register to post comments

Hello Dominik992,

The version that you propose is correct, and, as you mention, is what is taught as best practice in most grammars.

The other version is also fine, however. Especially in more informal speaking and writing, we often use a past simple form when a past perfect form doesn't add any additional or important meaning.

Best wishes, Kirk LearnEnglish team

Hello! I would like to know whether this two sentences are correct. I think they are both correct, but I am not sure.

"He apologized for letting me down." Or: "He apologized for having let me down"

Thank you in advance! GabDip

Hello GabDip,

Yes, both sentences are correct. There is a slight difference in meaning:

Sentence 1 ( for letting ) could be about a particular situation or it could be about his general habit of being unreliable.

Sentence 2 ( for having let ) describes an issue in the past which is not true any more.

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello, i have 2 questions, firstly is the same use advise with verb + object + infinitive that use it with + gerund, it changes the meaning or no? secondly, when we use warn + object + infinitive it has the same meaning that warn somebody against?

Hi facundo62,

For  advise , the meaning is the same with those two structures. For example:

• I'd advise resting as much as you can.
• I'd advise you to rest as much as you can.

However, the structure  advise  + - ing form is less commonly used than the advise + object + to + infinitive structure. 

About  warn , the two structures you mentioned do also have the same meaning. But just to be clear, it's  warn  + object + not + to  + infinitive that has that meaning. For example:

• The doctor warned me not to eat too much.
• The doctor warned me against eating too much.

I hope that helps.

LearnEnglish team

what is the diffrence beetween he suggested to ask andi for some ideas and he suggested asking andi for ideas

"He suggested to ask ..." is not grammatically correct. 

The verb "suggest" is followed by either:

• an - ing  verb form -->  He suggested asking ...  OR
• a  that  clause -->  He suggested  that we ask   ...

"Suggest" is not in the group of verbs that is followed by an infinitive ( to  + verb).

it helped alot thanks

Why can't we say "Katie suggested us going for a walk" but instead should say "KATIE SUGGESTED THAT WE GO FOR A WALK" whilst "The man warned us not to park in this street" is correct. It's unclear why "She suggested us" isn't correct but "The man warned us...." is.

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SAY & TELL – Reported Speech

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261 comments.

These questions without a reference character is hard to do.

Thanks Alex

Thank you, great teacher

exactly so hard i really don’t got it.

Mr/Alex told us that if we study hard we succeed

Alex said me, ups, I mean, Alex told me that I shouldn’t say said me, nor told that. Thanks Alex for a very nice explanation on that topic :)

haha… :) yeah… good explanation…

Tk you teacher Alex but I’m confused yet. I need ti exercice more and more. Lily Diaz from Brazil

i am happy with this website , i am learning english and this is wonderful. thank you a lot.

thank u teacher Alex. Im improving my English with you =D

nice quiz I got 9 of 10

Alex told us with this lesson ‘no more mistakes between say n’ tell’ in reported speech. is that right? so long n’ good bye teacher.

thank you teacher Alex you really helped me i have a quiz tomorrow wish me luck ;)

Very good lesson. Many mistakes are done for foreigners.

Hi,I want to tell you I like you So much and I can understand every thing you said .all love and respect to you my teacher

This lesson was great, as always…

I don’t agree with the answer of the 8th question of the quiz. ” Rosaline said she would be right back”. Wouldn’t it be ‘ Rasaline said THAT she wolud be right back”

You’d be right, but it’s okay to leave out the “that”.

I need to practice a little more ! Thank you , teacher. Excellent lesson and nice video. :)

Hi Alex, I have a question Could I say the reported speech in the present? For example: Maria: It’s hot Maria said to me that it’s hot

or in the future

Maria: I’m going to Mexico tomorrow Maria said to me that she’s going to Mexico tomorrow.

Hi Samantha,

The tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in Quoted speech. e.g; Maria: it is hot. Reported: Maria said to me that it was hot.

Maria: I am going to Mexico tomorrow. Reported: Maria said to me that she was going to Mexico tomorrow.

However, often if the speaker is reporting something soon after it has been said, there is no change in the verb tense. This is also true if the reported statement is a general truth. e.g; Quoted: “The capital of Canada is Ottawa.”

Reported: Alex said that the capital of Canada is Ottawa. :)

Best, Mursaleen Skype: mursaleen_1

yes it is, we have to move back one tense. how ever, we have to convert:” tomorrow” to ” the next/following day” also when we use reported speech. in conclusion, all the adverb of time need to be chaged to the write form. see ya!

hi everyone, I love your lesson, Alex. By the way, I am looking for someone to practise english through ” skype and yahoo”. If everyone have time, please feel free to add me as your friend, then we would have some conversations. my skype and yahoo id: turtle_cub2000. Please leave a message!. thanks

Thanks Alex. Is this correct? He said that it was cold.

When we use reporting verb ‘ask’?

Thanks Alex.

Hi Alex. My name is Erhan,from Turkey Thanks for lesson.I like your lesson and syle of teaching.

seems to be easy… but some mistakes in quiz… a kind of complex

Can you describe the difference between: say, tell, talk and speak?

Thanks Alex!

Now I understood the difference between tell and say.

your way of presntation is pety simple i realy admire it it was a eal hlp to us

I always said wrong way but this very important 4 me thanks ALEX

thak you alex your lesson is very nice and ı can understand your conversation and ı tested 9 out of 10 ı request some lesson about conjuctıons pleasee and more exampla on the board,,,

Hello,Alex.”Jack told everybody that if they couldn’t be together,they were going to die”,and not “Jack said…? Thanks .

As usual, your lesson was great and helpful. I really appreciate your effort. You probably need to think about the lessons and prepare it. It’s not so simple. It takes time…

Hi Alex, I really like your site. It helps me a lot to learn english. Thank you all for a good job!

Przesyłam pozdrowienia z polski ;-)

It was really good. Every single thing you teach is really usefull!

thanks a bunch MR Alex but i want ask about the difference between say and tell ,here when we use said to equal to told in meaning cause here we direct the information to somebody is this right?

I’m the champion in this game :)

I got 8 from 10 correct answers. Not so bad #eh :D

Hello Alex!

Great class. Now i thing never will forget!

See ou soon¹

Hello Alex! You have a great class.Now i want to learn more english from your classes.

Alex, you are my fav. at Engvid.com. Thanks for Giving free Lesson.

http://www.rhcebog.com

I made just one stupid mistake but i am doing well !!! i have to take a TOEFL test in the next months and i wish that these lessons will help me improve my skills ! thank you very much Pr. Alex !

thank u very much…

Thank you. I wish I didn’t forget this class!

Thanks a lot for a v good lesson.

You scored 10 out of 10.

Very enlightening class ! I´ve never paid attention on that. Thanks, Alex.

Alex, I’ve been learning a lot with you. Your website its one of the best that I’m using to learn English. Congratulations. Sidnei from Brazi

I did wrong, my country is Brazil. Sidnei.

thank u so mach

My thank goes to our dearest teachers, I say thank you for your help,Thank for everything you do us, now I start to learn some mistakes in my grammar tenses because my grammar is poor and terrible but I desire to enhance it, also I have a big problem in vocabulary so I want to increase my vocabularies

Please would you teach us the animals sounds (mew,etc) objects sounds, onomatopeas. I didn’t see explanations in engvid. Thank you very much. Kind regards

what does mean give me and give to me

Thanks teacher alex!… This lesson nice.. :)

Why “Jack told everybody that if they couldn’t live together, they were going to die alone.” is correct when Jack said it many people?

some thing about noun

I’m from Sri Lanka. Thanks a lot Alex. These English lessons are great for me. I’d also like to ask you a question. When we ask a question to know, what somebody is doing. Like schooling, doing a job etc. In this type of question, what’s the tense, we should use ? Present simple or Present progressive. As a eg- 1. What do you do? 2. What are you doing?

I want to say that is it a grat lesson! :)

Hai, thank you Alex for the lesson. If you don’t mind I have a question. Sometimes in a text i heard phrase “Mind you, ….” what does it exactly mean? I look forward to hearing the answer from you soon. Thanks! :D

you’re fantastic. i’ve got learned so much with you. Really thanks.

nice explanation ,thank you

Hi Alex, Your classes are great!!!

Thank you Alex

This is very useful for my students. Thanks a lot

this lesson help me understand easily

i love tis leson thx teacher alex u are famose.<3 :0

hi iam zizi from jordan i want to be agoood speaker of english i want t say to u that this lesson is very amasing leson thx teacher alex :) <3 :)

I’m from Afghanistn, tnx MR. Alex from your useful lessons,I would like to say you’re an excellent teacher.thanks alot.

It’s the first time that I catch the difference between to say and to tell. Thanks a lot, Alex!

I wanna chat with U “Annadema” for improving English , R u interested to speak English with me.

I had two mistakes, well I hope to improve. Thank you Alex.

Thank you for your lesson. I’ve realized I made some mistake how to use talk and say.

it’s a very understandable lesson , wow i thanx for alex it;s a great lesson , coz i never heard differance between told and said. so he told me to watch the engvid, they said to people watch the engvid. am i correct sir thanx

Thank you !! now I know how to use correctly told and said…. very helpful.

Thank you very much Alex, I can say that you’re a good teacher and the exercise was very helpful as well.Take Care

It was well explained

nice, thanks for this lesson

very gud …thank you for the lesson

Rosalinde: “I’ll be right back.” Rosalinde said she would be right back. why she said??? if she talk to me directly

Hi Leo, If Rosalinde had talked to you directly, the third answer would have to be: “Rosalinde told ME she would be right back.” So, the first option is the only one that is correct.

I hope I could help !!!

Best wishes!

Mr. alex said to us how to use said or told in speaking. Is it right? I think it is so easy after this lesson. thanks

Thank you Alex, it’s really very important

Thank you Alex for this useful explanation!

Alex told me that stop to say “said me” if anyone give you instruction directly .

Alex, i am little bit confuse between “said me that” and “said that”,similarly “told me that” and “told that” ?

hell sir i’m want inprove my english.

how i speak english and how tell to another person.

Thank you so much!

thanks Alex for your kind explanation,

Dear Alex, Your lesson on how to use words say , tell , told, said is 80% of new information for me . Thank you. I did quiz test , I scored 7 out of 10.. Thank you for your great lesson. Tashi Delek.. Topgyal

how i can start tolk anybudy

one day my teacher in my class and she said to me what you help me complet my work.I said that why not.Next day she came and aske me you see my sim card.No. you wil find my sim so reaturn me it’s not me.Next day teacher gave a report some time after i went twoward teacher for chek my work.My teacher mobile sim fall between my foots.I pick it and gave her.

some word miss in my note (1st is came ,will,after some time)

thanks alot (:

7 out of 10 some room for improvement ;-) Thanks!!!

Hi Alex, I want like to ask why use ‘to’ after can use ‘ing’, for example: ‘is restricted to being mere. what kind of grammer in use and what is the condition for this. thank you

teacher please upload again more leassons.. i am still confuse about english language.. please teach to me about the words bellow : slow – slowlly carefull – carefully and more.. what is deferent about it..

Hi Obby, what I know about those adjectives is that we add (LY) to the adjectives to describe how a person did, does or is doing something (an action) for example: I always do my homework carefully and that is why I always get good grades. (In this example I am using the Manner adverb to describe how I do something, like the way I do something)

I love being a careful person.( in this 2nd example I am describing the person I am with an adjective)

i scored 7 out of 10 i have to study harder… thanks a lot Alex!

It was very useful. Thank you!

i got 8 out of 10 not bad………..:)

U r rocking Sir, I got to know the different after b/t tell and say watching this video….

After “Tell” can we “To”?

I just did one mistake out of ten…… once again bundle of Thanks sir….

Hai alex, All the lessons are great! I cant understand the difference between “due to “&”owing to “.I get really confused and do not know when to use which one. please help me out.

Great lesson. As always I love Alex’s lessons. Keep It Simple.

Hi teacher Alex! got 9 out 10…something is wrong with my laptop. I’m sure I answered all ten items but somehow the prompt message showed item 10 wasn’t answered..gd day n take care

Thank you Mr. Alex

great, i have been able to understand all. thanks

how can we use had

Great ,great thanks Alex

Hi Alex, thanks for the lesson! I wanted to ask if there is a difference in meaning between “I like the way you speak” and “I like the way you talk”, and if they both are correct. I know that “to speak” is used when one person is speaking and the others are listening, and “to talk” is used when there is a conversation taking place between two people or more.

Another confusing thing is that I always thought it is correct to say to speak WITH and to talk TO, but very often I hear people say, “May I speak to…” or “talk with”. So which one is correct or what does it depend on if these prepositions are interchangeable? Please, help me understand! Thanks!

i undersland thnks

Thanks james 10/10

8 out of 10 not bad but perfect score could make satisfaction.

Greetings from Poland !

thanx Mr Alex

thanks!!! Alex! very helpful lecture^^

hi teacher alex how are you.. i will like to know the mean of even when can i use because i been hearing people use this word but i dont know exactly how use it.. tnks a lot.. by the way youre a good teacher..

wawww… I’m always impressed by ur lessons, thanks Alex

i have got 5/10 i am very thankful for these kind of quiz,,,,,,,,,,,

“Mam told me I may fly to grandma on the holiday.

The reporter said that It was car accident in the night. ”

Alex, thanks a lot. It was a very helpful lesson.

Alex, thanks for your help

Sir alex . I really impress to your teaching style and you are my favorite teacher in all . Sir please teach me how i use word “come up with ” in sentences ..I will wait to your answer . Bye

what is the reported speech :Question of the

1. are u living in your old neighborhood? 2. are you still living alone? 3.what are you doing for a living now? 4. would you like to play tennis with me again, like old times?

plz can you help me with that !! i really need this now tnx can’t answer it

thank you. i have tried to find this slight difference between tell and say. and i found here.

Thanks Alex. However, I am still not very clear about the usage For E.g: My answer was Third in below case whereas correct answer was First. Unable to understand:

Rosalinde: “I’ll be right back.” Rosalinde said she would be right back. Rosalinde said me she would be right back. Rosalinde told she would be right back. Rosalinde told to me that she would be right back.

Great video Mr.. 10/10 in my case,but i think you should explain beginners thats in reporetd speeches ,sometimes the modal changes can/could , will/ would and others dont change…just that… good luck Mr… carlos,lima..peru

7 out of 10 hehe

I love this site

I know!!!! Me too!!!

Me too! You are the best! Thank you for this opportunity to learn English with so great teachers!

It clear to me now, the difference between say and tell (said & told)

“They don’t get a cookie”…? I didn’t know this expression! I want a cookie! But I got 9 out 10 at the quiz, do I deserve one all the same?!

It.s very clear, i really got it.

Hi, thank you very much, I did not know the difference between the words , now I hope i’ll know how to use them corrctly. thanks again:)

Hi, thank you very much and I love this site

I really love your lessons Alex.

Hi! I watched your explain but I feel doubt. I understand that say is a discurs undirect..e told is direct, but to make the exercicie I don´t get.

thank you for this lesson , but the quiz is a little bit complex and it made me confused …..

thx…you are very good teacher

I’ve got 9 of 10 (question 10 failed)

Anyway, sentence “Jack told me that if they couldn’t live together, they were going to die alone.” is correct grammatically, I think. Right?

thanks,alx u r teaching technique is to good….

nice but still confused with “said me” and “said to me”….please throw some light on it…..

thanks you are a good teacher

thanks for making us correct such common grammatical mistakes.

Very clear! thanks

very clear, Alex!

THANKS FOR THIS LESSON..YOU ARE A GREAT TEACHER ALEX !

yaaaaaayyy.. i got 10 correct out of 10.

Thanks dear teacher Alex I would like to tell that sometimes I get confused especial when we talk to some body but I am doing very well while doing the exams I mean how to used lit during the conversation not only exercise

Hi Alex thanks again I got ten out of ten right great teaching

Thanks for all of your support, guys!

For reporting questions we usually use the verb “ask.”

“He asked me who/what/where/when/why/how/which…”

sir if the question was not ask with W.H words then how can we say

great material it really helped me.

Alex, thank a lot. Your lessons useful for me. Please don’t stop and go on.

Thank you Alex, I think it is a little confuse, but I got 9/10. I can’t understand when I need to use THAT e.g.: “Rosaline said she would be…” or “Rosaline said THAT she would be…”

he always________ lies. we will use tell or say

Awesome lesson Alex…everything understood….thank you very much

it’s good but still i am confused :D

Hello Alex. Friend of mine told me that she liked your hair style And I told her so did I

You got 10 correct out of 10. :D Thanks!!!

perfect thank you very much

It is a little bit complicate but It’s very interesting

thank u so much alex…helped me so much for my exam

My English will be better in the future.

thank you very much!

thank Alex. At third question, i think we need to change “is” to ‘was”, right?

Hi thank you.

You got 9 correct out of 10. Thank you so much.

thanks alex.

Thank you so much

I understood the difference between ‘say’ and ‘tell’. But, I am not still clear about the use of ‘that’ in reported speech. Also, about the use of past tense and present tense in reported speech. It would be better if Alex or some other teacher elaborate on this subject. Thanks a lot to engVid.

Thank you.Finally I undestand this common mistake.

Great work Alex.

very interesting theme.. could you tell more information about reported speech.. Thank you

Hi Teacher Alex, How have you been?

I’m a big fan of you…absolutely you are a good Teacher.

I would like to confirm with you about these phrases below.

When we have a statement in the present we need to report this in the past, Don’t we?

I know that there is no change if we report something that is truth, however I had this doubt about these sentences because I’m not sure if these are the truth.

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Socrates said me that the unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates said to me that the unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates told me that the unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living.

I guess that is the correct response for this case is: Socrates said that the unexamined life was not worth living.

Mahatma Ghandi: “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”

Ghandi said that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Ghandi told that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Ghandi told me that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Ghandi said me that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

I guess that is the correct response for this case is: Ghandi said that an eye for an eye made the whole world blind.

Thank you in advance to help me out and if I’m wrong, could you please send me the explanation about that just to understand better all possibility of reported speech.

Rogerio Romera.

I would like to thank u

Thanks Alex, now I understand it.your free lessons help me more then some english courses that I had to pay for them.i have one problem with english.i know many difficult words but when I speak I always use the same simple ones.i assume i got this problem because when I speak I still think in my mother language.another think when we speak we have no time to thing long time. Could you pls give me some advice what i suppose to do to be a better speaker.thank you in advance.

Thanks for your great teaching! I got an idea how to use correctly using say and tell from now on. Well, it was always confusing, but it would be much easier when I need to say something in reported speech!

Hi Alex, could you please do a lesson how to talk about looks.

thanks Alex, they told me that you are good and i figure it out myself. Ali M. Soltan – Egypt

Alex, you so cute)

I got one answer wrong, the sixth one.

well done thanks from Iraq

Thank you Alex for this lesson! I did 10 correct out of 10

WOW! I wanna tell you you’re the best one and I’ve got 90 :)

Thanks a lot, Mr Alex! Good lesson!

i got only 50 marks because i was not watching this video seriously and i thought the quiz will be easy.However,i watch this video again and now and i corrected my mistake that i had done in earlier quiz

Great lesson thanks 10/10!!!

Thanks Alex I got 70%.

ehehehe dont want to brag about… i had 70% (whispered) LOL anyway, it was a pleasant lesson and a pleasant character. Thank you very much Alex, you are great! hey! where can i get my COOKIE?! i said that a promise should be a promise not a lie. And i want an expensive one, im not a cheap student nor have a cheap brain :P

thak you so much alex

I puzzled over a long time to get it clear. Now it’s the way it is. Thank you)

Good job you Alex

7/10 many mistakes

oh i got 8/10 great :)

I got 9 of 10, Thanks

Thanks a lot you have cleared my confusion for those two words thanks again

Thanks a lot i got 9 out of 10 crazy english

Good ı understand

I love this website. As an ESl teacher i often come here when faced witha question i can’t explain. It’s one thing to speak English… it’s another thing altogether to explain why we say things! Keep up the good work. Alex i like how clear and simple your lessons are. No frilly bits that go over learners heads :)

I got 9 correct out of 10. Thanks Alex.

Thanks teacher :-)

I’ve got 10/10 Thank you for your lesson Mr Alex.

8/10 Thanks for this lesson!

That was a great class Alex!! Thanks!!

very well explained, I do have a question though. when do you use “THAT” after tell???? for example, in the second one, I got it correct “Mathilde told me THAT she was worried about the next day exam,however, I didn’t get correct the 6th “ron told me THAT I should show up early” I chose that one, but it wasn’t correct, the right one was: Ron told me I should show up early”. I hope you can explain that. congratulations for such a great job you do

7 out of 10.I’ve to study more. very helpul lesson.Thank you very much.

Thank you so much Alex. :) ♥

I’ve listened the lesson twice after some mistakes in the quizz. But now, I think I understood thanks to you.

10 0f 10! Thank you,Alex!

i’ll read it again tomorrow, because i was not able to make the test

rewarding lesson, although I´ve just seen it, I consider I learned something new

Thank You, Alex !

so as I Got that is tell=say to is it correct?

Thanks a lot Alex=)

Wow!so great,I got 10/10.Thank Alex for your good explain.

good lesson i got 90%

Dear Alex,thank you for the lesson, it is very usefull! please explain the quiz: Socrates: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”The right answer:Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living. The question is why we don’t change the time to past simple here,I don’t quite understand.Thank you in advance!!

Another good lesson on reported speech.

Thanks Alex it is such a useful video

I’ve got 10/10 Thank you for your lesson Mr. Alex.

Could you tell me please the difference between these two sentences I think both are correct and I couldn´t notice the difference between they both! :D Thanks

10. Lost character, Jack Shepherd: “If we can’t live together, we’re going to die alone.” ***Jack told everybody that if they couldn’t live together, they were going to die alone. ***Jack told me that if they couldn’t live together, they were going to die alone.

Hi Alex, I surprisingly made 10 correct. And it is surpising, coz sentences 3,4,and 7 have their dependent parts in the present simple. Is it because those sentences are the quotations of the famoous people so the they emhpasize some ideas?

What cases that we can use both say ang tell ?

i think i need explanation for these quiz,because i don’t understand how the question incorrect and correct

I think this program is really helpfully for us

Thanks Alex … It was very easy and helpful lesson

It was very helpful!

thanks teacher

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates

70/100 very hard

It was hard to do, 60/100. Thanks Alex

I got all 10 answers correct. Thank you, Alex!

thank you 100%

Hello teacher..I don`t understabd the number 10 of the quiz. Can you help me?..PLease.

“Jack told everybody”, instead of “jack SAID”.

Thanks Alex!! Great lesson, as always! Finally I understood the different meaning between “said” and “told”. Thanks a lot!!

Thank you Alex . , i love your videos

Thank you Mr. Alex.

Hello I couldn’t understand the 10 question. Please,help me! why Jack told everybody? I think Jack said everybody. Jack gave information to everybody not one person? as you said we use “tell/told” direct but Jack said everybody?!

I loved it!

How to report these? I looked the answer for these everywhere but couldnt find.

(1) Jhon said to Stephen, “you are a good man”

(2)Jhon said to Stephen, “I am a good man”

Yes, both of these are correct.

I watched this video twice on May 27, 2021, and I took the quiz after watching it once. I got ten correct out of 10.

I watched this video one more time on June 24, 2021.

Thanks so much Alex!

THIS WAS EXCELLENT EXPLANATION, BUT QUIZ WAS LITTLE CONFUSED…NEED STILL PRACTICING ABOUT DEFFERENCES

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Say or tell ?

Say and tell are irregular verbs. The past simple of say is said , the past simple of tell is told :

They asked if I was looking for work and I said yes.

Then he told me how he had got the job by lying about his age.

We use say and tell in different ways in reported speech. Say focuses on the words someone said and tell focuses more on the content or message of what someone said:

‘Hello,’ she said .

Not: ‘Hello,’ she told .

She told him they were going on holiday. (The focus is on the information.)

We use say with direct speech. We don’t normally use tell in this way:

He said , ‘I’m not paying £50 for that.’

Reported speech

Say and tell with objects

Both say and tell take a direct object. The object is most commonly the reported clause (the report of what someone said).

Tell normally takes an indirect object (one or more people = io) and a direct object (the reported clause = do):

The boy told [IO] us [DO] he didn’t want any money .

However, we use tell without an indirect object with words such as the truth , a lie , a joke , a story :

You should never tell a lie .

Not: … say a lie .

Come on Kevin. You’re good at telling jokes .

Say does not take an indirect object. Instead, we use a phrase with to :

And then she said to me , ‘I’m your cousin. We’ve never met before.’

Not: And then she said me …

Tell + indirect object + to- infinitive

We use tell with an indirect object and a to- infinitive to report a command or an instruction. We don’t normally use say in this way:

They told us to come back the next day.

Not: They said us to come …

They told her to wait till the doctor arrived.

But in informal speaking, we sometimes use say + to- infinitive to report a command or an instruction:

I asked him if he wanted it today but he said to leave it till tomorrow.

Typical errors

We don’t use an indirect object with say :

‘I’m in a hurry,’ he said to me .

Not: … he said me .

We don’t use tell without an indirect object when we report someone’s words:

Then a loud voice said , ‘Hello.’

Not: … a loud voice told, ‘Hello.’

She said she would wait for us outside.

Not: She told she would wait …

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‘Lost for words’: Joe Biden’s tale about cannibals bemuses Papua New Guinea residents

President’s suggestion that his ‘Uncle Bosie’ was eaten by cannibals harms US efforts to build Pacific ties, say local experts

Joe Biden’s suggestion that his uncle may have been eaten by cannibals in Papua New Guinea during world war two has been met with a mixture of bemusement and criticism in the country.

Biden spoke about his uncle, 2nd Lt Ambrose J Finnegan Jr, while campaigning in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, describing how “Uncle Bosie” had flown single engine planes as reconnaissance flights during the war. Biden said he “got shot down in New Guinea”, adding “they never found the body because there used to be a lot of cannibals, for real, in that part of New Guinea.”

Official war records say Finnegan was killed when a plane on which he was a passenger experienced engine failure and crashed into the Pacific Ocean. The records do not mention cannibalism or state that the plane was shot down.

Analysts in Papua New Guinea who were shown his comments described the claims as unsubstantiated and poorly judged, pointing out that they come at a time when US has been seeking to strengthen its ties with the country, and counter Chinese influence in the Pacific region.

“The Melanesian group of people, who Papua New Guinea is part of, are a very proud people,” said Michael Kabuni, a lecturer in political science at the University of Papua New Guinea. “And they would find this kind of categorisation very offensive. Not because someone says ‘oh there used to be cannibalism in PNG’ – yes, we know that, that’s a fact.

“But taking it out of context, and implying that your [uncle] jumps out of the plane and somehow we think it’s a good meal is unacceptable.”

Cannibalism was practised by some communities in the past in specific contexts, said Kabuni, such as eating a deceased relative out of respect, to prevent their body from decomposing. “There was context. They wouldn’t just eat any white men that fell from the sky,” said Kabuni.

The practice was not due to people lacking food, he added, pointing out that archaeological evidence illustrates that agriculture was practised in Papua New Guinea more than 10,000 years ago.

About 79,000 US soldiers remain unaccounted following the second world war, Kabuni added. “They’re spread from south-east Asia to the Korean peninsula and Europe. What is [Biden] implying? All 79,000 that were never found were eaten?”

Others were simply bemused by the remarks. “I am lost for words actually,” said Allan Bird, governor of the province of East Sepik, who was recently selected as the alternate prime minister for the opposition. “I don’t feel offended. It’s hilarious really. I am sure when Biden was a child, those are the things he heard his parents say. And it probably stuck with him all his life.”

Maholopa Laveil, economics lecturer at the University of Papua New Guinea, said the claims were unhelpful, and pointed out that it comes after Biden cancelled a brief trip to the country last year. “It paints PNG in a bad light. PNG has already had a lot of negative press around riots and tribal fighting and this doesn’t help, and [the claims are] unsubstantiated,” he said. “For a US president to say that – particularly after a lot of deals have been struck with PNG and the work they’ve been doing in the Pacific – even off the cuff, I don’t think that should have been said at all,” said Maholopa.

According to the Pentagon’s Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Biden’s uncle died on 14 May 1944, while a passenger on an A-20 havoc aircraft that departed Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island, bound for Nadzab airfield, New Guinea.

“For unknown reasons, this plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the north coast of New Guinea,” the agency says. “Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircraft’s nose hit the water hard. Three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash. One crew member survived and was rescued by a passing barge. An aerial search the next day found no trace of the missing aircraft or the lost crew members.”

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Most viewed

Politics latest: Angela Rayner labels Rishi Sunak a 'pint-sized loser'; PM insists defence spending pledge 'fully-funded'

While Rishi Sunak spent the day heralding his defence spending commitment on a trip to Germany, Oliver Dowden and Angela Rayner stood in the prime minister and the Labour leader at PMQs.

Thursday 25 April 2024 02:05, UK

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• Sunak insists rise in defence spending is 'fully-funded'
• Beth Rigby:  PM seeking to position himself as a strong leader prepared to defend the country
• Sophy Ridge:  There are cracks underneath the apparent unity on defence spending
• Rayner presses Dowden on no-fault evictions - and raises Sky News report - after joke about 'obsession' with her living arrangements
• Labour deputy leader labels Sunak a 'pint-sized loser'
• Local elections:  Sam Coates on why they matter | Who can I vote for? | What Sunak and Starmer will be hoping for
• Live reporting by Tim Baker

 That's it for today.

We're wrapping up the Politics Hub, but make sure to join us again tomorrow.

And remember, at 7pm tomorrow there's a special episode of the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge.

It will come live from one of our Target Towns, Grimsby, and will feature brand new polling and a live audience.

Before you go, here are some of today's main stories.

By Alexandra Rogers , political reporter 

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has said he wants the new NATO target for defence spending to increase from the current 2% of gross domestic product to 2.5%.

Mr Shapps said it would make a "real difference" if the countries signed up to the military alliance met his proposed target.

He told Kay Burley on Sky News: "We're now saying we think that should be 2.5%. We think in a more dangerous world that would make sense.

"I will be arguing that, and I know that the prime minister feels strongly about it, when we go to the NATO 75th anniversary summit which is in Washington DC."

The defence secretary's intervention comes after Rishi Sunak pledged to increase UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030 to tackle the "growing threats" posed by hostile states including Russia, Iran and China.

Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference in Warsaw yesterday, the prime minister said he planned to steadily increase defence spending by the end of the decade, rising to 2.4% a year until 2027-28 - then hitting 2.5% by 2030-31.

Funding will rise from £64.6bn in 2024 to £78.2bn in 2028, and then jump to £87bn in 2030-31.

Read more here:

"There isn't a single safe prosecution brought by the Post Office in the last couple of decades," Conservative MP and former minister David Davis has told Sky News.

He was responding to comments made by a lawyer representing former sub-postmasters, who told Sky News the Post Office scandal extends "greatly beyond" faulty Horizon software (see previous post).

Paul Marshall said problems with other systems which have been "overlooked" mean there are "no convictions" secured by the Post Office against any sub-postmaster "that could or should properly be treated as safe".

Sir Davis says although the government has done a "great deal already" to exonerate Horizon victims, "we probably have to do more".

He cites a report which he says found there are other cases that "at least deserved a very close look and probable exoneration, and that didn't happen".

He estimates the courts could go through " nearly all the cases in three or six months if we set ourselves the task of doing it".

He describes the Post Office as "a public body which wasn't serving the public".

By Adele Robinson , business correspondent

The Post Office scandal extends "greatly beyond" faulty Horizon software, according to a lawyer for victims.

Paul Marshall, representing former sub-postmasters, says problems with third party systems in branches, such as ATMs, have been "overlooked".

A 2013 report commissioned by the Post Office, and not made public at the time, states: "Removing the ATM reduces the risk of (the sub-postmaster) being suspended... as does the presence of lottery tickets, (banking) services, and DVLA processing."

It indicates there were issues known to the Post Office with third party systems within branches - separate to Horizon software.

Barrister Paul Marshall believes, as a result, there are "no convictions" secured by the Post Office against any sub-postmaster "that could or should properly be treated as safe".

He says evidence of third party errors, such as ATMs, shows "the scandal extends considerably beyond, greatly beyond, it might be said, the limited focus of bugs in Horizon".

Blanket exoneration legislation being introduced this summer will only quash convictions brought about "by erroneous Horizon evidence".

Mr Marshall asserts that postmasters who have had appeals against convictions rejected by the Court of Appeal may have lost because their offences didn't fall within the "narrow scope" of Horizon issues.

By Daniel Dunford , senior data journalist

There might not be a general election just yet, but there are important votes that will define how the areas around us are run for the next four years. 

See what's happening where you are here:

With a general election looming, what counts as gains and losses for the main parties in next week's locals? 

Sky's election analyst Michael Thrasher tells us what to look out for:

The Sky News live poll tracker - collated and updated by our Data and Forensics team - aggregates various surveys to indicate how voters feel about the different political parties.

With the local election campaign well under way, Labour is still sitting comfortably on a roughly 21-point lead, averaging at 43.5% in the polls, with the Tories on 23.5%.

In third is Reform UK on 12.2%, followed by the Lib Dems on 9.3%.

The Green Party stands at 6.3%, and the SNP on 3.0%.

See the latest update below - and you can read more about the methodology behind the tracker  here .

By Beth Rigby , political editor

This was a trip with two aims: to refocus the world's attention on Ukraine and announce a big boost in defence spending - with an eye, of course, on national security, but also on the general election.

When it comes to Ukraine, this was a co-ordinated effort across the Atlantic.

As Rishi Sunak arrived in Berlin, overnight in Washington the US was finally approving a $600m military aid package for Kyiv.

This was all designed to send a message to Russia - allies are in lockstep and will stand behind Ukraine for as long as it takes.

The prime minister used the Poland leg of the trip to commit the UK to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2030, while in Berlin, Mr Sunak announced a formal bilateral security partnership with Germany to deepen co-operation on defence and military manufacturing.

It was all part of his agenda to position himself as a wartime leader, speaking of the UK's defence industry going onto a war footing as Europe stood at a turning point.

"The world we are living in is increasingly dangerous and the axis of authoritarian states are working together to undermine our security," he told his audience in Berlin.

"We need to do more. Germany has done more and we have met the NATO standard [on spending], and you see global defence spending is rising."

Mr Sunak added: "I do believe we will look back at this moment in time and recognise this inflection point, where the old paradigm is no longer the case and we need to adjust for a new paradigm."

Read Beth's full analysis here:

That's all for tonight. 

But make sure to join us again tomorrow - Sophy is heading to Grimsby to discuss why so many people have turned off politics.

There'll be a live audience and new polling laying out the situation in one of our Target Towns, so make sure to tune in at 7pm on Thursday.

By Jennifer Scott , political reporter 

Labour's Angela Rayner has attacked the Conservatives for "obsessing" over her living arrangements while renters continue to face uncertainty over the government's promise to end no-fault evictions.

The party's deputy leader has come under scrutiny over the sale of her former Stockport home before she was an MP, with claims she did not pay the right amount of capital gains tax and may have registered to vote at the wrong address - allegations she denies.

Greater Manchester Police are now looking into the latter issue, which could be a breach of electoral rules, following a complaint from Tory MP James Daly.

But standing in at Prime Minister's Questions on the day the much-delayed Renters' Reform Bill returned to the Commons, Ms Rayner said: "I know this party opposite is desperate to talk about my living arrangements, but the public want to know what this government is going to do about theirs."

Ministers first promised to scrap no-fault evictions - or Section 21s - in April 2019, but agreed to an indefinite delay to outlawing the mechanism after a group of Conservative backbenchers, including some landlords, raised concerns that the courts were not prepared for the legal cases that could replace them.

A new clause being added to the bill by the government today would, if approved, order an assessment of the courts before any ban could be enacted. But it offers no timetable for when the probe would have to take place.

Read more below:

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Donald Trump’s rally speech in Wisconsin examined

By CHRISTINA ANAGNOSTOPOULOS , SOFIA PAREDES and SEANA DAVIS

Filed April 20, 2024, 10 a.m. GMT

Reuters examined 11 statements made by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at his rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on April 2. While Reuters monitored the 58-minute speech in its entirety, the news agency did not examine opinions, rhetorical or direct questions, anonymous sourcing and information that could not be independently verified.

The statements are listed in chronological order with the timestamps in Central Daylight Time (CDT).

CLAIM  17:09 CDT

Trump says he won Wisconsin by “a lot,” referring to the 2020 presidential election

WHAT WE KNOW

This is false. Joe Biden won the state of Wisconsin in the 2020 presidential election with 49.4% of the vote over Trump’s 48.8%.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to take up a case by Trump challenging the election results.

CLAIM  17:11 CDT

Trump says Biden declared Easter Sunday to be Transgender Visibility Day

This is misleading. Biden made public remarks about Transgender Day of Visibility, but he did not say Easter Sunday would become Trans Visibility Day.

Transgender Day of Visibility has been celebrated on March 31 for 14 years, according to the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD . It happened to be the same day as Easter Sunday in 2024. Read more.

CLAIM  17:12 CDT

While talking about crime during the Biden administration, Trump says crime in Venezuela is down by 67%

The source of the 67% figure is unclear. A Trump spokesperson did not respond to a Reuters request for the data supporting the figure.

According to the Venezuelan Violence Observatory , a Caracas-based research organization, violent deaths declined 25% last year from 2022.

CLAIM  17:18 CDT (again at 17:37-17:39 and 17:45 CDT)

Trump repeats his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen or illegitimate

This is false. State governments, courts and members of Trump’s administration have repeatedly rejected the former president’s claims that the 2020 election was stolen .

Federal and state judges have dismissed more than 50 lawsuits alleging election fraud or other irregularities related to the 2020 presidential election brought by Trump or his allies. Read more .

CLAIM  17:19 CDT

Trump quotes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as saying, “The only way you’re going to clean up this world is if Trump becomes president again”

This is in line with past statements Hungary’s nationalist prime minister has made about Trump. Orban said in a meeting with the former president in Florida last month that only Trump could bring peace to Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.

“We need leaders in the world who are respected and can bring peace. He is one of them! Come back and bring us peace, Mr. President!,” Orban said in a post on X after that meeting.

CLAIM  17:26 CDT

Trump says he built 571 miles of border wall. He did not specify which land border but since 2016 he has campaigned for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

This is not accurate. The Trump administration completed around 458 miles of barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to January 2021 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.

The majority were barriers that were built during previous administrations and replaced during Trump’s tenure. In areas where no structures existed prior to Trump taking office in January 2017, his administration constructed a total of 52 miles of primary wall.

A January 2021 CBP report obtained by Factcheck.org shows 33 miles of new secondary wall were built during Trump’s tenure.

CLAIM  17:27 CDT

Trump says illegal immigration into the U.S. fell to its lowest point “in history” during his presidency

This is mostly true, based on available government data.

During Trump’s administration, the number of apprehensions by the U.S. Border Patrol at the southwest border (an indicator of attempts of illegal border crossings) for a single month fell to their lowest point on record in April 2017, according to monthly CBP data that goes back to fiscal year 2000 .

CBP has yearly data for nationwide apprehensions by all land, air and sea routes since fiscal year 1925.

Going by these figures, Trump’s aren’t the lowest on record but they are the lowest in over four decades. In fiscal year 1971, during Richard Nixon’s administration, total apprehensions dipped to 302,517, which is below Trump’s lowest tally of 310,531 in fiscal year 2017.

CLAIM  17:30 CDT

Trump says wages rose during his presidency without any inflation

Nationwide wages rose 3.1% during Trump’s presidency, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Cost Index inflation-adjusted constant dollar estimates.

Inflation was not at zero, but it was lower than during the Biden administration.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) during the Trump administration varied from a high of 2.9% in July 2018 to a low of 0.2% in May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic’s first wave.

It is true that inflation significantly increased during Biden’s tenure; it stood at 1.4% when he took office and rose to 9% in June 2022, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

Inflation rates have remained below 3.6% since October 2023.

CLAIM  17:34 CDT

The U.S. has more oil and gas than any country in the world

Venezuela has the largest proven crude oil reserves as of 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) while Russia has the largest natural gas reserves, per the International Energy Agency.

As for recoverable oil resources, the expected amounts in existing fields, Saudi Arabia leads the way followed by the U.S. and Russia, according to a 2023 report by oil analysts Rystad Energy.

In terms of production, the U.S. became the world’s largest crude oil producer in 2018 during Trump’s presidency and has remained the top producer since.

The U.S. is also the top producer of natural gas. Since 2017, U.S. natural gas exports have exceeded imports. The latest rankings available (2022) from the EIA show the U.S. produces more energy from petroleum and other liquids than any other country.

The U.S. oil and gas industry has also boomed under Biden’s presidency by almost all metrics, even if he has pushed to transition the economy toward a greener future, hitting record levels of crude oil production in 2023. Read more.

CLAIM  17:36-17:37 CDT

Talking about immigration, Trump says that under the Biden administration, the U.S. has taken in “at least 15 million people”

It’s not clear what Trump meant by the U.S. having “taken in” 15 million people. While it is true that the number of encounters reported by the CBP at the U.S.-Mexico border reached record levels during the Biden administration, it isn’t 15 million.

CBP data compiled between January 2021 and February 2024 show 7,522,711 encounters at the southwest land border.

In terms of nationwide encounters , CBP registered 9,139,037 encounters between January 2021 and February 2024.

Encounter figures include data for Title 8 apprehensions and inadmissibles . This policy grants some migrants the chance to seek asylum in the U.S. or be processed for deportation.

Between March 2020 and May 2023, encounters also included expulsions under the now-expired Title 42 , a COVID-era restriction that allowed border agents to quickly expel migrants without allowing them to seek asylum.

CLAIM  17:50-17:51 CDT

Trump says he was the first president in decades who started no new wars

Defining wars can be difficult. If we consider the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the war in Afghanistan and the Iraq War, Trump joins former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower in not having officially brought the U.S. into a new war since 1945.

Trump’s tenure, however, did involve military hostilities overseas and the threat of new ones. The Pentagon said Trump ordered a 2020 drone strike in Iraq that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani , triggering Iranian retaliation that threatened to spiral into open conflict, but did not.

The United States in 2017 launched a missile attack on a Syrian army airbase, marking an escalation of the U.S. military’s role in Syria.

Trump threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea in 2017 but eventually de-escalated tension with Pyongyang.

A Trump spokesperson did not respond to several requests for comment about the statements examined.

This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work.

By Christina Anagnostopoulos, Sofia Paredes and Seana Davis

Photo editing: Corinne Perkins

Art direction: John Emerson

Edited by Stephanie Burnett, Suzanne Goldenberg and Christine Soares

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