Essential Grammar in Use - Unit 50 - She said that ... He told me that ...: Lý Thuyết

Khi tường thuật lại lời nói của người khác, động từ thường chuyển từ thì hiện tại sang thì quá khứ:

• is/am/are → was/were
  Ví dụ: Clare said, "I am enjoying my new job." → Clare said that she was enjoying her new job.
• have/has → had
  Ví dụ: Kate said, "My sister has gone to Australia." → Kate said that her sister had gone to Australia.
• will → would
  Ví dụ: Steve said, "I will phone you." → Steve said that he would phone me.
• can → could
  Ví dụ: Kate said, "I can't find a job." → Kate said that she couldn't find a job.
• do/does → did
  Ví dụ: Rachel said, "I don't like my job." → Rachel said that she didn't like her job.
• Các động từ thường khác (look, feel, etc.) → dạng quá khứ (looked, felt, etc.)
  Ví dụ: Mike said, "You look tired." → Mike said that I looked tired.

Said:

• He said that he was tired. (ĐÚNG)
• He said he was tired. (ĐÚNG - có thể bỏ 'that')
• He said me that he was tired. (SAI)
• What did she say to you? (ĐÚNG)
• What did she say you? (SAI)

Told:

• He told me that he was tired. (ĐÚNG)
• He told me he was tired. (ĐÚNG - có thể bỏ 'that')
• He told that he was tired. (SAI - thiếu tân ngữ)
• What did she tell you? (ĐÚNG)
• What did she tell to you? (SAI)

Quy tắc quan trọng:

• say to somebody: He said to me, I said to Ann (ĐÚNG)
  He said me, I said Ann (SAI)
• tell somebody: He told me, I told Ann (ĐÚNG)
  He told to me, I told to Ann (SAI)

Trong câu tường thuật, từ 'that' có thể được bỏ đi mà không làm thay đổi nghĩa:

• He said that he was tired. = He said he was tired.
• Kate told me that she couldn't find a job. = Kate told me she couldn't find a job.
• Sarah and Ben said that they were going to buy a house. = Sarah and Ben said they were going to buy a house.