Say past tense

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Meaning of say

utter words so as to convey information, an opinion, a feeling or intention, or an instruction.

Infinitive

Word: say /seɪ/
Examples:
  • 1. She always says the truth, no matter how hard it might be.
  • 2. He says he will join us later for dinner.
  • 3. The teacher says that homework is due tomorrow.

Past Simple

Word: said /sɛd/
Examples:
  • 1. He said he would call me when he arrived.
  • 2. They said they had never seen anything like it before.
  • 3. She said she loved the gift and thanked me profusely.

Past Participle

Word: said /sɛd/
Examples:
  • 1. The truth has been said, and we must now act on it.
  • 2. Every word was said with such emotion that the audience was moved to tears.
  • 3. The stories have been said to originate from ancient folklore passed down through generations.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habitual actions or routines
    Example. He says he prefers coffee over tea every morning.
    Example. She says honesty is the best policy.
    Example. The CEO says he will attend the meeting next week.
    Example. Then the boy says he won’t go without his sister.
  2. General truths or facts
    Example. He says he prefers coffee over tea every morning.
    Example. She says honesty is the best policy.
    Example. The CEO says he will attend the meeting next week.
    Example. Then the boy says he won’t go without his sister.
  3. Fixed arrangements
    Example. He says he prefers coffee over tea every morning.
    Example. She says honesty is the best policy.
    Example. The CEO says he will attend the meeting next week.
    Example. Then the boy says he won’t go without his sister.
  4. Narrative present for storytelling or summarizing
    Example. He says he prefers coffee over tea every morning.
    Example. She says honesty is the best policy.
    Example. The CEO says he will attend the meeting next week.
    Example. Then the boy says he won’t go without his sister.

Past Simple

  1. Completed actions in the past
    Example. She said she would call me but she never did.
    Example. When we were kids, he always said he wanted to be an astronaut.
    Example. First, he said he needed some time, and then he apologized.
    Example. They said that the project was finished weeks ago.
  2. Past habits or states
    Example. She said she would call me but she never did.
    Example. When we were kids, he always said he wanted to be an astronaut.
    Example. First, he said he needed some time, and then he apologized.
    Example. They said that the project was finished weeks ago.
  3. Sequences of actions in the past
    Example. She said she would call me but she never did.
    Example. When we were kids, he always said he wanted to be an astronaut.
    Example. First, he said he needed some time, and then he apologized.
    Example. They said that the project was finished weeks ago.
  4. Indirect or reported speech
    Example. She said she would call me but she never did.
    Example. When we were kids, he always said he wanted to be an astronaut.
    Example. First, he said he needed some time, and then he apologized.
    Example. They said that the project was finished weeks ago.

Past Participleis both the past simple and the past participle form.)

  1. Perfect tenses.
    Example. I have said all I wanted to say.
    Example. She had said her farewells before the ship even left.
    Example. By the time you arrive, I will have said goodbye to everyone.
    Example. It was said that the treasure was buried here centuries ago.
  2. Present perfect. The use in actions that occurred at some point in the past but are relevant to the present.
    Example. I have said all I wanted to say.
    Example. She had said her farewells before the ship even left.
    Example. By the time you arrive, I will have said goodbye to everyone.
    Example. It was said that the treasure was buried here centuries ago.
  3. Past perfect. The use in actions completed before another action in the past.
    Example. I have said all I wanted to say.
    Example. She had said her farewells before the ship even left.
    Example. By the time you arrive, I will have said goodbye to everyone.
    Example. It was said that the treasure was buried here centuries ago.
  4. Future perfect. The use in actions that will be completed before a specified time in the future.
    Example. I have said all I wanted to say.
    Example. She had said her farewells before the ship even left.
    Example. By the time you arrive, I will have said goodbye to everyone.
    Example. It was said that the treasure was buried here centuries ago.
  5. Passive voice constructions
    Example. I have said all I wanted to say.
    Example. She had said her farewells before the ship even left.
    Example. By the time you arrive, I will have said goodbye to everyone.
    Example. It was said that the treasure was buried here centuries ago.
  6. The term 'said' serves as both the past form and past participle form of 'say,' making it unique because it doesn't change its form between these two tenses. Its applications, particularly in reported speech and various perfect tenses, demonstrate its flexibility across different narrative and grammatical contexts.
    Example. I have said all I wanted to say.
    Example. She had said her farewells before the ship even left.
    Example. By the time you arrive, I will have said goodbye to everyone.
    Example. It was said that the treasure was buried here centuries ago.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

A common mistake is confusing the past simple form of 'say,' which is 'said,' with its past participle form, which is also 'said.' While both forms are spelled the same, their usage differs significantly in sentences. The past simple form is used for actions that were completed in the past, e.g., 'Yesterday, I said something funny.' In contrast, the past participle form is mostly used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions, e.g., 'I have said all that I needed to say.' Mistaking one for the other can lead to incorrect tense usage and confusion about the timeline of events.

— 02

Incorrectly Creating Past Forms

Another mistake involves incorrectly attempting to regularize the verb 'say' into a regular verb by adding -ed to form its past simple and past participle. Some might mistakenly form 'sayed' instead of using the correct irregular past forms. The correct past simple and past participle form of 'say' is 'said' for both cases. This mistake can lead to confusion and can make the speaker or writer appear less proficient in English.

— 03

Misusing 'Said' in Compound Tenses

A further error occurs when learners misuse 'said' in compound tenses, particularly by not pairing it correctly with auxiliary verbs. For instance, saying 'I had said him the truth' instead of the correct 'I had said the truth to him' demonstrates a misunderstanding of the correct structure for using the past participle in perfect tenses. It's crucial to remember that the auxiliary verb 'had' should be followed directly by the past participle 'said,' and the indirect object ('him,' in this case) should follow the direct object if not introduced by a preposition.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the past simple and past participle forms of 'say'?

The past simple form of 'say' is 'said,' and this form is used for both the past participle and the past simple. For example, 'Yesterday, she said she would join us today.' When do I use the past simple form 'said'

How do I use 'said' as a past participle in sentences?

'Said' as a past participle is often used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. In perfect tenses, it is used with auxiliary verbs like 'have,' 'has,' or 'had.' For example, 'She has said that many times before.' In passive voice, it might be used as, 'It was said that the event would be postponed.'

Can you give me examples of sentences using 'said' in different tenses?

Certainly! Here are examples in various tenses. Simple Past. 'He said he would call me.' Present Perfect. 'She has said she wants to go to the concert.' Past Perfect. 'They had already said their goodbyes when we arrived.' Future Perfect. 'By the end of the day, he will have said sorry to her at least a dozen times.' Passive Voice (Past). 'It was said that the meeting was crucial.' These examples illustrate how 'said' functions across different tenses and structures, maintaining its form while fitting into various sentence constructions.