INDEX:
1. to say something
2. to say something publicly or officially
3. to say that something is definitely true
4. to say clearly what your opinion is
5. to say that something you previously said was true is not true
6. to say something in an indirect way
7. to say something suddenly or unexpectedly
8. to say something quietly or unclearly
9. to say something angrily
10. not saying anything
11. something someone says
12. what people say about something
RELATED WORDS
to say something again : ↑ REPEAT
to say that someone has done something bad or illegal : ↑ ACCUSE
when people say something that may or may not be true : ↑ RUMOUR
see also
↑ TELL
↑ SPEAK
↑ TALK
↑ SHOUT
↑ EXPLAIN
↑ CRITICIZE
↑ MENTION
↑ INSIST
↑ THANK
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1. to say something
▷ say /seɪ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to say something using spoken or written words :
▪ ‘I must be going,’ she said.
▪ ‘Where’s Pam going?’ ‘I don’t know. She didn’t say.’
▪ It says in today’s paper that gas prices are going up again.
say (that)
▪ James wrote to the bank and said we needed a loan.
▪ Did Peter say that he would be late?
say what/where/why etc
▪ Did they say how long the operation would take?
say hello/sorry/no etc (to somebody)
▪ Lauren came over to say goodbye to us.
▪ I asked Dad if he’d lend me some money, but he said no.
say something to somebody
▪ What did you say to her?
something/anything to say
▪ I couldn’t think of anything to say.
say so
▪ If there’s anything you’re not happy about, please say so.
▷ pronounce /prəˈnaʊns/ [transitive verb]
to make the sound of a word or a part of a word in a particular way - use this also to ask or say what is the correct way to say something :
▪ How do you pronounce your name?
▪ Some students find it difficult to pronounce the word ‘the’.
▪ Words like ‘chicken’ and ‘cheese’ were once pronounced with a ‘k’.
pronunciation /prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃ ə n/ [countable/uncountable noun]
▪ British and American pronunciation is often very different.
▷ mention /ˈmenʃ ə n/ [transitive verb]
to talk about someone or something, but without giving details or saying very much about them :
▪ He mentioned something about a party, but he didn’t say when it was.
▪ When I mentioned her name, he looked embarrassed.
mention (that)
▪ I forgot to mention that I won’t be in tomorrow.
mention where/when/who etc
▪ Did he mention where he went to school?
it is worth mentioning that
▪ It is worth mentioning that young children are particularly vulnerable to accidents in the home.
▷ point out /ˌpɔɪnt ˈaʊt/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to tell someone something that they had not noticed or had not thought about :
▪ As Sharon pointed out, the story was rather hard to believe.
point out something
▪ He pointed out the dangers of setting off without the right equipment.
point out (that)
▪ It’s worth pointing out that very few people ever die of this disease.
point something out
▪ He never used to notice when people took advantage of him, so I started pointing it out.
▷ express /ɪkˈspres/ [transitive verb]
to let someone know your feelings, by putting them into words :
▪ Ollie found it hard to express his feelings about the war.
▪ Parents have expressed concern about the amount of violence in some children’s shows.
express yourself
make people understand what you are thinking or feeling
▪ Young children often find it difficult to express themselves in words.
▷ put it /ˈpʊt ɪt/ [verb phrase]
to express an idea in a particular way, choosing your words carefully to explain what you mean simply or clearly :
put it another way
▪ If you don’t understand, I’ll try and put it another way.
to put it bluntly/briefly/simply etc
▪ Their performance was, to put it bluntly, atrocious.
put it this way
spoken use this when you are trying to say something in the clearest possible way
▪ Put it this way: if we don’t make a profit, we’re out of a job.
▷ comment /ˈkɒmentǁˈkɑː-/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to say what your opinion is about someone or something that you have seen, heard, or read about :
▪ ‘He only wears those clothes to prove that he’s rich,’ commented Harold.
▪ Journalists asked General Curran how the campaign was going, but he refused to comment.
comment on/upon
▪ The prime minister was asked to comment on the crisis.
comment that
▪ Some critics have commented that the film lacks originality.
▷ remark /rɪˈmɑːʳk/ [intransitive/transitive verb not in passive]
to say what you have noticed about a particular person, situation etc or to express an opinion about them :
▪ ‘There’s a strange smell in here,’ she remarked.
remark that
▪ Kate remarked that it was amazing how much her kids knew about science.
remark on
notice something and then say something about it
▪ A lot of our customers remark on the quality of our workmanship.
▷ add /æd/ [transitive verb]
to say something more, after what has already been said or written :
▪ Is there anything you’d like to add, Peter?
▪ ‘Finally’, she added, ‘I would like to thank my family for their support’.
add that
▪ I should add that I do not agree with Doctor Mitchell.
2. to say something publicly or officially
▷ say /seɪ/ [transitive verb]
to say something publicly or officially, using spoken or written words :
say (that)
▪ The President said he had no intention of resigning.
▪ The rules say that sports shoes must be worn in the gym at all times.
say what/how/who etc
▪ The police are refusing to say where Davies is being held.
▷ announce /əˈnaʊns/ [transitive verb]
to officially tell people what has happened or what will happen, in a written or spoken public statement :
▪ The Company announced profits of about $400 million.
announce (that)
▪ The Prime Minister has just announced there is to be a General Election next month.
announce your engagement
to officially tell people that you are going to get married
▪ They announced their engagement last year, but have still not set a date for their wedding.
▷ state /steɪt/ [transitive verb] formal
to say something publicly or officially, especially in clear, definite language :
▪ The government needs to clearly state its policy on possible military action.
state that
▪ The law states that you are innocent until proved guilty.
▪ Justice Cohen stated clearly that no further action would be taken.
▷ declare /dɪˈkleəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to officially state that a particular situation exists or a person or thing is in a particular condition :
declare somebody insane/unfit/a traitor etc
▪ In the last century, mothers of illegitimate babies could be declared insane.
▪ After nearly forty years’ membership, the Communist party declared him a traitor.
declare (that)
▪ Finally, the doctor declared that the man was dead.
declare war/an amnesty/a state of emergency
▪ In 1941 the US declared war on the Axis powers.
▪ A state of emergency has been declared in Bangladesh.
▷ make/issue a statement /ˌmeɪk, ˌɪʃuː ə ˈsteɪtmənt/ [verb phrase]
to say or write something publicly in order to tell people what you intend to do, what your opinion is etc - use this especially about politicians, business leaders, and other people in authority :
▪ The party’s environment spokesman intends to make a statement either today or tomorrow.
▪ The president’s press corps issued this statement today.
▷ lay down /ˌleɪ ˈdaʊn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to officially state the rules that say what is allowed in a particular situation :
lay down something
▪ The new law lays down strict rules about the way guns may be bought and sold.
lay down that
▪ It is laid down in the club rules that guests are not allowed in unless they are accompanied by a club member.
▷ be worded /biː ˈwɜːʳdə̇d/ [verb phrase]
if something such as an official statement or document is worded in a particular way, the speaker or writer has deliberately chosen their words in that way to get a particular effect :
▪ His speech to the police officers about racial violence had to be very carefully worded.
▪ The Defence Secretary made a public statement about the crisis, but it was worded in such a way as to give very little information.
3. to say that something is definitely true
▷ claim /kleɪm/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to say that something is true, even though it has not been proved and people may not believe it :
claim (that)
▪ Martin claimed that he was with friends at the time of his wife’s murder.
▪ She claimed she was fired from her job for being pregnant.
claim to be something
▪ She claims to be a descendent of Charles Dickens.
claim to have done something
▪ Doctors claim to have discovered a cure for the disease.
claim responsibility/credit etc
▪ No one has yet claimed responsibility for planting the bomb.
▷ maintain /meɪnˈteɪn, mən-/ [transitive verb]
to repeatedly say that something is true, especially when other people do not believe you :
maintain (that)
▪ My mother always maintains that I learned to talk at six months.
▪ The authors of "Superdiet' maintain you can lose pounds without eating less.
▷ assert /əˈsɜːʳt/ [transitive verb]
to state very firmly that something is true :
assert (that)
▪ Professor Sykes has asserted that the skeleton, which was said to be man’s first ancestor, is in fact a fake.
▪ After 1947, Nehru began to assert his supremacy and sack party chiefs who opposed him.
▪ If women are to have equal opportunity, they must loudly assert their ability to do all traditional "male' jobs.
▷ confirm /kənˈfɜːʳm/ [transitive verb]
if you confirm something that other people have already said is true, you say publicly that it is definitely true :
▪ Mr Eastwood refused to confirm or deny the rumour.
confirm (that)
▪ Police have confirmed that they are questioning a woman about the disappearance of baby Kelly Truman.
▷ testify /ˈtestɪfaɪ, ˈtestəfaɪ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to make a formal statement of what is true, especially in a court of law :
▪ Police had to guard him in hospital until he was well enough to testify.
testify that
▪ I’m prepared to testify in court that I was in Carolyn’s apartment that night.
testify against somebody
say something intended to prove someone is guilty
▪ The witness who had testified against him withdrew her allegation.
▷ swear /sweəʳ/ [transitive verb] informal
to say very firmly that what you have said is the truth :
swear (that)
▪ It was a mistake -- she swears that she didn’t mean to do it.
▪ The plane flew so low that Geoff swears he saw one wing touch the top of a tree.
swear blind (that)
used for emphasizing that someone is telling the truth
▪ She swears blind that she never met the man.
▷ certify /ˈsɜːʳtɪfaɪ, ˈsɜːʳtəfaɪ/ [transitive verb]
if someone such as a doctor or another professional person certifies something, they officially say that it is true :
certify (that)
▪ Doctors have certified that the suspect was in a lot of pain at the time of the incident.
certify somebody fit/dead/insane etc
▪ The doctor certified me unfit to go to work for the next month.
▷ insist /ɪnˈsɪst/ [transitive verb]
to say and repeat that something is true, especially when a lot of people think that it might not be true :
insist (that)
▪ Though there are no other witnesses, she insists she saw a man in the yard that night.
▪ UFO spotters will always insist that their data is correct.
▷ protest /prəˈtest/ [transitive verb]
to firmly and repeatedly state that you have not done something wrong :
protest (that)
▪ Marge protested that she had never had any kind of affair with Lawrence.
protest your innocence
say repeatedly that you did not commit a crime
▪ Throughout the trial Reilly protested his innocence.
▷ deny /dɪˈnaɪ/ [transitive verb]
to say that you have not done something bad that people say you have done :
▪ Bowlam denied all charges of selling drugs to children.
deny (that)
▪ The singer denies that he copied the tune from an old Beatles song.
deny doing something
▪ Did he actually deny meeting Jenny that night?
flatly/categorically deny
deny very strongly
▪ The foreman had not informed us that the paraffin might explode. In fact he had categorically denied there was any danger.
4. to say clearly what your opinion is
▷ say what you think /ˌseɪ wɒt juː ˈθɪŋk/ [verb phrase]
▪ She usually says what she thinks even if it offends her political colleagues.
say what you think about/of
▪ I’ll make a few suggestions, and the rest of you can say what you think about them.
▷ speak your mind /ˌspiːk jɔːʳ ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase]
to say what you think, even though what you say might upset or offend other people :
▪ She’s very direct and believes in speaking her mind.
▪ We thought that the process of filming might stop people from speaking their minds.
▷ air your views /ˌeəʳ jɔːʳ ˈvjuːz/ [verb phrase]
to say publicly what you think about something important, especially in a situation where it can be discussed :
▪ Every Friday there is a meeting at the factory where the workers can air their views and discuss problems.
▪ For a long time citizens were denied the right to air their views fully or to hold public debates.
▷ have your say /ˌhæv jɔːʳ ˈseɪ/ [verb phrase]
to be allowed to say what you think about something, for example in a meeting or among a group of people :
▪ You’ve had your say -- now let someone else speak.
have your say about
▪ At a public meeting yesterday, environmentalists were finally permitted to have their say about the future of the ancient forest.
▷ argue /ˈɑːʳgjuː/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to state, giving clear reasons, that something is true, should be done etc, although other people are disagreeing with you :
argue that
▪ She argued that taxes must be increased to pay for public services.
▪ Film makers themselves would no doubt argue that their films do not influence people’s behaviour.
argue for
argue that something should be done
▪ He argued for changes to the tax system so that it assisted people who undertook training.
argue against
argue that something should not be done
▪ Senator Harvey argued strongly against taking any form of military action.
5. to say that something you previously said was true is not true
▷ take back /ˌteɪk ˈbæk/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to say that something you said previously is not true, especially because you now know it was unfair or wrong to say it :
take back something
▪ I want to take back some of the things I said yesterday.
take something back
▪ If you don’t take that back I’ll never speak to you again.
▪ Look, I’m sorry I accused you -- I take it all back.
▷ withdraw /wɪðˈdrɔː, wɪθ-/ [transitive verb]
to publicly say that something you said earlier is not true, especially something offensive or unfair you have said about someone :
▪ He has been asked to withdraw remarks he made in a national newspaper about the honesty of the president.
▪ She withdrew her allegations of sex discrimination at work.
withdraw something unreservedly
withdraw it completely
▪ Mary said that she was very sorry and that she withdrew the accusation unreservedly.
▷ retract /rɪˈtrækt/ [transitive verb]
to formally or officially state that something you previously said is not true :
▪ He confessed to the murder then later retracted his statement.
▪ Galileo was not the first scientist to be forced to retract his theories.
6. to say something in an indirect way
▷ imply /ɪmˈplaɪ/ [transitive verb]
to say something that seems to mean that another thing is true, but without saying the other thing directly :
▪ You seem to be implying something that is not quite true.
imply (that)
▪ Michael did imply that I could have the job if I wanted it.
▪ The article implied that unemployed people are lazy and do not want to work.
▷ suggest /səˈdʒestǁsəg-/ [transitive verb]
to say something in an indirect way, especially something bad that you prefer not to say directly :
▪ What are you suggesting? Do you think I’m a thief?
suggest (that)
▪ His letter seemed to suggest that he wasn’t satisfied with my work.
I’m not suggesting
used for telling someone you are not criticizing them
▪ I’m not suggesting you deliberately tried to mislead us, just that you made a mistake.
▷ hint /hɪnt/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to say something in a very indirect way, but so that other people can guess what you mean :
hint (that)
▪ Harry hinted that his friendship with Mona might have contributed to his marriage break-up.
hint at
▪ The President hinted at the possibility of military action.
hint [countable noun]
▪ His comments were a clear hint that tax rises might be necessary.
▷ drop a hint /ˌdrɒp ə ˈhɪntǁˌdrɑːp-/ [verb phrase]
to say something that suggests that you want to do something or that you want someone to do something, but without saying it directly :
drop a hint about
▪ She kept dropping hints about her birthday, just to make sure none of us forgot about it.
▪ My mother dropped several hints about us wallpapering her sitting room.
▷ in a roundabout way /ɪn ə ˌraʊndəbaʊt ˈweɪ/ [adverb]
if you say something in a roundabout way, you say it in an indirect way, especially to avoid offending or embarrassing someone :
▪ I told him, in a roundabout way, that he wasn’t really good enough to join my English class.
7. to say something suddenly or unexpectedly
▷ exclaim /ɪkˈskleɪm/ [transitive verb]
to say something suddenly and loudly because you are angry, surprised, or excited :
▪ ‘What a beautiful house!’ she exclaimed.
▪ ‘Aha'!', he exclaimed triumphantly. ’We knew you’d come".
▷ come out with /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt wɪð/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to suddenly say something, in an unplanned way, which other people find unusual or surprising :
▪ It was strange to hear a little old lady come out with a swear word like that.
▪ I don’t want to make a speech -- I’ll only come out with something stupid that everyone will laugh at.
▪ You never know what he’ll come out with next.
▷ blurt out /ˌblɜːʳt ˈaʊt/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to suddenly say something without thinking, especially something embarrassing or something that should be kept secret :
blurt out something
▪ She had blurted out my secret when she was upset, and now everyone knew about it.
blurt something out
▪ He couldn’t go through the agony of lying to them again, so he blurted everything out.
blurt out that
▪ She couldn’t think of a good excuse, so blurted out that she was pregnant.
8. to say something quietly or unclearly
▷ whisper /ˈwɪspəʳ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to say something very quietly, using your breath rather than your voice :
▪ ‘Don’t wake the baby,’ whispered Jemima.
▪ You don’t have to whisper - there’s no one around.
whisper something in somebody’s ear
▪ Fran leant over and whispered something in her sister’s ear.
▷ mutter /ˈmʌtəʳ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to say something quietly, especially when you are annoyed but do not want someone to hear you complaining :
▪ ‘Why do I have to do all the work?’ she muttered.
▪ Grant went out, muttering something about having to see a client.
mutter to yourself
▪ He was always muttering to himself about all the experiments he had to do that week.
▷ mumble /ˈmʌmb ə l/ [transitive verb]
to say something quietly without pronouncing the words clearly, so that it is difficult to understand :
▪ He mumbled something I didn’t hear.
mumble that
▪ All I could do was mumble that I regretted I hadn’t taken my degree.
mumble a reply/an apology/your thanks etc
▪ Kaye could only mumble an apology.
▷ murmur /ˈmɜːʳməʳ/ [transitive verb]
to say something in a soft low voice, that is difficult to hear clearly :
▪ He began stroking her hair and gently murmuring her name.
▪ The child murmured something in its sleep.
▪ She heard the priest murmuring a prayer at the front of the church.
murmur [countable noun]
▪ There were excited murmurs as the President entered the hall.
▷ say something under your breath /ˌseɪ something ʌndəʳ jɔːʳ ˈbreθ/ [verb phrase]
to say something extremely quietly, especially a criticism or something rude, so that no one will hear what you are saying :
▪ ‘Stupid idiot,’ he said under his breath as the old man walked away.
▷ grunt /grʌnt/ [transitive verb]
to say a few words in a low rough voice, especially when you are not really interested in what someone is saying to you :
▪ ‘What about a stripy wallpaper for this room?’ ‘I dunno,’ he grunted.
▪ She grunted something I didn’t catch.
9. to say something angrily
▷ growl /graʊl/ [transitive verb]
to say something in a low angry voice, especially in order to make someone feel afraid :
▪ ‘Come over here and say that,’ he growled.
▪ He walked into the house, growled a few words at my mother and then went upstairs to bed.
▷ snarl /snɑːʳl/ [transitive verb]
to say something in a nasty angry way :
▪ ‘Keep your dirty hands off me,’ he snarled.
▪ Every time he asked her a question she snarled a bad-tempered answer.
10. not saying anything
▷ silent /ˈsaɪlənt/ [adjective not before noun] especially written
not speaking :
▪ Phil was silent for a moment as he thought about his reply.
remain silent
▪ I wanted to say ‘please don’t go’, but instead I remained silent, and she left.
fall silent
become silent
▪ The woman fell silent, though she kept darting angry glances at Jessica.
▷ be lost for words/be at a loss for words /biː ˌlɒst fəʳ ˈwɜːʳdz ǁ-ˌlɔːst, biː ət ə ˌlɒs fəʳ ˈwɜːʳdzǁˌlɔːs-/ [verb phrase]
to be unable to say anything because you are very surprised or because you are not prepared for the situation that has suddenly happened :
▪ No matter what happens he never seems lost for words.
▪ She stared at his letter, clearly at a loss for words.
▷ be struck dumb /biː ˌstrʌk ˈdʌm/ [verb phrase]
to be suddenly unable to say anything because you are extremely surprised or shocked and cannot believe what has happened :
▪ Amy was struck dumb. Was it possible that her own son had deceived her?
be struck dumb with
▪ When he arrived at the scene of the disaster, he was struck dumb with horror and amazement.
▷ clam up /ˌklæm ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb] informal
to suddenly become unwilling to talk :
▪ He always clams up when I ask him about his job -- do you think he’s doing something illegal?
▪ The police took her in for questioning, but she clammed up when they asked about her boyfriend.
▷ speechless /ˈspiːtʃləs/ [adjective not before noun]
unable to say anything because you are very angry, surprised, or upset :
▪ Anna was speechless. She had never seen such luxury before.
speechless with
▪ Laura stared at him, absolutely speechless with rage.
leave/render somebody speechless
make someone speechless
▪ His words dented her pride and left her speechless.
▷ tongue-tied /ˈtʌŋ taɪd/ [adjective not before noun]
unable or unwilling to say anything because you are nervous or embarrassed :
▪ She became tongue-tied when she looked at the handsome man sitting beside her.
▪ Nervousness affects people in different ways. While some people become tongue-tied, others cannot stop talking.
▷ I don’t know what to say /aɪ ˌdəʊnt nəʊ wɒt tə ˈseɪ/ spoken
say this when someone gives you an unexpected present, or does something bad or shocking, and you cannot express how happy, angry etc you feel :
▪ You’re so kind! I don’t know what to say.
▪ Well, I don’t know what to say. It’s absolutely disgraceful!
▷ words fail me /ˌwɜːʳdz ˈfeɪl miː/ spoken
say this when you are so shocked or angry that you cannot think of anything to say to express how you feel :
▪ Just look at this mess. Look at it. It’s...Words fail me!
▷ bite your tongue /ˌbaɪt jɔːʳ ˈtʌŋ/ [verb phrase]
to not say anything even though you want very much to say what you think :
▪ I had to bite my tongue to stop myself telling Neil exactly what I thought of his stupid plan.
▪ She’s so temperamental that even if you disagree with her it’s better to bite your tongue and say nothing.
11. something someone says
▷ remark /rɪˈmɑːʳk/ [countable noun]
something that you say, for example about what you think or something that you have noticed :
▪ What do you mean by that remark?
▪ I’m fed up with your snide remarks.
▪ Elliot had been accused of making racist remarks.
remark about
▪ I ignored his rude remark about my clothes.
remark on
▪ Some further remarks on this subject will be made in the next chapter.
make a remark
▪ Mr Hill sat down and made a few remarks about the weather.
casual/chance remark
something that you say for no particular reason
▪ It was just a casual remark - I didn’t mean anything by it.
▷ comment /ˈkɒmentǁˈkɑː-/ [countable noun]
something that you say or write, especially to give an opinion :
▪ OK, that’s what we are suggesting - does anyone have any comments?
comment on/about
▪ He made some comment about my dress, then carried on reading his book.
▪ Her comments on interest rates had little impact on financial markets.
make a comment
▪ We were discussing her new movie, and Jill made some interesting comments about it.
▷ thing to say /ˌθɪŋ tə ˈseɪ/ [noun phrase]
a strange/stupid/horrible etc thing to say
a remark that is strange, stupid etc :
▪ What an awful thing to say about your mother!
▪ I know it’s a terrible thing to say, but sometimes I wish I’d never been born.
▷ point /pɔɪnt/ [countable noun]
something you say, that people had not thought about or discussed until you mentioned it :
point about
▪ Michael’s point about training is an interesting one.
good point
▪ That’s a good point, and we should take it into consideration.
make a point
say something in a discussion, which people had not thought of before
▪ In his speech, Marks made the point that far more people died from smoking tobacco than from taking drugs.
▷ statement /ˈsteɪtmənt/ [countable noun]
something that someone says or writes publicly in order to tell people what they intend to do, what their opinion is etc :
▪ In a statement, the BBC admitted that it had given incorrect information.
make a statement
say something publicly
▪ The President will make a statement to the press this afternoon.
▷ announcement /əˈnaʊnsmənt/ [countable noun]
a public or official statement telling people what has happened or what will happen :
▪ The announcement was heard by millions of radio listeners this morning.
announcement of/about
▪ I read the announcement of her death in today’s paper.
make an announcement
▪ Silence, please. Mr Bennett is about to make an announcement.
▷ declaration /ˌdekləˈreɪʃ ə n/ [countable noun]
an important official statement, especially about what a government or organization intends to do :
declaration that
▪ They issued a declaration that it will be attempting to take over another three British companies.
declaration of war/independence/intent etc
▪ On the 19th of July a declaration of war was delivered in Berlin.
▷ observation /ˌɒbzəʳˈveɪʃ ə nǁˌɑːb-/ [countable noun]
a remark in which you say what you think or have noticed about something :
observation that
▪ The inspector began his report with the observation that the school was a happy place.
observation about
▪ I agree with your observations about the pricing of products.
make an observation
▪ A tour of Washington DC inspired one visitor to make some interesting observations about the gap between the rich and the poor.
12. what people say about something
▷ according to /əˈkɔːʳdɪŋ tuː/ [preposition]
use this to tell someone what someone else has said or written :
▪ According to today’s paper, 20 people died in the fire.
▪ Rob’s got a new girlfriend, according to Janine.
▷ rumour has it British /rumor has it American /ˌruːməʳ ˈhæz ɪt/ spoken
say this when you are telling someone something that you heard from someone else, which may not actually be true :
▪ To join the club, rumor had it, you had to be earning more than $100,000 a year.
rumour has it (that)
▪ Rumour had it that she only married him for his money.
▷ they say/people say /ðeɪ ˈseɪ, ˌpiːp ə l ˈseɪ/ spoken
use this to say what a lot of people believe and say :
they say/people say (that)
▪ They say her husband’s in prison.
so they say
use this when you are not sure whether something is true
▪ The test isn’t difficult, or so they say.
▷ apparently /əˈpærəntli/ [adverb] spoken
use this to say what you have read or been told, although you do not directly know about it yourself :
▪ It’s going to be hot this weekend, apparently.
▪ Apparently, Jim’s a really good tennis player.
▷ there is talk of /ðeər ɪz ˈtɔːk ɒv/ spoken
use this to tell someone about what may happen in the future, that you have heard other people talking about :
▪ He was doing very well at college and there was talk of him being accepted for Harvard.
▪ The company already does business with Germany and Japan and there’s been some talk of a deal with the French.
▷ supposedly /səˈpəʊzɪdli, səˈpəʊzədli/ [adverb] spoken
say this when you have heard people saying that something is true but you do not believe it :
▪ Richard was supposedly a tall, dark-eyed handsome man.
▪ He was supposedly delivering some papers to her but I think it was just an excuse to see her.