say
part of speech
verb (say, says, said, saying); noun (a say); interjection (say — informal)
meaning for a pupil
1) To say is to speak words: «Say hello.» tree →
2) To say is to tell a fact or opinion: «The sign says stop». tree →
3) Say can mean «for example» or «let's imagine»: «Take a number, say 7». tree →
4) Your say is your chance to give your opinion: «Everyone gets a say». tree →
5) (casual) «I say», «say what?» and «you don't say» show surprise; «you don't say» is often sarcastic: I knew that already. tree →
6) (casual) «Says who?» challenges someone: who decided that? tree →
7) (rough) «Say that again and you're dead» is a threat in a row; it is usually anger, not a real plan. tree →
8) (formal) «State», «assert», «declare», «indicate» and «it is stated that» are stiff words for say. tree →
sense in the lessons
In maths: a word of the story; brings what someone tells, sometimes a number; «let's say» sets up an example. In English lessons: reported speech («she says that…»). In everyday life: «say please and thank you», «what does the clock say?», «have your say». In stories: «they say the house is haunted»; «easier said than done». In casual talk: «says who?», «I'm just saying». In the exam voice: «it is stated that», «the notice indicates». Phrases: «say sorry», «that is to say», «needless to say», «to say the least».
examples
- Mia says she has 20 stickers. tree →
- Let's say each box holds 6 eggs. tree →
- What number does Tom say next? tree →
- Say how many are left. tree →
- Say please when you ask for something. tree →
- What does the clock say? tree →
- The sign says «Keep off the grass». tree →
- Everyone in the class gets a say. tree →
- my brother says the Sun goes round the Earth, right? (casual, wrong claim) tree →
- «It's 12.» «Says who? I counted 13.» (casual) tree →
- Say that again and I'll thump you. (rough) tree →
- It is stated that a pupil possesses 20 stickers; determine the number remaining upon the disposal of 7. (formal exam) tree →
- "With all my heart," says I. tree →
note
No operation; the numbers in what is said are the data. «Let's say» sets up an example. Forms: say, says (said «sez»), said («sed»). «Say» vs «tell»: you say something, you tell someone something. Trap: what someone says may be wrong — «my brother says 3 × 4 is 7» must be checked, not believed. Trap: if a speaker corrects herself («she has 5 — no, 6»), the last number counts. What people say online is not always true. Formal «it is stated that» = it says.
In the corpora
- That night she opens her banking app and groans: "The app says we've spent eighty dollars on takeaways this month."
- By the end of the call there is a plan, and he says, "Right.
- A text saying a parcel is held and asking for a small payment is a common scam to steal bank details.
- Moving means packing everything, doing paperwork and saying goodbye all at once, so it is very stressful.
- Coming home with flowers the day after a row is making up, a way of saying sorry and wanting to be friends again.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «say» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.