say
1.可以说She is said to sing very well，不可说They say her to sing very well。
下面四句意思不同：
- She is said to sing very well. （［现在］据说她歌唱得很好。）
- She is said to have sung very well. （［现在］据说她过去歌唱得很好。）
- She was said to sing very well. （［过去］据说她歌唱得很好。）
- She was said to have sung very well. （［过去］据说她在那时以前歌唱得很好。）
2.say单独用作“说话”解现在极不普通，不该用它，如不该说He did not say和He said, and went out。
3.What do you say to a game of chess? 和What say you to a game of chess? 作“你高兴玩棋么？”解，第二种形式并不嫌古旧。What do you say to coming out to tea with me? 里的coming是动名词，不可改作come。
4.says I是不正当的口语。原来属于历史性现在时，不用say而用says，那是因为这历史性现在时通常多用在第三人称。例如：'If you will go,' says I, 'I will go with you.'
5.英国人在口语里往往说I say。例如：I say, what a fine view it is! 美国人通常不说I say而只说say。例如：Say, what a fine view it is!
6.say to...（不定式）是美国英语，作“说该…”解，那不定式所表示的动作有时泛指一般人，有时专指某人。例如：The teacher says to study carefully. 和My teacher gave me a great deal of advice, he said to study carefully. 也可以说My teacher said for me to study carefully。
7.下面两句意思相同，但语法不同：
- It is said in the papers that there will be a chrysanthemum show next week.
- It says in the papers that there will be a chrysanthemum show next week.
第一句里的that引导的从句是It的同位语，第二句里的It是非人称动词says的主语，那that引导的从句是says的宾语。
8.下面各句都可以说：
- It is warm, not to say hot.
- Your idea is original, not to say ingenious.
- He denied the charge emphatically, not to say indignantly.
- In your own interests, not to say mine, you must not do that.
以上几句不可改作：
- It is hot, not to say warm.
- Your idea is ingenious, not to say original.
- He denied the charge indignantly, not to say emphatically.
- In my interests, not to say your own, you must not do that.
9.下面三句意思相同：
- He said: 'Quality matters more than quantity.'
- 'Quality matters more than quantity,' he said.
- 'Quality matters more than quantity,' said he.
不可说：
- Said he: 'Quality matters more than quantity.'
但假使把he改作名词，就可以说。例如：
- Said Mr Jackson: 'Quality matters more than quantity.'
- Said our teacher: 'Quality matters more than quantity.'
这种结构主要用在报纸里。
