I was said

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I was said" is not correct and not usable in written English.
The correct form would typically involve a different structure, such as "I was told" or "It was said to me." Example: "I was told that the meeting would be rescheduled."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"People couldn't remember who I was," said Mr. Michalowicz.

The New York Times

"Of course I was," said Jemajem.

The Guardian

"It's changed everything about who I thought I was," said Parker about this discovery.

Independent

"I told him I'd be there, and I was," said Beverly.

The Guardian - Arts

"I was not the good judge I thought I was," said the 64-year-old.

The Guardian

I was said (wrongly) to have lectured my fellow judges on "how to read a novel".

The Guardian - Books

"That's the kind of kid I was," said Joanna Ferrone, the co-creator of the show.

The New York Times

"He were happier than I was," said Mick, who more naturally takes an Eeyore-ish pleasure in mild misfortune.

The Guardian

Queen Elizabeth I was said to have had a little Cornish, enough to greet her favoured West Country courtiers.

The Guardian

"I just wanted them to know who I was," said O'Toole, who added she was "a little nervous" about what she had done.

The New York Times

"I thought I'd be more nervous than I was," said Staal, who played 17:17 as part of the second defense pairing with Anton Stralman.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using the grammatically incorrect phrase "I was said", opt for clearer and more accepted alternatives such as "I was told" or "It was said to me".

Common error

Avoid using "I was said" as it's grammatically incorrect. Instead, restructure your sentence to use a correct passive voice construction or an active voice construction, such as "I was told" or "People said about me".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I was said" functions as an attempt to express a passive form of communication. However, as Ludwig AI points out, this construction is grammatically incorrect. The intended meaning typically involves conveying information that was communicated about the speaker.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I was said" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in both formal and informal writing. Ludwig AI reports that it is not usable in written English. More appropriate alternatives, such as "I was told" or "It was said to me", should be used to convey the intended meaning of information being communicated about the speaker. While examples do appear in news and media sources, they are infrequent and do not represent correct usage. Therefore, it is best to use grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and correctness in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I was told

Focuses on receiving information directly, replacing the passive and less direct "said" with a clearer verb of communication.

I have been told

Implies the information was conveyed to the speaker at some point in the past and may still be relevant.

It was said to me

More formal rephrasing that keeps the passive voice but improves grammatical correctness.

People said about me

Clarifies who is doing the saying, making it more direct and less ambiguous.

I understood that

Shifts the focus to the speaker's understanding or perception based on what was communicated.

I gathered that

Suggests an inference drawn by the speaker from indirect cues or remarks.

I've heard it said

Indicates the speaker has encountered the statement multiple times, suggesting a common opinion.

The word was

More informal and implies widespread knowledge or rumor about the speaker.

I learned that

Emphasizes the acquisition of knowledge, focusing on the speaker's learning process.

I was informed

Suggests an official or formal manner of communication, replacing "said" with a more precise verb.

FAQs

What's grammatically wrong with "I was said"?

The phrase "I was said" is grammatically incorrect because "said" requires a direct object. Correct alternatives include "I was told", where "told" properly takes the implied information as its object, or "It was said to me", which correctly uses a preposition to indicate the recipient of the statement.

What can I say instead of "I was said"?

You can use alternatives like "I was told", "It was said to me", or "I was informed" depending on the context.

How can I rephrase a sentence that incorrectly uses "I was said"?

To rephrase a sentence using "I was said", identify who conveyed the information and use an active construction (e.g., "They told me..."). Alternatively, use a passive construction with correct grammar, such as "I was told" or "It was said to me".

Is "I was said" ever correct in any context?

No, "I was said" is not grammatically correct in any standard English context. The correct usage involves using a different verb that appropriately conveys the communication of information, such as "I was told".