he says that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'he says that' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when someone is directly quoting another person. For example: John told me, "He says that the party will be cancelled due to bad weather."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

He says that is cheating".

The New York Times - Books

And he says, "That was it".

The New York Times

He says that is for two reasons.

The Guardian

"He says: 'That is my special thing.

The New York Times - Sports

He says that is not the case.

BBC

Now he says that was too optimistic.

Forbes

But he says that is changing.

Los Angeles Times

He says that 'don't take too much medicines'.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

In 2005, he says, that number was less than 20%.

Environmental Health Perspectives

It's becoming better known, he says, that pollination also affects the nutritional value of foods.

Environmental Health Perspectives

It's been shown, he says, that sequencing depth varies with the GC-content of DNA fragments (Benjamini and Speed 2012).

Genome Biology and Evolution

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "he says that" in your writing, ensure that the context makes it clear who "he" refers to. If there's any ambiguity, clarify by using the person's name or a descriptive title.

Common error

Avoid using "he says that" when you are not directly quoting or paraphrasing someone's actual words. Instead, use phrases like "he believes" or "he suggests" to convey general ideas.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he says that" functions as a reporting clause, introducing a statement or opinion attributed to a male subject. It serves to relay information or provide context, as evidenced by the numerous examples in Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he says that" is a grammatically sound and commonly used reporting clause. It serves the purpose of attributing a statement or opinion to a male individual across diverse contexts, particularly in news and media, and scientific writing. While versatile, it's important to ensure clarity in attributing quotes and avoiding misrepresentation. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and suitable for various writing styles, confirming its widespread acceptance in English. Alternatives like "he states that" or "according to him" can offer stylistic variations while maintaining the core meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he states that

More formal alternative, suitable for official or written contexts.

he adds that

Indicates further information being provided.

he mentions that

Indicates a casual or brief reference to something.

he notes that

Highlights something specific or noteworthy.

he points out that

Emphasizes a particular fact or detail.

he indicates that

Suggests a more subtle or indirect communication.

he observes that

Implies a careful or thoughtful consideration.

he claims that

Suggests the statement might be disputed or unverified.

he believes that

Emphasizes the person's personal opinion or conviction.

according to him

Attributes the information directly to the person as the source.

FAQs

How do I use "he says that" in a sentence?

Use "he says that" to report someone's words or opinions. For example, "The doctor says that exercise is important."

What are some alternatives to "he says that"?

You can use alternatives like "he states that", "he mentions that", or "according to him", depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to use "he says that"?

Yes, "he says that" is grammatically correct and commonly used in both spoken and written English.

What's the difference between "he says that" and "he said that"?

"He says that" is used to report something someone is currently saying or generally says, while "he said that" is used to report something someone said in the past.